ORCHARD ORIOLE. 
65 
degenerated by the influence of climate, or some other acci- 
dental cause.’’ 
How the influence of climate could affect one portion of a 
species and not the other, when both reside in the same climate, 
and feed nearly on the same food ; or what accidental cause 
could produce a difference so striking, and also so regular, as 
exists between the two, are, I confess, matters beyond my 
comprehension. But if it be recollected that the bird which 
the Count was thus philosophizing upon, was nothing more 
than the female Baltimore Oriole, which exactly corresponds 
to the description of his male Bastard Baltimore, the difficulties 
at once vanish, and with them the whole superstructure of 
theory founded on this mistake. Dr Latham, also, while he 
confesses the great confusion and uncertainty that prevail 
between the true and bastard Baltimore, and their females, 
considers it highly probable that the whole will be found to 
belong to one and the same species, in their different changes 
of colour. In this conjecture, however, the worthy naturalist 
has likewise been mistaken ; and I shall endeavour to point 
out the fact, as well as the source of this mistake. 
And here I cannot but take notice of the name which 
naturalists have bestowed on this bird, and which is certainly 
remarkable. Specific names, to be perfect, ought to express 
some peculiarity, common to no other of the genus ; and 
should, at least, be consistent with truth ; but, in the case now 
before us, the name has no one merit of the former, nor even 
that of the latter to recommend it, and ought henceforth to be 
rejected as highly improper, and calculated, like that of Goat- 
sucker , and many others equally ridiculous, to perpetuate that 
error from which it originated. The word bastard , among 
men, has its determinate meaning ; but when applied to a 
whole species of birds, perfectly distinct from any other, 
originally deriving their peculiarities of form, manners, colour, 
&c. from the common source of all created beings, and perpe- 
tuating them, by the usual laws of generation, as unmixed 
and independent as any other, is, to call it by no worse name, 
VOL. i. e 
