112 Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, tyc. 
as all the species have been previously named by Mr. Blyth in his 
4 Report/ published in the previous Number of the same Journal, 
it would have been better not to have given Major TickelFs 
manuscript names, which are merely useless synonyms.” 
I feel very sure you would not have made that remark had 
you been aware of the particulars of the case; I will therefore 
furnish you with them. 
On my return from the expedition in the Tenasserim hills, 
described in the “ Itinerary,” I sent to the Museum, of which Mr. 
Blyth is curator, a box of birds 5 skins, containing several species, 
not “ supposed/ 5 but “ believed 55 and in fact known to be new; 
and to each of these hitherto undescribed birds I appended the 
specific name, which I, as the discoverer and first describer of 
the birds, had, of course, a right to give. These names were 
entered in a list sent with the box, and I mentioned to Mr. 
Blyth that the descriptions of them would shortly follow. 
Mr. Blyth, however, at once reported upon the birds to the 
Society, and named them himself. He certainly wrote to me 
regarding the propriety of altering some of the trivial names, 
but not till the deed was done, and my assent or dissent 
equally unavailing; consequently, when the appendix to my 
“ Itinerary 55 was published, my names appeared as “ useless 
synonyms.” 
Without imputing to Mr. Blyth (from whom I have to ac¬ 
knowledge often receiving much assistance and valuable informa¬ 
tion) a desire to appropriate my discoveries as his own, it is 
evident that the somewhat hasty publication of his list deprives 
me of a right which etiquette in these matters has always re¬ 
cognized. It would be better justice in all cases, I think, if the 
name of the discoverer should always be recorded instead of that 
of the mere namer. Long-established custom, however, has 
decided otherwise; but it would be hard indeed if the person 
who was both discoverer and describer should not have his name 
attached to his contributions ! 
I annex a list of the birds to which I lay claim as discovered 
by myself. Some of these have been named by Mr. Blyth, and 
must so remain, as I either had no leisure to describe them 
myself before they reached his hands, or sent them to him 
