ON BOTANICAL TERMS. 
The names of the order, tribe, family, section, and domus, all end uniformly 
in zoology, namely, in ores, es, idee, inee, and ites ; and the advantages of this 
plan are self-evident. Botany has at length, though tardily, participated in these 
advantages ; and the honour of having introduced these endings belongs to Lind- 
ley, who first developed his ideas on the subject in his Key to Structural Botany, 
published in 1835. Plants, like birds, are there divided into five orders, namely, 
Exogens (Exogenee), Gymnospermens ( Gymnospermenee), Endogens (Endo- 
gence), Rhizanthens (Rhizanthenee), and Acrogens (Acrogenee). These are 
divided into tribes, as Monopetalse, Apetalse, &c. These, again, are divided into 
groups, which terminate in osee; and each of these are divided into families, 
the names of which are formed by adding aceee to the root of the typi¬ 
cal genus. I have, however, thought that acee would be preferable. The 
inconvenience of the former is not so apparent in the shorter names, as that of 
the Rose family (Rosacece), or Pine family f Pinaceee), but in some of the 
longer names, as that of the Willow-wort family (Epilobiaceee), the Fig-wort 
family ( Scrofulariacece), Polypodiaceee, Plantaginaceee, &c., we should feel relief 
from the omission of a vowel. It would be far less convenient to call the Willet 
family Silviadeee than Silviadee, or the Finch family Fringillidece than Fringil- 
lidee ; and if this is acknowledged in zoology why not, also, in botany ? Several 
persons who are willing to adopt the improved nomenclature complain of its incon¬ 
venience ; and certainly I do not see why any unnecessary difficulties should be 
thrown in the way of any one. These remarks may not be without their utility, 
and therefore I submit them to the botanical readers of The Naturalist, which, 
like every other equally promising Naturalist, has my hearty good wishes. 
C. T. W. 
FOOD OF THE HEDGE COALHOOD (Pyrrhula vulgaris, Tern.) 
With me the Bullfinches (your Hedge Coalhood) are very destructive, parti¬ 
cularly to the Plum trees, Apples, Medlars, &c. It is the blossom-buds that are 
chiefly preferred. I have dissected dozens of these birds, and have never found 
any remains of insects in the crop or stomach. They are here very numerous, 
being fostered by the extensive plantations I have made ; and I am obliged (reluc¬ 
tantly I must say) to make war on them every spring. 
P. J. Selby. 
