2G0 
CORRESPONDENCE. ^ 
faction. The nomenclature you use, in my opinion, is in most cases the best. 
Sir W. Jardine seems, however, from his review of the Song Birds in the 
Maga;sine of Zoology and Botany, to think very differently. Surely the nomen¬ 
clature he adopts cannot be considered excellent!—You must excuse me if I now 
proceed to offer a few criticisms on your book. I believe, however, that they 
will meet your approbation : at least I know I shall only be acting as you would 
wish any friend or correspondent candidly to do. At p. 285— 6 you have some 
very pertinent and just observations on the use of “ common ” as a specific 
jappellation, which you conclude by saying, “ common can never be admissible." 
At p. 864 we have “ Common Goldwing!' You will perceive at once that you 
have here laid yourself open to a charge of inconsistency. Would not “ Thistle 
Goldwing” be a much better appellation ? Now it appears to me that vulgaris 
is equally objectionable as “ common ” in vernacular nomenclature; and I am 
happy to find ^i^ou have discarded it in many cases. But why have we still 
Merula vulgaris and Crucirostra vulgaris ? The former cannot be said to be 
common, and the latter is of very rare occurrence in this neighbourhood. Would 
not Merula hortensis be preferable to M. vulgaris, for the Garden Ouzel ? 
At p. 184, in the article Coal Tit, lines 1, 7, and 25 from the top, we have 
Marsh where the Coal Tit is evidently referred to.—I hope your interesting 
work may soon have to pass through a second edition, and should you think these 
observations just, you will then be able to made suitable corrections.* 
On the Backwardness of the Spring of 1837. 
We have at length the happiness to experience a little summer weather in 
this quarter. How late the season has been ! The Swallows did not make their 
appearance till the second week in April,t and the Swift was not seen until the 
4th of May. Nature seemed to show her disapprobation of the ancient custom 
of decking the streets on the 29th of May with branches of Oak ; for she denied 
foliage to that tree, and naked branches would hardly have suited the cavaliers 
purpose. For my own part, I think the Dame did quite right (craving your 
pardon if you are of that class who view Charles as a martyr, and reverence 
him as such). As a natural consequence of the Oak being so late in foliage, the 
Melolonthce did not “ break the still of eve ” with their “ booming flight" until at 
* We have elsewhere observed that we should be glad to have a better name than Common 
Goldwing suggested. Thistle Goldwing appears to us the very thing. Merula hortensis is like¬ 
wise good; but surely Mr. Hylands is mistaken in saying that this bird “-cannot be said to be 
commonwe never visited any part of the country without finding it abundant, though always 
solitary (hence Merula^hom mera, solitary) or in pairs.—We feel much flattered by our corres¬ 
pondent’s favourable opinion of the British Song Birds, and beg to thank him sincerely for his 
candid and judicious criticism.—E d. 
t And they were not common till the first week in May.—E d. 
