CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 
559 
possibly he may complain of our having pointed out the ignorance of the public 
as regards matters of this nature, and, by thus “ letting the Cat out of the 
bag,” of having defeated the result which his epistle might otherwise have had, 
of improving the illustrations. But we beg to observe that in this, as in every 
other matter, we desire alone to sift and obtain, if possible, the truth —before 
which all other considerations ought to shrink into insignificance.— Ed.] 
Ti-ie Vernacular Names of Totanus ochropus and T. glottis. 
To the Editor of the Naturalist. 
My dear Sir, —There appears to be some confusion in the vernacular names 
of Totanus ochropus and T. glottis, as given in The Naturalist. At p. 73, Vol. 
II., Mr. Morris denominates the former 44 Greenshank” and the latter species 
44 Green Sandpiper .” Mr. Dale (II., 179) has, on the contrary, T. ochropus 
44 Green Sandpiper.” The vernacular name given to T. glottis in my 44 Catalogue” 
(II., 354) is 44 Greenshank” which you have again applied to T. ochropus. I 
should like this confusion avoided. The authority of naturalists favours the 
nomenclature adopted by Mr. Dale and myself. Montagu, Bewick, Selby, 
Jenyns, &c., unite in denominating T. glottis the Greenshank, and T. ochropus 
the Green Sandpiper. As the plumage of the former is not green, it has no right 
to that appellation ; but, its feet being of that colour, it may appropriately be 
termed the Greenshank. And yet some would claim this name for T. ochropus , 
because of the derivation of its specific appellation, from w^os (yellowish-green) 
and < 7 7ovs (foot). This difficulty may be removed by considering ochropus as de¬ 
rived from uyjoos and (aspect). This will give us T. ochropus , Green Sandpiper, 
and T. glottis , Greenshank Sandpiper, which is in my opinion the correct nomen¬ 
clature. Perhaps the above may be considered 44 much ado about nothing,” but I 
doubt not, Mr. Editor, your love for precise nomenclature will lead you to think 
otherwise. Believe me, 
Very faithfully yours, 
Peter Rylands. 
Bexesey House, March 2, 1838. 
[Our correspondent will find, on reference, that Selby names both T. ochropus 
and T. glottis 44 Greenshank,” and certainly the appellation would in some mea¬ 
sure suit both. But we believe the plan proposed above to be the best.— Ed.] 
