The NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS, or, as it is now seientifically termed, ORNITHOLOGY, needs little to recommend it to those whose taste for simple pleasures is not vitiated. The habits, manners, and modes of life of this interesting portion of the animal kingdom, have attracted the attention of numerous naturalists, who have, from time to time, recorded a variety of useful, instructive, and amusing facts concerning it. Various artificial arrangements have also been proposed, by which, it has been presumed, the science of ornithology may be more readily and correctly acquired. Among these, the arrangements of LINNEUS, of PENNANT, of LATHAM, and of VIGORS, deserve, it appears to me, the most attention; although those of BRISSON, the Baron CUVIER, and of M. TEMMINCK, are also entitled to respect. Nor ought, perhaps, the name of JOHN RAY, our own countryman, who flourished in the seventeenth century, as a distinguished naturalist, to be here omitted; but we cannot enter into a detail or examination of these last writers' systems. As, however, that of LINNEUS has obtained much celebrity, is constantly referred to by our naturalists; and seems, besides, to have contributed much to the foundation on which many, if not all, of the subsequent arrangements of the Natural History of Birds have been built, it may be useful to place an Epitome of it before the reader, premising, that no artificial arrangement which has hitherto been made public, how ingenious soever it be, will correspond exactly with that which is found in Nature; but, that some arrangement is nevertheless useful to facilitate this pleasing study, will, it is presumed, be universally admitted. The following are the ORDERS, GENERA, and the NUMBER of the SPECIES, described by LINNÆUS. ORDO I. ACCIPITRES. ORDER I. HAWKS. These have hooked bills, the superior mandible near the base being extended on each side beyond the inferior; and, in some, These have a compressed bill resembling a knife. * Pedibus ambulatoriis-with feet formed for walking. ** Pedibus Scansoriis-with climbing feet, 15 Ramphastos. Toncan 16 Trogon. 17 Psittacus. 8 19 Picus. Carucui, Eng Parrot lish Lady, 3 20 Yunx. 18 Crotophaga.Ani Woodpecker, *** Pedibus gressoriis—with feel formed for leaping. Horo-bill, 4 25 Merops. Bee-eater, 7 23 Buceros. 24 Alcedo. ORDO III. ANSERES. These have a smooth bill, broadest at the point, covered with a smooth skin, and furnished with teeth; the tongue is fleshy, and the toes are palmated or webbed, 1 **Rostro edentulo-with a toothless bill. 31 Rhynchops. Skimmer, 2 36 Larus. 32 Diomedea. Albatross, 33 Alca. Auk 1 2 37 Sterna. Gull • 11 -7 5 38 Colymbus.< &c. Pelican, Cor- ORDO IV. GRALLE. Diver, Grebe, ORDER IV. WADERS. 11 These have a somewhat cylindrical bill; the tail is short, and the thighs naked; many of this tribe are distinguished by long legs and long bills. * Pedibus tetradactylis-feet with four toes. ** Pedibus cursoriis tridactylis—with feet formed for running,— These have a convex bill; the superior mandible is vaulted over the inferior; the nostrils are half covered with a convex cartilaginous membrane; the feet are divided, but connected Turkey 61 Numida. Guinea Hen. 1 63 Tetrao. 3 &c. Partridge, 6 Grouse, Quail, These have a conical sharp pointed bill; the nostrils are oval, wide, and naked. * Crassirostres-with thick bills. Finch, Ca- 64 Loxia. &c. Grosbeak&c.48 39 66 Emberiza. { Bunting, Or Curvirostres-with curved bills. 65 Fringilla. gus. 67 Caprimul-{Goat Sucker, 2 tolan, &c. 24 68 Hirundo. {Swallow, Mar tin, Swift, 12 Manakin, 13 *** Emarginatirostres-with emarginated bills. 70 Turdus. Thrush,Black- | 71 Ampelis. Chatterer, 7 bird, Field- 72 Tanagra. Tanager, 24 fare, &c. 28 73 Muscicapa. Fly-catcher,21 * Simplicirostres-with simple bills. The GENERIC CHARACTERS OF BIRDS are taken from the peculiarities in the bill, the nostrils, the tongue, the feet, the feathers, the face, the figure of the body, &c. The SPECIFIC CHARACTERS are very various; they consist in the colour of the particular feathers, or parts of feathers; crests of feathers on the head disposed in different manners; the colour of the cere or wax; the colour of the feet; the shape and length of the tail; the number, situation, &c. of the toes; the colour and figure of the bill, &c. The VARIETIES of the same SPECIES are still farther distinguished by more minute and slighter shades of difference. The limits to which I am restricted will not permit me to name all the species which are arranged under eachr genus of the preceding orders; but an account of the most striking SPECIES of each genus, as well as of those in the additional genera of Dr. LATHAM, will be, nevertheless, found in the subsequent NOTES, so that it is hoped nothing of importance in the NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS has been, omitted. It will now be necessary that we should advert to some other arrangements. Mr. PENNANT classed BIRDS, first, into two grand divisions-LAND-BIRDS and WATER-BIRDS. These he again divided into nine ORDERS, of which the LAND-BIRDS formed SIX, namely, RAPACIOUS; PIES; GALLINACEOUS; COLUMBINE; PASSERINE; STRUTHIOUS. The WATER-Birds three, -namely, CLOVE-FOOTED or WADERS; PINNATED FEET; and WEB-FOOTED, The number of genera in the Linnean arrangement is seventy-eight; of Mr. PENNANT's, ninety-five; of Dr. LATHAM'S, in the last edition of his work,112*. The system of BRISSON is apparently, at least, more scientific than any of the preceding; the divisions are more numerous, and, therefore, less liable to exceptions. His first $ * General History of Birds, by JOHN LATHAM, M.D. &C. &C., in ten volumes, 4to. with nearly two hundred plates. This intelligent and venerable naturalist resides at Winchester: his work has been for many years before the public; it has undergone from time to time, considerable improvement. |