FOOTED. divisions are two,—namely, CLOVEN-FOOTED and WEBThe first of these he divides into seventeen orders, and eighty-five genera; the second into nine orders and twenty-eight genera. This system does not, however, seem to have obtained much attention; yet the number of the genera nearly coincides with that of Dr. LATHAM, who appears to have followed and improved upon Mr. PENNANT'S arrangement. His divisions and orders are similar in name and number to those of Mr. PENNANT; but he, nevertheless, differs from him in many particulars; his genera are also more numerous. The whole number of birds enumerated by LINNEUS specifically, is only 930, while those described by Dr. LATHAM in bis recently published work amount to about 5000! And future discoveries must necessarily increase them. But it should be observed, that although Dr. LATHAM has added to the number of the genera; this addition arises in part from his dividing some of the genera of LINNEUS into two or more. Thus the genus Motacilla or WARBLER, he has divided into Motacilla or WAGTAIL, and Sylvia or WARBLER; Tetrao or PARTRIDGE he has divided into three, namely, Tinamus or TINAMOU, Tetrao or GROUSE, and Perdix or PARTRIDGE; Struthio he has also divided into four,-Struthio or AFRICAN OSTRICH, Casuarius or CASSOWARY, Didus or DoDo, and Rhea or AMERICAN OSTRICH ; he has also divided the SNIPE, Scolopax, from the CURLEW, which he calls Numenius; he has, again, erected the GREBE, Podiceps, the GALLINULE, Gallinula, and the GUILLEMOT, Uria, into separate genera; he has also separated the PHALAROPE, Phalaropus, from Tringa or LAPWING, &c. Besides which, he has added other new genera, as will be seen on reference to the following synopsis of his work. : In justice to Dr. LATHAM it ought to be stated, that there has been latterly evinced, among our ornithologists, a dispo sition to follow his alterations, which seem more consonant with the natural arrangement that it should be our aim to discover and to exhibit. Whether the Quinary system, hereafter to be noticed, will ultimately supersede all other arrangements, remains yet to be seen. As, however, the work of Dr. LATHAM is one of the most voluminious and valuable that has ever been published on ornithology, and as every student who desires to be deeply imbued with a knowledge of the science ought to consult it, a list of all the names of the genera, and of the number of the species described under each genus in that work, is here presented to the reader in one view. A SYNOPSIS OF DR. LATHAM'S LAST WORK ON BIRDS. The Latin names of the GENERA, are supplied, in part, from the INDEX ORNITHOLOGICUS of Dr. LATHAM, and the remainder from private information, kindly communicated by Dr. L., from his MS. copy of a new edition of the index not yet published. BILL incurvated, the upper mandible hooked, with an indentation near the tip; NOSTRILS, for the most part, open; FEET made for perching, strong, short; BODY, HEAD, and NECK, muscular; SKIN thick; FLESH impure; FooD obtained by rapine or preying on carrion; NEST built on trees or elevated places; EGGS generally four in number: FEMALE larger : BILL sharp edged, upper mandible convex: FEET made for walking; short, strong: BODY somewhat tenacious; FLESH impure Food various: NEST on trees: the male feeds the female while sitting: monogamous. 5 Lanius. 11 Buphaga. 13 Musophaga. * With legs made for walking. Shrike, 122 19 Paradi Beef Eater, 2 sea. 30 Sitta. 16 Coracias. Roller, 26 36 Trochilus. S Humming 18 Gracula. Grakle.. 39 Bird, 95 BILL conic-acuminated: FEET salient, slender, cloven: BODY tender in those which are granivorous the flesh is pure, in others, feeding on insects, impure : FooD obtained from trees, 21 Bucco. 22 Pogonius, Barbican, 6 23 Polophilus. Coucal, 17 24 Phœnico phaus. Malkoha,. 5 25 Cuculus. 26 Yunx, 27 Picus. Woodpecker, 91 ORDER III. PASSERINE. as seeds, or insects: NEST curiously constructed: the Foor put into the mouth of the young by the parents: monogamous: many of these are songsters. ** With curved bills, the upper mandible bent at the tip. *** With bills, having the upper mandible emarginated at the top. 38 Turdus. Thrush, 234 43 Tanagra. Tanager, 61 39 Ampelis. Chatterer, 28 46 Muscicapa. Fly-catcher,177 Simple-billed, bill strait, integral, Starling, 37 49 Sylvia. Warbler, 37 Sturnus. 47 Alauda. Lark, 48 Motacilla. Wagtail, ORDO IV. 55 51 Parus. 25 attenuated. 298 Titmouse, 38 ORDER IV. COLUMBA. PIGEON OF COLUMBINE. BILL rather strait, swelling at the base; FEET formed for walking, short; NAILS simple; BODY plump; FLESH savoury; FOOD grass, fruits, and seeds, swallowed whole; NEST ill constructed, placed in trees, hollows of rocks, &c.; EGGS two in number; the mother feeds the young with grain made soft in the crop, and ejected into their mouthis; monogamous. 54 Columba. Pigeon, ORDO V. GALLINA. 136 ORDER V. BILL Couvex, the upper mandible arched over the lower, having a convex cartilaginous membrane over the nostrils; FEET made for walking; TOES rough beneath; BODY plump, muscular; FLESH savoury; FOOD grain of all kinds, collected from the ground and macerated in the crop; NEST made on the bare ground without art; EGGS numerous; the young as soon as hatched, take of themselves the food pointed out by the parents; polygamous. 55 Pavo. Peacock, Pintado, With four toes. BILL subconic, strait, tip various; BODY shapeless, ponderous, scarcely edible; WINGS Small, useless for flight, or none visible; FEET made for running, strong; TOEs various in number; Food grain and vegetables; NEST on the ground; monogamous. BILL sub-cylindric; FEET cloven; THIGHS half naked; BODY compressed; SKIN very tender; TAIL short; FLESH savoury; Food in marshy places, fish, marine insects, mollusca, &c.; NEST chiefly on land, sometimes on trees; mode of pairing various. |