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loured correctly after nature, by or under the direction of the author himself. As far as I have had an opportunity of examining the engravings, they appear far superior to any thing that has yet been published in this country concerning British Birds. It bids fair not only to equal, if not to exceed, in many particulars, ANDREW WILSON's work, but also to supply a desideratum in our ornithological history, which every lover of birds must of necessity highly esteem.

My poetical division of the birds, although not scientific, will not be, I flatter myself, without its uses. From the great loco-motive powers of many birds, they belong to almost all regions of the earth; yet, in a general view, the EAGLE may be said to be the king of the birds of the temperate, as the VULTURE, Condur, is of the torrid zones. The CONDUR prefers putrid to fresh meat; hence the use of such birds in warm climates. As the organ of smell is, in the Vulturid race of birds, strongly developed, Mr. VIGORS thinks that this tribe bears, among birds of prey, the same analogical relation to the canine race among the mammalia, as the Falconids exhibit to the Feline tribes.* PLINY has concisely stated the difference in this respect between these two genera of birds. AQUILE clarius cernunt;

The disposition of the

VULTURES sagacius ordorantur. VULTURE tribe for dead animals was well known to the ancients:

Exanima obscœnus consumit corpora vultur.

SILIUS ITALICUS.

Although I have poetically Two divisions of birds, from a desire to maintain, as much as was consistent with the nature of my work, a scientific arrangement in the NOTES, I have to regret that the description of every bird could not,

* Zoological Journal, vol. 2, page 371.

without great inconvenience, be confined to its peculiar region, notwithstanding, for the most part, it is so. When, therefore, the description of any bird cannot be readily found in the notes of one part, it should be sought for in the other. The INDEX will be, however, the most certain guide.

In an EPITOME of ORNITHOLOGY, the mention of the very extensive and useful collection of preserved specimens of birds now open to the inspection of the public at the BRITISH MUSEUM ought not to be omitted. The lover of Natural History will find, in the well arranged cases of that National Repository, much to interest and engage his attention. There he may contemplate specimens of the more rare and curious of the feathered race. The Flamingo, the Bird of Paradise, the Toucan, innumerable Eagles, the Columba Coronota, the Bustard, and a numerous et cætera, either new or rare in this department of science. There may he pass days in the contemplation of BIRDS alone, which will afford him no ordinary gratification.

The Ornithological Museum of the LINNEAN SOCIETY ought also to be mentioned; the extensive collection of the BIRDS of NEW HOLLAND, in particular, is more especially deserving notice. This museum is not, of course, open to the public; but, by a suitable introduction, it may be readily inspected.

Nor ought the museum of the East India Company, in Leadenhall Street, to be forgotten. Here will be found many of the birds of the east, and, particularly, a curious collection made by Dr. HORSFIELD, of the Birds of Java: access to this can only be had through the medium of a DIRECTOR, or by an introduction to the Librarian, Dr. WILKINS.

Nor must the growing collection of the ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY in these notices be passed over; a society which,

under the auspices of many of the nobility and gentry, is already, although of very recent formation, in vigorous activity, and to which the learned SECRETARY, Mr. Vigors, is lending his powerful assistance; and the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, as PRESIDENT, his countenance and support.

Nor, lastly, should the collection of LIVING BIRDS at EXETER CHANGE be omitted. Among which is a large female AFRICAN OSTRICH; various VULTURES; the DEMOISELLE HERON; PELICANS; several EMEUS, which were bred in his Majesty's establishment in Windsor Park; and other living ornithological curiosities.

It is scarcely necessary to add, that the Latin word, Genera, is used throughout this work for the plural of genus, the same as it is in that language. Notwithstanding my endeavours to the contrary, some terms have almost imperceptibly glided into the work which may require explanation to the uninitiated reader; I have therefore added a Glossary of such words, and have also given the meaning of the terms adopted by Mr. VIGORS, and mentioned above in explanation of the Quinary arrangement.

In studying scientific works on ornithology, it will be useful to know the terms which are applied to the different parts of the bodies of birds; they are as follow:

The HEAD, Caput, consists of the Bill, Rostrum; the ostrils, Nares; the Cere or Wax, Cera; the Tongue, Lingua; the Face, Capistrum; the Forehead, Frons; the Crown, Vertex; the Hindhead, Occiput; the Crest, Crista; the Eyes, Oculi; the Eyebrows, Supercilia; the Caruncules, Caruncula; the Lore, Lorum; the Orbits, Orthe Cheeks, Gena; the Temples, tempora; the Ears,

bitæ ;

Aures; the Beard, Barba.

Of the NECK, Collum; the Nape, Nucha; the hind part of the Neck, Occiput; Chin, Gula; Throat, Jugulum.

Of the BODY, Corpus; Back, Dorsum; Rump, Uropugium; Interscapular, Interscapulium; Shoulders, Humeri; Breast, Pectus; Axilliaries, Axilla; Hypochondres, Hypochondria; Belly, Abdomen; Vent, Crissum.

Of the WINGS, Ala; Wing-coverts, Tectrices; Bastardwing, Alula spuria; Scapulars, Scapulares; Wing-spot, Speculum.

Of the TAIL, Cauda; Tail Feathers, Rectrices; Tail-coverts, Tectrices Cauda.

Of the LEGS, Crura; Thighs, Femora; Bracelets, Armilla; Shins, Crura; Toes, Digiti;-1, for walking, Ambulatorii; 2, Salient or leaping, Gressorii; 3, Climbing, Scansorii; 4, Prehensile, Prehensilis; Tridactyle, Tridactyli, having three toes, cursory; Didactyle, Didactyli, having two toes, the Ostrich only.

Of the FOOT, Pes; Palmated, Natatorius; Semipalmated, Semipalmatus; Lobated, Lobatus; Pinnated, Pinnatus; Claws, Ungues; Spines or Spurs, Calcaria.

Horns, Cornua; Wattles, Caruncula; Pouch, Saccus Jugularis; Crop, Ingluvies.

1 take leave of the Introductory portion of my work in the following words of DRUMMOND:

"SWEET BIRDS! that sing away the early hours,

Of winters past, or coming void of care,
Well pleased with delights which present are,

Fair seasons, budding sprays, sweet smelling flowers;
To rocks, to springs, to rills, from leavy bowers,
Ye your Creator's goodness do declare."

ORNITHOLOGIA.

PART THE FIRST.

BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS.

"The spring

Is the earth enamelling,

And the BIRDS, on every tree,

Greet this morn with melody."

BROWNE'S Shepherd's Pipe.

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