4 Mr. W. S. MacLeay on the Comparative Anatomy 
that they may induce others, whose opportunities of anatomical - 
research may have been more extensive, to lay the results of 
their respective investigations also before this Society. Nor, 
little versed as I am in the study of vertebrated animals, would 
I even now venture upon this subject, did not my residence in 
an intertropical climate afford me facilities for examining par- 
ticular genera, which the more experienced naturalist at home 
must in vain hope for. And as to restricting our dissections in 
the present state of natural history to a few European ani- 
mals, it has been admirably observed, that one solitary species 
neglected may serve to unfold an exception sufficient to destroy 
the most plausible system... The following observations, there- 
fore, crude as they are, may derive some portion of value from 
being linked with the more accurate and scientific researches of 
ornithologists on European birds; my aim being to enter upon 
the description and anatomy of such birds only as present struc- 
tures peculiar to intertropical countries, comparing them with 
other birds, which, from being inhabitants of Europe, are better 
known. I shall not, however, attempt to describe new genera, 
or name new species, as well on account of my deficiency in 
the requisite ornithological knowledge, as on that of my inabi- 
lity to refer to-large-museums and extensive libraries, both of 
which are indispensably necessary for such undertakings. I 
need scarcely say, that this department of ornithology is in 
every respect capable of being infinitely better executed at 
home. tese a 
The general view taken of ornithology by Mr. Vigors in the 
last volume of the Linnean Transactions may easily be conceived 
to be too interesting to me as an individual not eventually to 
have made it a most important question with me, as a naturalist, 
to ascertain the accuracy of his various positions. As, however, 
I cannot help fearing, that in the course of the investigation he 
has 
