160 Sir W. Jardine on the Habits of Crotophaga. 

 XVI. — Horce Zoologiccc. By Sir W. Jardine, Bart. 



"Donee ergo meliora innotuerint, hisce ulere, lector opfime, quorum Jinis 

 estf ei ScietiticB parare viam, qua nulla utilior, nulla nobilior." 



It is proposed to bring together in a series of short papers 

 the zoological information which may from time to time come 

 into the possession of the author. Many curious forms con- 

 tinually present themselves which are left unnoticed, because 

 their descriptions alone would not be of sufficient extent to 

 form a '^ paper'' for our periodicals. It will be his endeavour 

 to illustrate these as often as possible, so that their descrip- 

 tions may serve as a mark for others, from w hich to note those 

 points in their history which are unknown, or which from the 

 outward form only may be supposed or hinted at. There is 

 much important information gained in correspondence with 

 naturalists in foreign countries, which can scarcely be commu- 

 nicated except in detached portions. The notes which ac- 

 company collections from abroad are in some instances so ex- 

 tensive as to be useful in forming skeleton lists for some de- 

 partments of the Fauna of particular districts and become ex- 

 tremely interesting in connexion w ith the geographical distri- 

 bution of species ; — and the examination of specimens received 

 in spirits will furnish many subjects for illustration, which 

 may tend to increase our knowledge of the structure of genera, 

 the proper station of which in our systems is scarcely yet de- 

 termined. 



No. I. — On the History and Habits o/' Crotophaga. 



For some time past we have annually received considerable 

 collections of birds from the island of Tobago by the attention 

 and exertions of Mr. James Kirk, who since 1825 has super- 

 intended the management of various estates there. The spe- 

 cimens which have been received will enable us soon to give 

 a synopsis of the birds inhabiting the above-mentioned island, 

 which will show a much more extensive list than what might 

 be expected within such limited bounds, and will be found to 

 contain several birds interesting both on account of their form 

 and their hitherto supposed comparative rarity. But the col- 



