JklillVlB if SillNil 



« 



Vol. I. JULY, 1871. Xo. IV. 



Bu-(lf<, ill lliolr Uelalioii to ^If/i'icidfui-f. By Goo. H. 

 Perkins, l^li. I)., Profest^or of ZoiiloiiT, Botany and 

 Geology, in the Fnivorsity of" Vornionl. Kcad be- 

 fore the Vermont State Board of Ao-rieulture, dime 

 1871. 



That all may liave a.s eoniplete un understanding of the 

 su])ject as may ])e let us say a few words in regard to the 

 zook)gieal eharueters and position of birds, not so much 

 for the sake of hringuig forward anything new, as to re- 

 vive in the memory faets already ivnown. Birds may he 

 scientitieallv characterized as air-l)rcathino', \varm-l)h)od- 

 ed, oviparous vertebrates, titled for aerial life. Probabl\' 

 no grou}), of ecpial rank, in tiie animal kingdom pi'csents 

 so great uniformity in its essential characters. Among' 



