PREFACE. yix 



a new fyftem, adopt (a^ far as relates to the 

 ^iddriipeds and BirdsJ that of the inefll- 

 mable Ray, who advanced the fludy of na- 

 ture far beyond all that went before him ^ 

 and whofe abilities, integrity, and mildnefs, 

 were no lefs an ornament to the human fpe- 

 cies in general, than to his own country in 

 particular. Yet, as this exxellent man was 

 in a manner the founder of fyftematic Zo- 

 ology, fo later difcoveries have made a few 

 improvements on his labors : wherever then, 

 he is miftaken in the arrangement, we fliall 

 attempt a reform, affifted by the more mo- 

 dern fyftems, all of which owe their rife to 

 the plan chalked out by our illuftrious coun- 

 tryman. It is unneceffary to detain the reader 

 in this place with the reafons for our devi- 

 ation from the order we obferved in our laft 

 edition, for they are given at large in the 

 Prefaces to our Synopjis of ^ladrupeds and 

 Genera of Birds ^. 



We have, in our defcriptions, wholly 

 omitted the anatomy of animals ; as that 

 part, unlefs executed with the greateft /kill, 

 would be no fmall blemifli to the reft of this 



* Printed at £^/z;^«r^^, J773» 



b z perform- 



