ORNITHOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION 137 



3. 



Several keen observers of birds have, to my sure 

 knowledge, received from the information conveyed in 

 tliese volumes an impulse which will effectually prevent 

 them from ever perverting Nature by forcing her into 

 quinary or ternary arrangements, or from dwindling 

 into mere describers of skins, and indiscriininating com- 

 pilers of correct, doubtful, and erroneous observations. 

 Of such pupils I am proud, and if my exultation should 

 be held as an indication of vanity, I cannot help it, for 

 1 am constrained to speak the truth. Should any man 

 conceive himself injured thereby, I hope he may con- 

 sider that in matters of science there ought to be perfect 

 freedom of thought, and that a very obscure individual 

 like myself may sometimes fall upon truths subversive 

 of theories invented by men of the highest intellect. — 

 Biitish Binls, vol. iii.. Preface. 



4 



It seems difficult to conjecture why the vultures 

 should be, properly speaking, destitute of inferior larynx. 

 What is there in their voice or respiration that renders 

 an inferior laryngeal muscle, or a division of the last 

 tracheal ring, inexpedient ? Such questions tend to 

 show that much remains to be studied in the anatomy 

 and physiology of birds. 



Observations like these may appear unnecessary to 



