44 THE FEATHERED TRIBES. 



limits to each department, and may calculate, with mathematical precision, the months, 

 the days, the hours, of which it consists. He may even assign reasons for his arbitrary 

 di\'isions, and prove their probable approximation to the regular interchange of nature. 

 And this is precisely as far as the zoologist can go. But this is all that is in his power. 

 He never can feel or assert that the character of the season is lost at one particular moment, 

 and gives place to the character of that which succeeds. Here, then, we have four 

 decided di\'isions, perfectly distinct in themselves, yet to which we are unable to affix the 

 limits. So it is with the groups of zoology. They exhibit separate divisions, distin- 

 guished by separate characters, but running into each other without any assignable 

 limits ; and any man may draw his imaginary line across that ' border country,' that 

 'land debateable,' which stretches between the conterminous regions, according as it suits 

 his fancy or his peculiar views, or as it may accord with the greater or less preponderance 

 of those mmor landmarks which serve as an infeiior mode of demarcation in the absence 

 of aU natural bomidaries." 



The first great groups into which birds are separated, are called Orders; and these 

 vary, according to the arrangements of different natuialists, from sixteen to six. It is 

 confessedly a difficult task to comprehend the multitudinous affinities of this portion of 

 animated nature within the limits of any artificial sj'stem, though skilfully and carefully 

 contrived. And it should be remembered that a system, however good, is of secondary", 

 and not of primary, importance ; the knowledge we are to seek, is that of the living 

 creatures whom it arranges and classifies, and the palm of honour must be awarded to the 

 naturalist who renders us the most effective service in making so valuable an acquisition. 



The Orders, as they stand in the " Animal Kingdom " of Cuvier, slightly varied, will, 

 we think, be sufficient for every purpose ; they are six in number, and may be arranged 

 as follow : — 



I. AcciPiTREs. — The Rapacious Birds. 

 II. Insessores. — The Perching Birds. 



III. ScANSORES. — The Climbing Birds. 



IV. E.\S0RES. — The Gallinaceous Birds. 

 V. Graleatores. — The Wading Birds. 



VI. Natatores. — The Swimming Birds. 



With these general remarks on the feathered tribes, we proceed to presciit tliom more 

 particularly before the reader's mind. 



