6 BritisJi Birdsy 



means, and the subdivisions which would be suggested 

 by an enumeration of the most usual sites of the 

 several nests, an interesting, and at least partially 

 instructive as well as practical system of classification 

 would be devised. But I am afraid such a system 

 would not have much to recommend it besides its 

 novelty and interest, and practical hints "where to 

 look for this bird's nest or the other's ; and how to 

 look so as to find." One great disadvantage would be 

 that such classification, so called, would have the effect 

 of breaking up groups which nature has put together. 

 There is, generally speaking, what may be called a 

 great family-likeness between the eggs of the various 

 species of any given genus, or kind of birds. Take 

 the Buntings, for instance : anyone who is familiar 

 with the common Yellow Hammer's ^gg would at 

 once guess at the eggs of either of the other species as 

 belonging to a Bunting ; and the same of the Titmice, 

 Linnets, Thrushes, Crows, and so on without end. 



So that, although it may seem at first sight that 

 scientific classification is hard and troublesome and 

 half unnecessary, and may often prompt the question 

 in the boy-collector's mind, Why wouldn't it do just 

 as well to write down the English names on the cards 

 and in my catalogue, and arrange them all my own 

 way ? — still it should be remembered that such classi- 

 fication after all is far from arbitrary, and on the 

 contrary, and as far as it is really good, only follows 

 out the teachings or guidings of nature. And this 

 quite independently of the trouble which is saved by 

 it to anyone who wishes to co-nsult books of reference, 

 and still more to examine large and well-arranged 



