Their Eggs and Nests. 2J 



Thus, Mr. Yarrell iiimself be£(ins with the order 

 Raptorcs, an arrangement followed in all the three 

 earlier editions, and by Professor Newton in the 

 commencing volume of the fourth. But the newer 

 systems put the Passeres (or as it is in some lists 

 Pico-Passcres) as the first order ; and it is unnecessary 

 to dwell upon the almost utter subversion of Mr. 

 Yarrell's classification that is occasioned by this 

 change alone. Only it is very far indeed from 

 standing alone. It is but the first of a series of 

 changes which may almost be characterised as 

 startling. 



Unhappily, there is not complete accordance, nor 

 too striking an approach to it, among those who 

 depart from the older arrangement ; and the present 

 writer feels that the best he can do for the readers, 

 for whom the present book is principally designed, is 

 to mark the difierences of System, Classification, 

 Nomenclature, and so forth, in such a way as shall 

 tend the least to confuse the young reader's mind, and, 

 at the same time, make it evident that many matters 

 are still left for further and fuller enquiry ; taking, 

 however, every care to avoid interference with the main 

 object of such a book as this — which ought to be of 

 course, and is intended to be, to render help to the 

 young nest-hunter and egg-collector ; to help him, in 

 fact, to classify the results of tlie prizes he gains and 

 discoveries he makes, as well as, perhaps, in the 

 desire to compare the collection he compiles with 

 other and larger and more complete and well-arranged 

 collections within his reach whenever such an op})or- 

 tunity may happen to oiicr itscif. 



