INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. 5 



guished ? There is no such order in existence. Groups of 

 too great extent cannot be denned : they arc unnatural. All 

 the definitions ever given of the Grallatores are incorrect and 

 inadequate. Take, for example/ that of M. Temminck : — 

 " Bill of varied form ; more frequently straight, very elon- 

 gated-conical, compressed; seldom flat or depressed. Feet 

 slender, long, more or less bare above the knee ; three toes 

 before and one behind, the hind toe articulated at the level 

 of the fore toes, or higher." The systematic Ornithology 

 which tolerates formulas so vague as this stands much in 

 need of a reform-bill. 



Instead of adopting a single order of Grallatores, I arrange 

 the birds so called by authors into four distinct orders — Cur- 

 sores, Tentatores, Aucupatores, and Latitores. The species 

 of these orders that reside in or visit a small portion of 

 the globe, so limited and insulated as Britain, are not so 

 numerous as to represent all the genera. Some even of the 

 larger groups are entirely wanting with us. Yet the number 

 is by no means inconsiderable, as it amounts to about 

 seventy species, the forms and habits of which will afford 

 ample materials for a volume. With many of these birds in 

 the living state I am personally unacquainted, they being of 

 very rare occurrence with us ; but of others I have studied 

 the habits under very favourable circumstances, and with not 

 a little ardour. 



As in the other volumes, I present short distinctive cha- 

 racters of the groups to be described, to enable the student 

 to refer a bird which he may obtain to its order in the 

 system. Immediately following the general account of each 

 family will be found a synopsis of the genera and species, 

 intended for a similar use. 



