16 INTRODUCTION. 



the All-wise and All-powerful has created and disposed the 

 various objects that form the garniture of our globe ; yet, as 

 some method must be followed in describing the birds of which 

 I have undertaken to give the history, it is necessary that I 

 should here say a few words on the subject. 



In the first place, or preliminarily, I must endeavour to con- 

 ciliate the grammarians, by humbly intimating my intention of 

 considering avis as of the feminine gender, although for many 

 reasons it might be preferable to employ masculine termina- 

 tions. Many systematists in fact have used this privilege ; 

 but I am not disposed to take shelter under authority, seeing 

 that some employ two genders indiscriminately. The orders, 

 however, may be denoted by masculine substantives indicative 

 of their nature, and similar in termination ; the families by 

 adjectives derived from one of the genera contained in them ; 

 and the genera by substantives of regular construction, but of 

 any gender. 



Without professing to propose a general arrangement of birds, 

 I may state that those of Europe may be primarily divided 

 into four groups, sections, or subclasses, determined by their 

 mode of life. 



1. Some species, as Falcons and Swallows, seek their prey 

 by open flight, and either seize it in the air, or pounce upon 

 it on the ground, but are incapable of searching for it by 

 walking, leaping, or climbing. Indeed, although they all 

 perch with facility and security, and therefore have a peculiar 

 claim to the denomination of Perchers, which, however, has 

 been applied by authors to another group, they are for the 

 most part incapacitated from walking effectively. Some of 

 them take their stand on a twig or stone, and launch into the 

 air after insects, or into the water after fishes, returning imme- 

 diately to their post. The former of these form the transition 

 to the second section, the latter to the fourth. Although all 

 birds respire air exclusively, and are therefore aerial^ yet these 

 being especially addicted to the use of that element in moving 

 from place to place, may in a comparative sense be named 

 Aerial Birds^ Arcs Acria% or Volatoriw. 



