248 PRACTICAL ORNITHOLOGY. 



logy it is necessar}^ to have recourse to books and preparations as 

 well as to the objects, alive or recently killed, themselves. Ac- 

 cess to a museum will greatly facilitate one's progress, and it is 

 indispensable to have a collection of skins. Every one cannot 

 keep a large series of preparations in spirits ; but a few skele- 

 tons, and skulls of all the common birds may easily be pro- 

 cured. Some of course make greater progress than others, 

 and while one prefers the habits of birds, another attaches him- 

 self more especially to their external distinctive characters, and 

 a third to their anatomy ; a fourth perhaps studies more parti- 

 cularly their nidification, and confines his collection to eggs. 

 But whatever be their progress, whether they be convinced 

 they have discovered the order of nature, as some have im- 

 agined they have discovered the perpetual motion, or have 

 humbler views of their own powers and faculties, there is no 

 necessity for indulging in contemptuous language towards each 

 other, as has too often been done by naturalists of all classes. 

 Nor is it in the least becoming that one whose opinions or as- 

 sertions are questioned or contradicted, should, in the pride of 

 a spirit that ill brooks to be thwarted, consider as an indica- 

 tion of personal hostility the animadversions that may be dic- 

 tated by a sincere regard to truth. For my own part, I have 

 resolved never to pass over a serious error when it comes in 

 my w^ay, and never to seek it out merely for the purpose of 

 exposing it. If there be men so egregiously puffed up with 

 their own importance as to believe themselves beyond the 

 criticism of the humblest conscientious cultivator of science, 

 they would do well to keep their pride on spare diet. In ac- 

 cordance with these principles I shall alw^ays be pleased to 

 have my errors corrected, although certainly it shall be my 

 endeavour to leave as few as possible for correction. The great 

 object of ambition ought to be the attainment of truth, not the 

 support of a favourite theory ; and although I have selected 

 the digestive organs as preeminently w^orthy of attention, I 

 have not done so because I have supposed them capable of 

 affording a key to the natural system, but because the nature 

 of the food determines not only the form and structure of the 

 bird, but also the greater part of its daily occupations. 



