112 On the Ornithology of Wiits. 
others approximating in every respect to the ‘rasores ;’ or again, in 
passing from the third to the fourth, from the ground birds to the 
waders, how slight is the boundary, how gentle the transition from 
the bustards to the plovers: compare the smaller bustard, the last 
of one order, and the great plover, the first of the next, and how 
much do they resemble each other, how little the difference to 
mark the two divisions, how similar in their appearance, their 
shape, their habits, the locality they affect. And once more, 
though the webbed feet of the last order may seem at first sight so 
plain and distinguishing a characteristic, as to leave little room for 
gradual transition here, between the waders and swimmers, yet it 
is not so: observe the well-known coot and the phalaropes, mark 
their peculiar feet, furnished with membranes, though not wholly 
webbed, their decidedly aquatic habits, their powers of swimming 
and diving, and by their intervention see how easily we pass from 
the true waders to the true swimmers. Thus we are led on from 
order to order, not suddenly or unconnectedly, but gradually and 
almost insensibly, proving to us the perfect harmony of all the 
works of nature, while at the same time we can trace sufficient 
marks of distinction to prevent any real confusion. 
Having detailed somewhat at length the method pursued in this 
first great subdivision of the land and water birds, I now proceed 
to show more concisely in what the other subdivisions consist. At 
present we may be able to define the order to which any given 
bird may belong, but we are still very far from placing it in that 
particular position which alone it is entitled to hold. 
The next great subdivision of birds is into ‘TriBEs,’ which 
will not occupy us long; for of the five orders, it is usual to pass 
by four, as not needing this subdivision, and to apply it only to 
that very large one, ‘Insessores’ or perchers. These birds being so 
numerous and withal so similar in some of their habits, have 
nevertheless certain marked characteristics, distinguishing at one 
glance the ‘tribe’ to which they belong, and thus very much sim- 
plifying their classification. The perchers then are divided into 
four tribes; the first of which is the ‘Dentirostres’ or ‘ tooth- 
