Items of Oriiitliolosical Interest. 



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Ornithology as a popular science, has within the 

 last quarter of a century received great attention, and 

 every civilized government in the world has devoted more 

 or less consideration to it. Important discoveries of 

 many hitherto unknown ibssil and gigantic species of 

 birds have been made, which have aroused the interest 

 of scientific men, and, instead of creating a transitory 

 impression, they have formed the basis of our present 

 knowledge concerning the ancient types ; expeditions to 

 the remotest and most isolated portions of the globe, 

 have revealed birds that existed only in ancient historic 

 or pre-historic ages, and have contributed to our infor- 

 mation a great deal relating to their structure, habits 

 and eggs. No expedition is thoroughly organized and 

 equipped now, without its special ornithologists, and the 

 workings of these, in conjunction with the facilities af- 

 forded, have placed the study of birds among the most 

 patronized of nature's productions. 



. The most notable recent discoveries are the Sheath- 

 bill of the Kerguelen Islands, the Moa of New Zealand, 

 the extinct birds with teeth, and one or two others. 

 Many new species have been added to our list, notably 

 ia the south-Avest, among Avhich are several species of 

 Humming Birds, Warblers, etc. The present nomen- 

 clature and systematical arrangement of birds, is much 

 better in some respects than the old method, and the gen- 

 eral literature upon ornithology, never was more thor- 

 ough and compreliensive. 



