I20 DICTIONARY OF BIRDS 
research. ‘To that, however, we must not trust, but our duty is to proceed 
steadily along the path that seems the straightest, making sure of every 
step as we go. In this way we may be confident that the end, however 
distant, will eventually arrive. The triple alliance of Morphology, 
Paleontology and Geographical Distribution—when this last is rightly 
understood—can be trusted to keep our steps from wandering and to guide 
us to the goal we seek so far as the genealogy and relations of the several 
groups of Birds are concerned, for that is what their true Classification 
means. But Ornithology consists of much more than even a perfect 
Taxonomy, the field of investigation is much wider, and includes subjects 
that unfortunately have been too little considered by the higher intellects, 
especially of late ‘years. Though there is no fear of Morphology or 
Paleontology failing to be attractive, the real lessons conveyed by the 
facts of Geographical Distribution have been greatly neglected, while to 
name only two other subjects of which our ignorance immeasurably 
exceeds our knowledge, Migration and Variation still afford mysteries 
that have scarcely been penetrated. Hybridism too, which will probably 
lead to very important results, has never been investigated by a scientific 
Ornithologist. There is therefore plenty of room for research, observa- 
tion and experiment, so that no honest enquirer in any branch of the 
study need feel discouraged by the prospect before him, unless indeed he 
be dismayed by the very vastness of the unknown regions he has to 
explore. . 
