PREFACE 



TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION IN FOUR VOLUMES, 



American Ornithology has uniformly presented a highly interesting 

 subject of investigation to naturalists and liberally educated persons, 

 even when the means of gratifying general curiosity were few and diffi- 

 cult of attainment. Wilson's invaluable work removed the obstacles 

 preventing access to this attractive study, conferred on him an imperish- 

 able renown, improved the taste and elevated the scientific character of 

 his fellow-citizens, and secured the approbation of the judicious and 

 enlightened in all countries. 



Placed where he could derive little or no aid from scientific books or 

 men, Wilson's ardent and perspicacious mind triumphed over circum- 

 stances, and enabled him to exhibit the truths he discovered in that 

 warm, lucid, and captivating language, which never fails to reach the 

 heart of bis reader, because it flowed direct from his own ; whilst his 

 clearness of arrangement, accuracy of description, and faithfulness of 

 delineation, show, most advantageously, the soundness of his judgment 

 and the excellence of his observation. We may add, without hesitation, 

 that such a work as he has published in a new country, is still a deside- 

 ratum in any part of Europe. 



It was the inspiration derived from that pure and perennial source, 

 the contemplation of nature, which gave Wilson the power of illus- 

 trating every object of his research, and imparting to the most abstruse 

 discussions the charm of vigorous originality. Unfortunately for the 

 interests of science, his eagerness to augment his stock of knowledge 

 by more incessant application, impaired his constitution to such a de- 

 gree, that he sunk under the hand of death, before his great work was 

 completed, and before he could reap that rich harvest of fame which 



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