The Genera of North American Birds, and a Synopsis 

 of the Species found within the territory of the United 

 States ; systematically arranged in Orders and Families. 

 By Charles L. Bonaparte. Read January 24, 1826. 



It was the author's intention to have deferred the publica- 

 tion of the present Synopsis, as announced in the preface to 

 the continuation of Wilson's Ornithology, until the appear- 

 ance of the concluding' volume of that work ; when it might, 

 with the attention which time would enable him to bestow 

 upon it, be made more worthy of meeting the public eye. It 

 having been suggested, however, that even in its present state, 

 its publication might facilitate the study of the branch of 

 Natural History to which it relates ; and moreover, thinking 

 that it might contribute to the perfection of the future edition, 

 he begs leave to submit it for the consideration of the Lyceum. 



No species has been admitted to a place in the following 

 Synopsis, that is not described in the standard work of Wil- 

 son, and adopted in our observations on the Nomenclature of 

 his Ornithology ; or that has not been since discovered or 

 ascertained by us to be actually an inhabitant of the United 

 States. The latter will appear in our Natural History of 

 the birds not given by that justly admired author. All other 

 species stated to inhabit the United States, on whatever 

 authority, we regard as apocryphal ; and we have no hesita- 

 tion in declaring, that the discoverer of a bird not noticed 

 here, will render an important service to science by publishing 

 an account of it. 



The classification here adopted is that of a general system, 

 the analysis of which we hope to publish shortly : although 

 not entirely new, it in many respects deserves that title. 

 The introduction of new appellations has indeed been avoided 

 throughout, even when they would have been more appro- 



