HISTORY OF THE PARROTS. 75 



minent to shew that its relationship to the other 

 scansorial groups is of a degree much nearer than 

 what it bears to any other tribe ; and farther, that 

 its apparent isolation, or want of a still closer con- 

 nexion with the birds among which it is placed, in 

 all probability arises, merely from the circumstance 

 that the species necessary to fill up this chasm 01 

 deficiency of connecting forms, though existing, re- 

 main yet to be discovered either in it or the conter- 

 minous families of the tribe. Previous to the en- 

 lightened and philosophic views of recent naturalists 

 respecting systematic arrangement, and the discovery 

 that all natural groups, of whatever value or extent 

 they may be, arrange themselves in a circular form, 

 or shew a disposition to return into themselves, the 

 parrots, under the Linnaean and other artificial sy^- 

 tems, were considered as forming a single isolated 

 genus, under the title of Psittacus, the various mo- 

 difications of form they exhibited being only consi- 

 dered in the light of specific characters, or at most 

 used for arbitrary sectional division. A comparison, 

 however, of the parrots with other extensive groups, 

 and a due consideration of the great diversity of form, 

 as well as of habits and manners, observed to prevail 

 among them, plainly shews that they are entitled to 

 a rank much higher or more comprehensive than 

 that of Genus, which, according to the now gene- 

 rally received acceptation of the term, is used to de- 

 signate one of the lowest assemblages of individuals 

 or species. In consequence, the Lina^an genus, 



