INTRODUCTION. 95 



opposite coast. The discoveries of Riippell sanction 

 this belief; although his researches were prosecuted 

 further inland, and consequently more towards the 

 central regions. 



On taking a general survey of the numerous tribes 

 composing the ornithology of Southern Africa, we 

 find scarcely any species of the perching order 

 common to the two extremities of the continent. 

 Le Yaillant, indeed, is of opinion that the great 

 horned, the long horned, and the little horned owls 



' O ' 



of the Cape colony, are all identically the same as 

 those of Europe ; but as we shall subsequently 

 shew that, in one of these circumstances, there is 

 every reason to believe he is mistaken, so a reason- 

 able doubt may arise upon the others. This much 

 is certain, that of the species of the falcon tribe, 

 figured in his work on the birds of Southern Africa, 

 none are to be found in Europe; and only one 

 out of those now described as natives of Western 

 Africa, is mentioned by our author as likewise in- 

 habiting the southern extremity. 



The numerical results which will be given in a 

 subsequent table, will bear us out in the assertion, 

 that the western ornithology is fully as different 

 from the northern, as this latter is from the southern. 

 There are, nevertheless, many points of resemblance 

 between the birds of Senegal and those of the 

 southern districts, which serve to connect them with- 

 out diminishing those peculiar features which each 

 possess. This union is effected by the migratory 

 species of Western Africa, several of which annually 



