4 BRITISH BIRDS, THEIR EGGS AKD XESTS 



a system would not have much to recommend it, besides its novelty 

 and interest and practical hints " where to look for this bird's 

 nest or the other's; and how to look so as to find." One great 

 disadvantage would be that such classification, so called, would 

 have the effect of breaking up groups which nature has put- 

 together. There is, generally speaking, what may be called a 

 grea f family -likeness between the eggs of the various species of 

 any given genus, or kind of birds. Take the Buntings, foi 

 instance : any one who is familiar with the common Yellow- ham- 

 mer's egg would at once guess at the eggs of either of the other 

 species as belonging to a Bunting ; and the same of the Titmice, 

 Linnets, Thrushes, Crows, and so on without end. 



So that although it may seem at first sight that scientific 

 classification is hard and troublesome and half unnecessary, and 

 may often proir.pt the question in the boy-collector's mind, Why 

 wouldn't it do just as well to write down the English names on 

 the cards and in my catalogue, and arrange them all my own way? 

 still it should be remembered that such classification after all is 

 far from arbitrary, and on the contrary, and as far as it is really 

 g( od, only follows out the teachings or guidings of nature. And 

 this quite independently of the trouble which is saved by it to 

 any one who wishes to consult books of reference, and still more 

 to examine large and well-arranged collections of eggs, whether 

 for his own direct instruction, or merely in search of interesting 

 pastime. If a boy only knows that a Reed-sparrow is called a 

 K< ed-sparrow or a Black-headed Bunting, and he wanted to find 

 the Heed-sparrow's eggs in a well-stocked collection, he might 

 be half-an-hour before he lit upon what he wanted ; but if he 

 knew that the generic name of the Bunting was Enibf'riza, and the 

 specific name of the Reed-sparrow, Scheeniclmi, he would be able to 

 pitch upon his quarry in half-a-minute. Besides all which, no one 

 was ever the woise for learning habits of orderly and systematic 

 ananoement, even though he had to pay the price of doing a little 

 puzzling head-achy work, and had to bother himself with a good 

 many ugly-looking, ill-sounding, jaw-cracking words, such as 

 Coccothraustes, Troglodytes, Platyrhynca, Phalacrocorax, and 

 the like. 



It is proposed in this little book to adopt a classification which 

 semis to meet with very geneial acceptance or acquiescence, and 

 nrii cipally for that reason; that, namely, which was employed 

 njr the late Mr. Vanell. This classification depends on the system 

 which divides all bird^ whatever into five great classes, viz: 



1. Rapt ores Pi cy -catchers. 



II. Ittsexxores Perchers. 



III. Ruxores Serai chers. 



IV. Grallatores .... Waders. 

 V. Natatores Swimmers, 



