

COLLECTION OF BIRDS. 335 



This collection is of infinite use and advantage, 

 from its being so well adapted for study, by the 

 methodical distribution of the genera and species; 

 the males and females and the varieties being 

 placed close to each other. 



A great number of birds, especially those re- 

 markable for the beauty of their colours, have a 

 totally different plumage according to their age, 

 and even sometimes according to the season. 

 Thus the same bird has often been described and 

 drawn several times under different names. It 

 is only after many researches that the different 

 varieties and the passage from one to the other 

 can be determined. "We frequently see ten or 

 twelve individuals of one species, presenting the 

 same essential characters, but whose colours 

 are totally different. Besides the diversity of 

 the males and females, the same bird is quite 

 different at one, two, or three years of age ; as 

 also, if it has been killed in summer or winter. 

 All this may be observed in the collection, which 

 for the future will fix the type for the species. 

 We will now resume the succinct description of 

 what is most worthy of remark in this collection. 



The gallery, which contains it, is divided into 

 fifty-seven cases with shelves, on which the birds 

 are arranged in the manner best adapted to their 

 display. Care has been taken to avoid the waste 



