xviu 



THE AUTHOR'S PREFACES. 



given on the Quudrumuna and the Bats is based on the recent and profound labours of 

 tny friend and colleague M. Geoffroy de St. Hilaire. The researches of my brother, 

 M. Frederic Cuvier, on the teeth of the Carnaria and Rodentia, have proved highly 

 useful to me in forming the sub-genera of these two orders. Notwithstanding the 

 genera of the late IVI. Illiger are but the results of these same studies, and of those of 

 some foreign naturalists, I have adopted his names whenever his genera corresponded 

 with my sub-genera. M. de Lacepede has also discerned and indicated many excellent 

 divisions of this degree, which I have been equally compelled to adopt ; but the cha- 

 racters of all the degrees and all the indications of species have been taken from nature, 

 either in the Cabinet of Anatomy or in the galleries of the Museum. ■' 



The same plan was pursued with respect t» the Birds. I have examined with the 

 closest attention more than four thousand individuals in the Museum-; I arranged them 

 according to my views in the public gallery more than five years ago, and all that is 

 said of this class has be.en drawn from that source. Thus, any resemblance which my 

 sub-divisions may bear to some recent descriptions, is on my part purely accidental.* 



Naturalists, I hope, will approve of the numerous sub-genera which I have deemed 

 it necessary to make among the birds of prey, the Passerine, and the Shore-birds ; 

 they appear to me to have completely elucidated genera hitherto involved in much 

 confusion. I have marked, as exactly as I could, the accordance of these subdivisions 

 with the genera of MM. de Lacepede, Meyer, Wolf, Temminck, knd Savigny, and 

 have referred to each of them all the species of which I could obtain a very positive 

 knowledge. This laborious work will prove of value to those who may hereafter 

 attempt a true history of birds. The splendid works on Ornithology published within 

 a few years, and those chiefly of M. le .Vaillant, which are filled with so many 

 interesting observations, together with M. Vieillot's, have been of much assistance to 

 me in designating the species which they represent. 



The general division of this class remains as 1 published it in 1798, in my Tableau 

 fHrmentaire.\ 



I have thought j)roper to preserve for the Reptiles, the general division of my friend 

 M. Brongniart ; but I have prosecuted very extensive anatomical investigations to arrive 

 at the ulterior subdivisions. M. Ojipel, as I have already stated, has partly taken 

 advantage of these preparatory labours ; and whenever my genera finally agreed with 

 his, I have noticed the fact. Ilie work of Daudin, indifferent as it is, has been useful 

 to me for indications of details ; but the particular divisions which I have given in the 

 genera of Monitors and Geckos, are the product of my own observations on a great 

 number of Ilei)tiles recently brought to the Museum by MM. Peron and Geoffroy. 



My lal)ours on the Fishes will probably be found to exceed those which I have 

 bestowed on the other vertebrated animals. Our Museum having received a vast 

 number of Fishes since the celebrated work of M. de Lacepede was published, 1 have been 

 enabled to add many subdivisions to those of that learned naturalist, also to combine 

 several species differently, and to multiply anatomical observations. I have also had 



• ■Hili ob.rrvtllon not h>rln( brrn ludirlrinly <inilcr>Inail nbron.l, 

 I urn ol.llird In rrpral il hirr. aiiil oiirlilir to dnlnrc n f.cl ivllnciscil 

 b. tb.,a..n.l, in P.ri. : Il I. IhU, ih.l nil Ibr l.irdu In Ihc ^iilli ry of 

 tbr Muariim «rrr iiatnrd >iid arrnliKra •m.rdlin lo my «y«lcm, In 

 1811. 'nio.! c.rn of my .uhdlvlilont to uliUh I had nul yi I (^ivcn 

 namra, wrrr mwkrd by parllruUr linni. Thli la my di.ic. Iiidr. 

 ytpdcaUr nl ihM, my (IrM roluni* wu primed In ibc bcgiunlng of 



ISlfi. Four volunicN nre not priiitcfi so quickly as a pamphlet of a few 

 pages. I say no more. (Note to Kdit. l,s;9). 



t I only mention lhi» because an eMimable naturalist, M. Vicillot, 

 has, in a recent work, attrihuleil to himself the union of the Vicj- and 

 Pimrrrl. I had printed it in ITllS, tojjcthcr with my other arr.iiiBe. 

 nienis, so as to render them public in the .Museum since 1811 and 1813 



