211 



herons, by most writers, on account of its remarkably long 

 legs and neck, and by others with the swimmers on account 

 of its webbed feet, seems to be very closely related to the 

 ducks and geese by its anatomy, motions and habits, and 

 would form a family in the sub-order of Lamcllirostres. 



One ot the most singular features in this classification is 

 the analogy or parallelism existing between the lower orders 

 of the Altrices and those of the Frecoces, similar to that 

 between the families of the marsupials and those of ordinary 

 mammals. Thus the order of Columbia will be parallel 

 with Gallina.'. Hcrodiones with Grallaj, and Gavins with 

 Anseres, so that we have a scratching order, both among the 

 Altrices and Precoces, a wading order in each group, and 

 a swimming order in each. In a tabular view they will 

 stand thus : 



ALTRICES, PRECOCES, 



Passeres, Oscines Clamatores. Gallina^ 



Scansores , &truth io n e a , 



AccipUreSj Grallfc, 



Columbae, Anseres, Lamellirostres : , 



Hcrodiones, Brachypteri, Ptilopteri? 



Gavi(e, Totipalmi, Longipennes, 



Rev. A. E. P. PERKINS of Ware, said that the study of 

 the habits of birds was replete with curious interest. He 

 had noticed cases ol the most striking instinct exhibited by 

 them. The story of the Cow Black -bird placing her eggs in 



.a nest, not her own, was familiar to all, but he had seen 

 some very singular modifications of this practice, and amus- 

 ing expedients of the two birds, the owner of the nest and 

 the intruder. He had known something of the classification 

 spoken of by Mr. Verrill, but did not like it, it seemed 



.artificial and forced, breaking, rather than strengthening 



..the obvious natural orders. 



