Lesson's Manuel d' Omit hologie. 399 



Notwithstanding these inequalities the Manuel d'Ornithologie is a use- 

 ful compilation; for as such it must be regarded, although its authour 

 asserts that it is throughout the result of original research; an observation 

 which can only be understood as implying that M. Lesson has, on this 

 occasion, abstained from collecting from other compilers, and directed 

 his attention principally to the works of original enquirers; a mode 

 of proceeding by which the probability of error is considerably dimi- 

 nished. The number of genera inserted in the body of the work amounts 

 to about three hundred and fifty, without including many groups noticed 

 as sub-genera, to which, however, characters are assigned. Under each 

 of these, references to the writings of the older authours are usually 

 avoided as far as possible ; but the productions of the more recent orni- 

 thologists have been sedulously searched, and the whole of the species 

 described by M. Temminck, Dr. Horsfield, Mr. Vigors, MM. Quoy and 

 Gaimard, &c., are characterized, and characters and full descriptions 

 are also given of all the novel species collected by MM. Lesson and 

 Grarnot, and even of those which have not yet appeared in the Zoological 

 part of the voyage of the Coquille. The Manuel, consequently, not 

 only exhibits a view of the genera at present in use, but also furnishes a 

 supplement to every species of Birds compiled upwards of ten years since, 

 the whole of which it is adapted to complete up to the present time. 



The first volume is preceded by tabular views of the principal systems 

 of Ornithology which have yet been proposed; and the second concludes 

 with additions and corrections which have occurred to the authour during 

 the printing of his work. Among the latter are given the characters of 

 thirty-seven genera proposed by Mr. Swainson in the third volume of 

 this Journal ; while treating of one of which, Tigrinoma, M. Lesson had 

 previously taken occasion to inveigh against the multiplication of genera, 

 especially by the " naturalistes insulaires." That the authour is himself 

 by no means averse to enjoying that liberty which he would deny to others 

 is shown by his having already in the Voyage de la Coquille, proposed 

 various genera, which may even be regarded as numerous in comparison 

 with his materials ; by his continuing the practice, though on a more 

 limited scale, in the present volumes, as in Phony gama, founded on the 

 Barita Keraudreni of his voyage, and scarcely differing from that group 

 except by the convolutions of its trachea; and by his concluding and 



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