Linnean Transiactions. ^oS 



they occupied. During the latter part of the last century there 

 existed indeed among us scarcely a single zoologist whose name 

 will be recorded in the history of the science, as an active contri- 

 butor to its advancement. But when, towards the close of that 

 period, the Linnean Society, of which zoology formed one of the 

 leading objects, became permanently organized, it had the effect 

 of stimulating to exertion numerous individuals, well qualified to 

 assist in extending our acquaintance with the animal kingdom. 

 Particular instances require not to be pointed out, since the 

 Transactions of that body exhibit among the contributors to them 

 the names of all our later countrymen who possess claims on the 

 gratitude of the student in this department of Natural History. 

 Numerous however as their communications have continued to be, 

 and highly valuable as has been the assistance afforded by many 

 of them to the science they were designed to promote. Zoology 

 has never formed, in any previous publication of the Society, so 

 prominent a feature as in that which we have now to notice. 

 This, in fact, with the exception of a single short paper by Mr. 

 D. Don, is purely zoological throughout, and the subjects of which 

 it treats are of the highest interest and importance. It is needless 

 to allude to the circumstances which have mainly contributed to 

 this gratifying result ; they are too generally known to require 

 enumeration ; but we trust that those who possess the ability will 

 still be induced to persevere with the same activity and zeal 

 which they have now displayed, and that every succeeding part 

 will thus be made to equal the present in zoological value ; to 

 exceed it, in a corresponding number of pages, would be ex- 

 tremely difficult. 



The first, in point of order and of extent, of the papers con- 

 tained in the present part, is from the pen of N. A. Vigors, Esq. 

 It is entitled " Observations on the Natural Affinities that con- 

 nect the Orders and Families of Birds ;" and embraces an ar- 

 rangement of the greater groups, together with a general view of 

 the distribution of these into the minor divisions of tribes and fa- 

 milies. With the outlines of the method pursued by this gentle- 

 man in his ornithological studies, the readers of the Zoological 

 Journal are already well acquainted, from his various contributiona 



