266 Anali/tical Notices of Books. 



ill number and in variety of forms the other orders, embrace in 

 consequence a greater number of families, which require therefore 

 to be classed in the following tribes, Fissirostres, Dentirostres, 

 Conirostresy Scansores, and Tenuirostres ; each again comprising 

 within itself a series of families the succession of which is deve- 

 loped in the clearest and most satisfactory manner. These we 

 are reluctantly compelled to omit, together with the extremely 

 interesting analogies deduced from them. The reader will how- 

 ever be well repaid for the most attentive perusal of the observa- 

 tions by which they are illustrated, and to which Mr. Vigors 

 has devoted himself with an assiduity that cannot be too highly 

 praised, drawing from numerous sources, and giving prominence 

 to those facts which deserve especial notice. The Rasores are 

 composed of the Columbidce, Phasianidce^ Teiraonidte, Struihio- 

 nidce, and Cracidce ; and to the Grallatores^ the families of the 

 Gruidce, Ardcidcs^ Scolopacidce, RalUdce, and Charadriadce, are 

 referred. The concluding order of Natatores embraces the Ana- 

 iidce, Coli/jnbidcey Alcadce, Pelecanidce, and Laridce, 



In this rapid enumeration of the groups, the text of Mr. Vigors' 

 paper, in which the typical order, tribe, or family, is placed in 

 the centre, has been followed for their arrangement. It may 

 however be proper to add, that he has throughout appended in 

 notes their distribution into normal and aberrant groups, on the 

 principle more recently adopted by Mr. W. MacLeay ; and that 

 he has illustrated by diagrams the general affinities of the class, 

 and also those of the Insessorial order. 



In the course of his remarks on tlie distribution of the Halcy- 

 oiiidce, Mr. Vigors has thought it necessary to assign a separate 

 station to the Ternate Kingsfisher, Atcedo Dea, Lin. This beau- 

 tiful bird he has formed into a genus under the name of Tanysip- 

 tera^ with the following character ; " Rostinim sub-breve, sub- 

 crassum, rectum, acutum, naribus ovalibus. Cauda gradata, rectri- 

 cibus duabus longissimis." The wings and feet have not been 

 referred to in this description, as the specimens which are brought 

 to Europe are generally deprived of these members. He has also 

 described a new species of Buceros from the interior of Africa, 

 which is closely allied to B. Abyssim'ctis ; but diflFers materially 



