586 The Zoologist — February, 1867. 



.A nth us from the Dentiroslrcs, and also omits Alauda from the 

 Conirostres, and places Parus (Dentirostres) and Alauda (Conirostres) 

 in one and the same (a distinct) family. He has Ralltis, Hscmatopus 

 and Fulica, in the same family, and makes other mistakes of a like 

 nature. Perhaps they ought hardly to be called mistakes, if we con- 

 sider that in a classification of this kind there is no standard with which 

 to compare, and therefore the author is at liberty to classify according 

 to his own ideas of the requisitions necessary to constitute affinity 

 between species, genera, &c. Still it appears somewhat odd to place 

 a bird like the coot, which is lobe-footed, with comparatively short 

 legs, wings and bill, in the same Atmily with the oystercatcher, a wader 

 with long legs, wings and bill, together with the rail, which has 

 nearly opposite characteristics, and very different habits. Such a 

 system, therefore, to say the least of it, is unsatisfactory ; and to 

 several other systems the same term may be applied. 



Meyer's, 1810. — Eleven orders; ten families. Commendable for 

 brevity and general divisions, and comparatively easy to re- 

 member. 



llligers, 1810.— Seven orders; forty-one families ; fifteen genera. 

 Complicated with unnecessary and erroneous divisions : for example, 

 why place Sturnus and Sitta in the same family ? 



TemmincliS, 1815. — Fifteen orders; eighty-nine genera; three 

 hundred and thirty-seven species (British). Much to be commended. 

 Very clear and precise in general divisions. Frequently adopted in 

 correspondence with continental naturalists, as being the system 

 usually followed abroad. 



Blainville's, 1815. — Fantastical and long since discarded. 



VieilloVs, 1816. — Does not apply with sufficient exclusivencss to 

 British birds. In length outrageous; five orders, nine tribes, fifty-eight 

 families, two hundred and seventy-three genera, and heaven knows 

 how many species. 



Cuvicr''s, 1817. — Very long, with unnecessary divisions and dis- 

 tinctions. Moreover, does not apply with sufficient exclusiveness to 

 British birds. 



Madeai/s, 1818.— "The Quinary System," or " System of Circles." 

 The first and fundamental principle inculcated by Macleay and his 

 disciples is, that all Nature moves in a circle, and- that the series of 

 beings is unbroken ; and, secondly, that each group and each species 

 l-.as a double affinity. Everyone of the higher groups has a binary 

 division, viz, the normal or typical, and the aberrant, the former 



