8 



CLASS AVES. 



The nomenclature of these birds, in various authors, pre- 

 sents a chaos, which we may say, we trust, without profane- 

 ness, would almost require the voice of a Deity to reduce to 

 order — a confused, undigested accumulation, where we may 

 well say, 



*' Nulli sua forma manebat, 

 Obstabatque aliis aliud." 



It is most surprising that this should be the case with 

 European birds, familiar to every observer, yet such is the 

 fact. Authors have separated what they should have united, 

 and united what they should have separated. The figures, 

 too, given of these birds have, for the most part, contributed 

 to increase the embarrassment. They have been either 

 defective, or if correct, not in accordance either with text, or 

 synonime. Linnseus, the grand guide of almost all naturalists, 

 has sometimes occasioned mistakes, by indicating specific 

 characters incompletely, or in a manner which rendered them 

 susceptible of application to different species. Brisson has 

 described very well such species as he had seen, but has not 

 been equally happy in the use of synonimes. BufFon, who 

 flattered himself that he had thrown some light on this 

 subject, has only proved how contagious is error when 

 supported by an eminent name. His mistakes, repeated by 

 other naturalists, have passed with the great majority for 

 incontestible truths. It is easy, however, to perceive, that 

 in his illuminated plates, many figures of warblers of Europe 

 are far from being in accordance with the text : so little so, 

 indeed, that one cannot help believing that he did not always 

 compare his descriptions with the figures. Even his history 

 of many species is wanting in exactitude. He often attributes 

 to one bird, the manners, the song, the nest, and the eggs of 

 another. Subsequent naturalists have much increased this 

 confusion, by the erroneous citations of synonimes, and 

 specific periphrases, by no means analogous. 



