38 INTRODUCTION. 



rieties of brown and white." — " Language not less 

 vague is made use of, though perhaps not quite so 

 frequently, in regard to all the other principal co- 

 lours; scarcely any two writers appearing to at- 

 tach the same idea to the same diversity of shade/* 

 To which may be added colour or tint. 



He also mentions, that " the confusion to which 

 this has given rise, in ornithological descriptions, 

 has often made us wish, that naturalists would 

 adopt some uniform standard by which the sub^ 

 ject of colour might be regulated, and, if possible, 

 fixed." The "nomenclature of colours" " of the 

 distinguished Werner, (as enlarged and exempli- 

 fied by Syme,) would seem to present the basis of 

 such a standard." We may also here mention, 

 that this nomenclature is highly approved of by 

 the celebrated naturalist Cuvier, in a letter from 

 liim to Professor Jameson ; and also, that it is 

 now adopted by the Professors of the University 

 of Edinbm-gh, and made use of by several emi- 

 nent naturalists. Indeed, unless some universal 

 agreement, in regard to colours, be fully and dis- 

 tinctly understood, we may despair of ever see- 

 ing descriptive writing, of any sort, exhibiting 

 that accm'acy, simplicity, and, at the same time, 

 correctness, which is so very desirable, and which 

 niight thus be so easily attained. 



