The Principal Aims of Modern Ornithology. 269 



know geography — not the political boundaries of countries, 

 but the physical aspect of the land. If we do this we shall, 

 perhaps, understand why closely-situated countries have 

 different subspecies, and we shall get a wonderful insight 

 into the working of nature, which magnifies our interests and 

 makes us, if possible, still more enthusiastic and ardent in 

 our pursuits. 



To enable us to study in such a way we must collect more — 

 not in a superficial, old-fashioned way, by trying to get every 

 species represented, but more judiciously, by getting series of 

 even the commonest birds from every possible geographical area, 

 well-labelled, and with notes upon the nature of the country — 

 whether that is treeless desert, rich meadow, bare rock or 

 swamp, and so on. Then again, if we understand and know 

 all the local forms, species, and subspecies of birds and their 

 distribution, we shall find the field-observations, which form the 

 most pleasant pastime in the life of every ornithologist, much 

 more interesting and of much more value, the variations in 

 eggs will have an increased interest and value, the aviculturist 

 will, sometimes, know better why a certain bird is wilder, or 

 sings better or worse, and last, but not least, the observations 

 of migration will cease to be a mass of data, becoming 

 important, and teaching us much sooner the directions and 

 routes which the birds take, if we can trace the home of 

 migrants from examination of specimens. 



In collecting, special attention should be paid to islands 

 which are being cultivated, because it is there that species 

 disappear, for various reasons, and it is desirable that sufficient 

 material should be preserved before a species disappears. 

 Scientific collecting has never yet exterminated a bird, and 

 where the numbers of a species have come down to a few 

 specimens, no human power will be able to save it, and it is 

 better for them to be preserved in a museum than that they 

 should perish unknown. 



The anatomy of birds is still very imperfectly studied, and 

 it is hoped that it will throw much light on the actual 

 affinities of many birds. We are as yet far from a final 

 i( system " based, as every system worthy of the name must 

 be, on the real affinities of birds. At present much of our 



