

3t*S 



PREFACE 



THE following pages have been written in the hope 

 of clearing up several disputed points in Ornithology, 

 and setting others on a surer foundation. The 

 reviews, it is to be hoped, will be found useful, 

 and the chapter on the song of birds, as far as I am 

 aware, sets the subject in a new point of view. But 

 still, other authors may have treated it in a similar 

 way for aught I know ; only I am not aware of it. 

 If I have erred in any particular, I shall be most 

 happy to be righted. 



" Si quid novisti rectius istis, 



Candidus imperti ; si non, his utere mecum." 



That some such catalogue as that affixed to this 

 * little volume has long been wanted, is evident on 

 ; entering any museum whether public or private : the 

 \ objects being generally without any label at all, or 

 I otherwise having an inscription illegible or errone- 

 n ous. And thus the visitor, unless he comes merely 

 '■'.for beautiful colors and elegant forms, loses half the 

 pleasure which an attentive examination of one of 

 ' these collections is calculated to afford. For re- 



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