80' THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



incessant labors, and perpetual intention of mind 

 upon business." Having a natural talent for Zoology, 

 he, as may be supposed, gained great proficiency 

 therein, and also hi other pursuits, which is thus 

 related by Ray : — " He attained very good skill in 

 all parts of learning, and particularly got a deep 

 insight into those sciences which are most abstruse 

 and impervious to vulgar capacities, I mean the most 

 subtle parts of the mathematics. Of his skill in 

 Natural Philosophy, chiefly the History of Animals, 

 (Birds, Beasts, Fishes, and Insects.) I shall say no 

 more at present, but that it hath not yet been my 

 hap to meet with any man either in England or be- 

 yond the seas of so general and comprehensive 

 knowledge therein." Willugi-idy's Ornithological 

 work contains an account of all the birds known in 

 the time of the author, and may be regarded as an 

 epitome of the science as it then was. A great part 

 of the descriptions often consist in an account of the 

 plumage, and in this he was perhaps too minute, 

 though it must be owned that this is a fault on the 

 right side : Ray has remarked on this : — " Now 

 though I cannot but commend his diligence, yet I 

 must confess that in describing the colours of each 

 single feather he sometimes seems to me to be too 

 scrupulous and particular ; partly because Nature 

 doth not in all Individuals (perhaps not in any two) 

 observe exactly the same spots or strokes, partly 

 because it is very difficult so to word descriptions of 

 this sort as to render them intelligible : Yet dared 



