6 



CLASSIFICATION OF BIEDS. 



abhors a vacuum. But for our purpose of classification we are obliged to draw definite 

 lines ; all that is necessary is to state our characters with absolute precision, and where 

 they are necessarily more or less artificial, candidly to admit that they are so. 



I presume it would be possible to write a diagnosis of the Family Charadriidse founded 

 upon external characters, but it would probably be very complicated and for the most part 

 artificial. To write one founded upon internal characters is beyond my power. 



