308 On the Affinities of the Falconidee. 



dom without its advocates. In this department we have 

 Fries, Lindley, Agardh, Decandolle, &c. attempting to 

 prove the same as applicable. 



It is foreign to our purpose at present to enter into any 

 discussion upon the merits or demerits of the ternary or 

 quinary systems. But we cannot thus quietly pass over 

 the name of the illustrious Werner, who in the long and 

 animated discussion as to the authorship of the circular ar- 

 rangement, has been entirely kept in the back ground ; and 

 where, let me ask, can a more beautiful illustration be seen 

 of the principles now advocated, than in his system of 

 colours. Moreover, in his mineralogical system we see the 

 same plan adopted, though from the imperfect state of mi- 

 neralogical science, not carried out to its full extent.* 



The Rapacious Birds form in themselves a great group, 

 which has been divided into two grand divisions, viz. the 

 Diurnal and the Nocturnal Birds of Prey, the former compre- 

 hending the Vultures and Hawks, the latter — the Owls ; and 

 these again have been divided into many minor groups and 

 genera ; and some authors have even carried the subdivision 

 further into sub-genera ; but it is much and deeply to be 

 regretted that such a term ever was adopted, seeing that it 

 has led to so much confusion, the characters fit to constitute 

 a genus being of such an indefinite and arbitrary nature, how 

 much more so must be those which constitute a sub-genus. 



Although the division of Vultures, Hawks, and Owls into 

 minor groups serves generally the ends of classification, in 

 nature they do not exist, for it is impossible to say correctly 

 where one minor group begins and ends. No doubt we can, 

 if a typical species is presented, determine to which group it 

 belongs ; but when we examine all the species belonging to 

 any group, some will be found to blend so imperceptibly into 

 the next adjoining one, as to render it impossible to decide 



* For an account of Werner's Mineralogical System, see Jameson's 

 System of Mineralogy, vol. n. p. 475. 



