y PREFACE TO TILE FIRST EDITION. 



given on the Quiulrumunu ana the Bats is based on tlie recent and profound labours of 

 my friend and colleague M. Geoffroy de St. Hilaire. I'be researches of my brother, 

 M. Frederic Cuvier, on the teeth of the Ciniaria and RotJenlia, have proved highly 

 useful to me in forming the sub-genera of these two orders. Notwithstanding the 

 genera of the late M. lUiger are but the results of these same studies, and of those of 

 some foreign naturalists, I have adopted his names whenever his genera corresponded 

 with my sub-genera. AI. de Lacepede has also discerned and indicated many excellent 

 divisions of this degree, which I have been equally compelled to adopt ; but the cha- 

 racters of all the degrees and all the indications of species have been taken from nature, 

 either in the Cabinet of Anatomy or in the galleries of the Museum. 



The same plan was pvirsued with respect to the Birds. I have examined with the 

 closest attention more than four thousand individuals in the Museum ; I arranged them 

 according to my views in the public gallerj' more than ii\e years ago, and all that is 

 said of this class has been drawn from that source. Thus, any resemblance wdiieh my 

 sub-divisions may bear to some recent descriptions, is on my part purely accidental.* 



Naturalists, I hope, will approve of the numerous sub-genera which I ha\e deemed 

 it necessary to make among the birds of prey, the PasseriiHC, and the Shore-birds ; 

 they appear to me to have completely elucidated genera hitherto involved in much 

 confusion. I have marked, as exactly as I could, the accordance of these siibdlvisions 

 with the genera of MM. de Lacepede, Meyer, Wolf, Tennninck, and Savigny, and 

 have referred to each of them all the species of which I could obtain a very positive 

 knowledge. Tliis laborious work will prove of v;,luc to those wdio may hereafter 

 attempt a true history of birds. The splendid works on Ornithology published within 

 a few years, and those chiefly of iM. le Vaillant, wdilch are filled with so many 

 interesting observations, together with M. Vieillot's, have been of much assistance to 

 me in designating the species wdiich they represent. 



The general divi.-ion of this class remains as 1 publif^hed it in 179S, in my Tuhleau 

 I'li'iiiciitaire.]' 



I have thought proper to preserve for the Reptiles, the general division of my friend 

 M. Brongniart ; but I have prosecuted very extensive anatomical investigations to ai-rive 

 at the ulterior subdivisions. M. Oppel, as I have already stated, has partly taken 

 advantage of these pjreparatory labours ; and whenever my genera finally agreed with 

 his, I have noticed the fact. The work of Daudin, indift'erent as it is, has been useful 

 to me for indications of details ; but the particular divi.-ions which I have given in the 

 genera of Monitors and Geckos, are the product of my own observatiiins on a great 

 imniber of Reptiles recently brought to the Museum by I\I?iI. Peron and Geolfroy. 



My labours on the Fishes will probably be found to exceed those which I have 

 bestowed on the other vertebrated animals. Our Museum having received a vast 

 number of Fishes since the celebrated work of M. de Lacejiede was puljhthed, 1 have been 

 enabled to add many subdivisions to those of that learned naturalist, also to combine 

 several species differeirtly, and to multiply anatomical observations. I have also had 



* 'Piis (.lisrn-ation nut liavinj; been auffieiently li^lde^.^lno^) ahrocfl, 

 1 iiin rjliliyed to repeat it here, find ojienly to deelHte n fact witnessed 

 ly lln.usHiids in Taria ; it la this, that all the birds in the (jallery of 

 the Museum were named and arranged aeeording to my system, in 

 l^li. Tliose even of my subdivisions to wliicli I had not yet [jiven 

 iiaincs, were marlted by paxtieular signs. This is my date. Inde- 

 jit;tjdeu.tly of tills, my lirst volume waa printed in the bejjiunintj of 



181(1. Font volumes are not printed so qmcUy av a pamplilel of [i fe^v 

 pages. I say no more. (Note to Kilil. 16-^). 



t 1 only mention tliia because an estimable naturalist, I\I. Vieillnt, 

 has, in a reeent work, attriboled to himself the union of the fic,r and 

 I',^ffrrrs. I had printtti it in 17b8, toirether will, ,ny other arrange- 

 ments, so as to reii.kr tl,eio public in tjle Museum since ISll anil ISlii 



