414 BIRDS* 



in 1786. The eggs of a great number of birds are defcribed by Gunther, and engra= 

 " ved by Wirfingius, in a publication of the year 1 703. The anatomy and phyfiology 

 of birds have been greatly illuftrated by Reaumeur, Hewfon, Camper, Hunter, Blu- 

 menbach, Merrem, Bloch, Vicq d'Azyr, Pallas, Guldenflaedt, Silberfchlag, and Mala- 

 came. 



In the Fauna Suecica, published in 1746, I * flrfl: attempted a regular fyftem of orni- 

 thology, which was farther perfected in the edition 1758 of the Syftema Naturae. In 

 1760, BrhTon publifhed his fyftem, in which he was aflifted by all the ingenuity, and 

 by the mufeum, of the great Reaumeur. Since that time Pennant, in 1781, and La- 

 tham firft in 1785, and afterwards in 1790, have publifhed fyftems of ornithology, 

 with the addition of all the latter difcoveries. 



Birds are preferved for infpettion and ftudy in various ways ; either whole in fpirits 

 of wine ; or their fkins are dried ; or, after taking out their fleih, intrails, and brain, 

 they are fluffed in their natural forms, with the addition of various antifeptics ; or, 

 when cut in two, and emptied of all the fofc parts, one half of the {kin is filled with 

 Paris plafter, in the manner ufed by Schaeffer. 



OF THE TERMS USED IN ORNITHOLOGY. 



AS the terms ufed in ornithological defcriptions are numerous, and as it is of the 

 utmoft confequence to the ftudent of natural hiftory to be thoroughly acquainted with 

 them, the following enumeration of fuch as are moft necefTary, with reference to the 

 annexed engraving, may, it is hoped, be found of confiderable advantage. It is necef- 

 fary to remark, that the length of .a bird is to be underftood as meafured along the 

 back from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail ; and that by extent is meant 

 the meafure between the tips of the wings when fully extended : The under parts of 

 the body are the breaft, belly, and under furface of the rump ; the upper parts are the 

 back and rump, fometimes including the upper furface of the wings and tail, if thefe 

 are not particularly defcribed ; and, with a fimilar refervation, the thighs, the under 

 furface of the tail and wings, and the fides under the wings, are fometimes included 



in 



Linnaeus ; but this part of the introduction is altered by Gmelin. — T. 



