THE HISTORY OF ORNITHOLOGY. 



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When a writer attempts to present an historical account of 

 some event or events, or a long procession of events, he must, 

 of necessity, study deeply the writings of the chief actors in 

 them. He does this, usually, in one of two ways — perhaps 

 in both, namely : by investigating for himself the original 

 writings, or by reading what persons of eminent authority in 

 such subjects have said of them. The History of Ornithol- 

 ogy and the Progress in Ornithology have been written and 

 rewritten, both wholly and in part, times without number. I 

 do not seek to do anything new in endeavoring to present a 

 brief account of the principal actors upon the Ornithological 

 stage, but wish simply to bring together, as far as seems neces- 

 sary for our present purpose, an intelligible, brief history of 

 the principal changes and additions as they have combined, to 

 the presetat time, to give us the classification which we em- 

 ploy to-day, imperfect as it is. 



To name all the different systems of Ornithology which 



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