1 10 GENERAL REMARKS. 



of the bird along with it in any other respect than 

 that of mere flight, that one pair of wings carry us 

 to the sea, a similar pair to the forest or the plain, 

 and a pair still similar to the cliff of the mountain. 

 Nor are the purposes for which the wings carry the 

 birds, and also us in the study of them, less varied 

 than the places, — wings very similar to each other, act 

 to capture warm-blooded animals, insects, fishes, ber- 

 ries, seeds, and so endless a variety of substances, 

 that we are compelled to examine the other charac- 

 ters of the bird before we can arrive at any certain 

 conclusion respecting the office which it performs in 

 nature, or the use to which it may be applied in art. 

 We are not, however, to attempt making a classifica- 

 tion of birds, but to explain the principles of one which 

 is already made ; and therefore the shortest as well as 

 the simplest course would be, first, to mention the 

 classification, and then to point out those peculiarities 

 in the three grand actions of birds, and their 

 requisite organisations, upon which that classification 

 is founded. 



In the ring thrush, a figure of which is below, the 

 actions of walking and flying are pretty equally 

 combined. 



