REVIEWS. 749 
certain grade. Second, he has demonstrated once more — and it is to 
be hoped for the last time — the futility of attempting to found such fun- 
damental divisions [‘ orders,” etc.] upon any one single character. . . . 
As the sole basis for a system of ornithological classification, the scheme 
will probably remain in critical abeyance only until the time when its 
whip waren shall have been forgotten, and its unsoundness alone remem- 
er 
Profe essor Lilljeborg’s system is justly referred to as “ the most ‘ catho- 
m en 
ract 
based systems of classifications. Phipps igs not only meets, in 
general, the approval of Dr. Coues, as of numerous other ornithologists, 
but it is essentially followed by tis in his asain n of the Natatores, 
although he adopts an opposite order of UES. of the several 
groups. His scheme is hence almost the same as that of the ‘‘ Arrange- 
ment of Families of Birds " published in 1866 by the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution, * which was only a slight modification of Professor Lilljeborg's 
system. Dr. Coues regards the division of the Natatores by Lilljeborg 
into two groups — Simplicirostres and Lamellirostres — intermediate in 
rank between the subclass and the orders, as not only a superfluous in- 
tercalation, but as an unnatural division, from the inequivalency of the 
two groups; this eyt 48 constituting the chief difference between 
the systems of Coues and Lill 
In discussing the relations e the Nolslores to the Grallatores, the char- 
acter and affinities of two ** ambiguous forms" are incidentally adverted 
to. These are the Phenicopteride and the Haliornithide, the latter of 
which is Beitr as fulicarious in its affinities, and the former as belong, 
ing to the grallatorial Cursores. Notwithstanding the heron-like form of 
the Flamingoes, almost their whole structure is so well known to be an- 
serine — with which their preecocial habits accord — that it is a matter of 
surprise that Dr. Coues should follow Lilljeborg and others in referring 
them to the Cursores; almost their sole point of divergence from the 
Anatide consisting in their elongated grallatorial form, they being in fact 
merely long-legged ducks. 
Dr. Coues's classification of the Natatores may be tabulated as follows : 
ie aca ho tan Afterall m ibutii Vol. viii, p. 8, June, 1866, 
Contributions, yO 
