PRE ER A @ RB, 
a new fyftem, adopt (as far as relates to the 
Quadrupeds and Birds) that of the. inefti- 
mable Ray, who advanced the ftudy of na- 
ture far beyond all that went before him; 
and whole abilities, integrity, and mildnefs, 
were no lefs an ornament to the human {pe- 
cies in general, than to his own country in 
particular. Yet, as this excellent man was 
in a manner the founder of fyftematic Zo- 
ology, fo later difcoveries have made a few 
improvements on his labors: wherever then, 
he is miftaken in the arrangement, we fhall 
attempt a reform, afiifted by the more mo- 
dern fyftems, all of which owe their rife to 
the plan chalked out by our illuftrious cour- 
tryman. It is unneceflary to detain the reader 
in this place with the reafons for our devi- 
ation from the order we obferved in our latt 
edition, for they are given at large in the 
Prefaces to our Synopfis of Quadrupeds and 
Genera of Birds*. 
We have, in our defcriptions, wholly 
omitted the anatomy of animals; as that 
part, unlefs executed with the greateft {kill, 
would be no fmall blemith to the reft of this 
* Printed at Edinburgh, 41773. 
b2 perform- 
KIX 
