PRELIMINARY NOTICES. 



delineated by him, is, we understand, between four and 

 five hundred; and he, being;, it is said, a native'of Louisiana? 

 will, we doubtnot, supply much original information relative 

 to the birds of the southern regions of North America. 



It appears, by a Catalogue of the Birds of the United 

 States, published in an American work, by Prince Charles 

 Bonaparte, that they cons'st of 28 families, 81 genera, and 

 362 species: 209 land, and 153 water birds. Of these 81 

 genera, 63 are common to Europe and America, while .18 

 have no representatives in Europe. Arranging all the 

 known birds in 37 natural families, 28 of these are found 

 in America ; and of these 28, two are not found in Europe. 

 The Magazine of Natural hHstory t \\as begun last year, and, 

 under the able superintendence of Mr. Loudon, is diffusing 

 its utilities around. While it preserves a scientific character 

 it, at the same time, renders the study of Natural History, 

 whether animal, vegetable, or mineral, easy to the plainest 

 capacity. Among its advantages are the accentuation and 

 explanation of the scientific terms ; compendia of the various 

 scientific departments ; much new and explanatory desiderata ; 

 and original communications from various able naturalists. 

 There is another point, too, for which the intelligent Editor 

 deserves gre;tt credit; namely, that of permiting authors 

 and others who have been misquoted or misrepresented, 

 to explain themselves in their own words and in their own 

 way. See a Letter by the Author of Ornithologia, below. 



As connected with Ornithology, it ought also to be stated 

 that the Linnean Society has lately enriched its collection 

 with the Collections and Library pf Linnaeus, and those of 

 its late President Sir J. E. Si\:ith ; so that nearly all the 

 materials which that great naturalist employed are now in 

 this country. The Society gave for these treasures 3000 

 guineas. 



