"The T%EFACE. 



Method of his own contriving, but few of their Defcriptions and Hifto- 

 .ries fo full and perfect as he intended them . Which he was fo fenfible 

 of, that when I asked him upon his death-bed, Whether it was his plea- 

 fure they mould be published, he anfwered, that he did not defire it, nor 

 thought them fo confiderable as to deferve it, or fomewhat to that 

 purpofe, for the very words I do not well remember, though he con- 

 feft there were in them lome new and pretty obfervations about Infects. 

 But, confidering that the publication of them might conduce fomewhat 

 i. Totheillujftrationof Gpdsgloryi by exciting men to take notice of 

 and admire his infinite power and wifdom difplaying themfelves in the 

 Creation of fo many Species of Animals. And 2. To the affiftance and 

 eafe of thole who addict themfelves to this raoft pleafant, and no lefs 

 ufeful part of Philofophy ; And 2 . Alfo to the honour of our Nation, in 

 making it appear th^t no part or real knowledge is wholly balked and 

 neglected by us, ( he not contradicting ) Irefolved to publifh them, and 

 firft took in hand the Ornithology. 



As for the Tcope and defign of this undertaking, it was neither the Au- 

 thors, nor is it my intention to Write Pandects of Birds, which fhould 

 comprife whatever had been before written of them by others, whether 

 true, falfe or dubious, that having already been abundantly performed 

 by Gefner mdJldroyandus, nor to contract and Epitomize their large and 

 bulky Volumes- left we fhould tempt Students to gratifie their flothfo 

 far as to take up with fuch Epitomes, and neglect the reading of the Au- 

 thors themfelves at large, which would be much more fatisfadtory and 

 improving : and befides, this were but aclttm agere, fuch Epitomes be- 

 ing already made by Johnftm : But our main defign was to llluftrate the 

 Hiftory of Birds, which is (as we faid before of Animals in general ) in 

 many particulars confufed and obfcrue, by fo accurately defcribing each 

 kind, and obferving their Characteriftic and diftinctive notes, that the 

 Reader might be fure of our meaning, and upon comparing any Bird 

 with our defcription not fail of difcerning whether it be the described 

 or no. Nor will it bedifficult to find out any unknown Bird that mail 

 be offered ; For comparing it with the Tables firft, the Characteriftic 

 notes of the 'genys's from thehigheft or firft downward will eafily guide 

 him to the loWe& genus ; among the Species whereof, being not many, 

 by comparing it alio with the feveral defcriptions the Bird may loon be 

 found. This then being our defign, that we might fur ely effect it, we 

 did not as fome before us have done, only tranfcribe other mens de- 

 fcriptions, but we our felves did carefully defcribe each Bird from the 

 view and inflection of it lying before us. That this diligence was not 

 fuperfluous or without effect will appear in that we have thereby cleared 

 many difficulties, and rectified many miftakes in the Writings of Ge/ner 

 and JUroVandus. If it be asked, whatcaufed thefe great Authors to mi - 

 ftake? I anfwer, fhort and general defcriptions of Birds of the fame 

 Species under different Titles, either fent them by their Correfpon dents 

 in feveral parts, or found in Books. Hence their miftakes are efpeci- 

 ally in the multiplying of Species, and making two or three forts of 

 one. This is eafie to obferve in reading of their Works. For their own 

 defcriptions of fuch Birds as xhemfelves faw, are for the moft very 

 accurate and full, but thofe communicated by others are of a different 



ftamp, 



