60 Clinton's introductory discourse. 



dence of animals which have long since abandoned them ; but it would 

 engross too much time to pursue these hints. I cannot, however, close 

 them without remarking that this branch of zoology affords abundant 

 room for original inquiry and description. 



Many meritorious attempts have been made to illustrate the orni- 

 thology of America. Mr. Alexander Wilson, whose death is to be 

 sincerely lamented by every friend of science, had devoted himself for 

 years to this subject, with an enthusiasm, industry, and ability never 

 surpassed. The exactness of his likenesses, the fidelity of his descrip- 

 tions, his interesting representations of the manners of birds, and the 

 talents for observation and delineation which are displayed in every 

 part of his elaborate work, justly place it in the first rank of writings on 

 natural history. Although he has Oouc do much, yet the subject is by no 

 means exhausted.* There are doubts on many points, which one would 

 think ought long since to have been settled.f But the most interesting 

 part of ornithology is the migration of birds. There are some that stay 

 with us the whole year ; there are others that visit us regularly : and 

 there are several that visit us occasionally or accidentally, which are 

 driven by storms on our coast, by famine from their usual country, by 

 excessive heat from the south, or excessive cold from the north, or by 

 some cause unknown to us. All these birds ought to be carefully noted, 

 and accurately distinguished. Strange birds are frequently seen in the 

 vicinity of the ocean after a storm. Several years ago a large flock 

 of paroquets was observed twenty-five miles to the northwest of 

 Albany. I am credibly informed that the last ravages of the canker 

 worm on the west side of Long Island, were arrested by a strange bird 



* See Note R. f See Note S. 



