﻿AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. WILSON. 257 



discoverers of many species. The land birds of New 

 Zealand and of the Pacific Islands, appear to be few, 

 but they are different, in regard to the species, from 

 those of New Holland, although in general belonging 

 to the same groups. The Meliphagidce, or honeysuckers, 

 are very prevalent through the whole range of this 

 zoological province. 



(2 1 5.) America, next to Europe, is the best known 

 division of the zoological world. The ornithology of the 

 northern regions has been so well explored by our arctic 

 navigators, those two able collectors, and by Drummond 

 and Douglass, that little has been left for those who came 

 , after ; while the indefatigable Wilson secured to him- 

 self the first and highest honours of discovery in regard 

 to the birds of the United States. Little, therefore, now 

 remains to be done in the way of new discovery from 

 Baffin's Bay to the shores of Louisiana. While the 

 ornithologist may purchase specimens of the North 

 American birds much cheaper in London than he could 

 collect them upon the spot. The western coast, on the 

 contrary, by some strange oversight, has been almost 

 entirely neglected, and California still remains unex- 

 plored by modern naturalists. The first English ad- 

 venturers to Mexico, upon its being opened to British 

 commerce, were not unmindful of its natural produc- 

 tions ; and we were enabled to determine the existence 

 of near 150 species of Mexican birds, the greater part 

 of which were altogether new. Continental collectors 

 have since then visited many of the provinces, yet, 

 when we consider the vast extent of this territory, 

 and the peculiarly favourable nature of its surface for 

 great diversity in its animals, we may yet believe that 

 not more than half of its birds have been discovered. 

 It is surprising that among so many intelligent persons 

 connected with our unfortunate mining establishments, 

 one instance alone has come before us of any of them 

 paying attention to natural history. The late Mr. 

 Morgan formed a valuable collection of birds round 

 Keal del Monte, but we have heard of no other English- 

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