﻿288 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 



excited more attention among modern naturalists, and 

 has given rise to more controversy than any group in 

 the whole circle of ornithology. In the present ad- 

 vanced state of science it is quite unnecessary to ad- 

 vocate the imposition of classical names to the different 

 groups it contains, since they have been long distin- 

 guished by the vernacular ones of eagle, hawk, buzzard, 

 &c. The real difficulty lies in determining the natural 

 series, and in separating those modifications which are 

 typical of natural genera, or subgenera, from those which 

 merely belong to aberrant or annectant species. It is 

 quite clear that neither of these important objects can 

 ever be accomplished by consulting figures, which are 

 often incorrect, not only in their details, but in giving a 

 false character to the bird*, or the ordinary descriptions 

 found in systems, where it generally happens that those 

 points of structure which chiefly point out the relations 

 of the bird are entirely omitted ; while minute par- 

 ticulars as to colour, &c, of no essential importance to 

 the main question, are prominently brought forward. 

 It may be urged, indeed, that such classifications are 

 provisional, and are merely proposed until the group is 

 better understood ; but we question much whether any 

 real advantage to the cause of science, and more espe- 

 cially to the establishment of the circular system, is 

 eventually gained by such premature attempts to prove 

 its truth, particularly in those groups which, from their 

 intricacy, more especially require rigid analysis. On 

 the other hand, it must be confessed that such analysis, 

 in the present instance, is attended with peculiar diffi- 

 culty. Most of the exotic raptorial birds, or at least 

 several of the most remarkable forms, are rare ; and 

 there are no collections in this country, public or private, 

 which contain more than a very insignificant portion of 

 the existing species. These considerations, which carry 

 with them the impossibility of determining the rank of 

 the numerous divisions proposed by Savigny, Cuvier, 



* This is particularly the case in the figures of falcons contained in the 

 Planches Colorees. 



