ADVERTISEMENT. 
Ornithology, as a fcience, has undergone various altera~ 
tions and improvements: different authors have fubmitted 
their fyftems to the world, and each has found its admirers 
and opponents; nor has the unrivalled genius of Linnzus 
devifed an arrangement in which thofe oppofite opinions 
may be reconciled. On the importance of Ornithology, in 
the great fcale of animated nature, no difference of opinion 
can prevail. The beauty and elegance of the feathered race : 
their pleafing and various melody ; their fagacity, and trac-~ 
table manners, has been admired in every age and country ; 
and their unerring ceconomy and infliné&t, has ever engaged 
the attention of the moral philofopher. The Birds of this 
country are of plainer colours than thofe of warmer climates, 
but they are not lefs interefting to the Englifh naturalift. 
If, in fome inftances, their beauty has little claim to our no- 
tice ; in others it excites our admiration; and to the intelli- 
cent mind, their beauty, their fingularities, peculiar manners, 
and ceconomy are equally engaging. They are the fource 
of information and improvement to the practical Ornithologift, 
and of rational and agreeable amufement to every common 
obferver of nature. 
At the commencement of this work, it was our intention 
to form a complete Hiftory of Britifh Ornithology, and to 
include figures of all the known Birds, amounting to more 
than two hundred and fifty fpecies ; but we have fince con- 
ceived it would be advifable to fele& only the more beau- 
tiful 
