ON THE WATER-RAIL. 



175 



sources, that the original matter which he commu- 

 nicated, bears but a small proportion to the borrow- 

 ed contents of his work. We are in this case 

 tempted to quote the mortifying interrogatory of 

 the Roman satyrist, " Expende Annibalem : quot 

 libras in duce summo invenies ?" But many of our 

 systematical naturalists, in borrowing from these 

 sources, have omitted those characters which relate 

 to structure, and which these Fathers of the Science 

 were so anxious to ascertain, and have almost ex- 

 clusively retained those only, which relate to co- 

 lour and form. The progress of the science has 

 thus been retarded : nay, we have reason to deplore 

 its retrogression. 



Having been engaged, for many years, in the 

 examination of our native animals, I have often felt 

 the evils here complained of, especially when at- 

 tempting to ascertain the specific differences be- 

 tween nearly allied species. I have, therefore, 

 been in the habit of writing out descriptions, more 

 or less complete, according to the condition of the 

 specimens of the individuals of those species which 

 have come under my inspection. 



As these descriptions may be of use to those who 

 are engaged in similar pursuits, by furnishing stand- 

 ards of comparison, I hope that a few pages of the 

 Wernerian Natural History Society's Memoirs may 

 not be considered as improperly occupied in occa- 

 sionally recording them. 



