2 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



Swede, in defiance of the new lights which have been 

 exhibited to our view by the brilliant continental dis- 

 coveries since the period in which he flourished. 1 

 have also attempted to distribute, under their proper 

 genera, such species as are described in the preceding 

 volumes of this work with reference to the Linnean 

 groups, whose stations I have been enabled to ascer- 

 tain, and to add as many of the newly described 

 species thereto as the limited space to which I am 

 necessarily confined, and the nature of my usual 

 avocations will permit ; and in order to show the 

 geographical position of the respective species, their 

 habitats are introduced. 



As usual in all insulated classes of animals, birds 

 appear to be naturally divisible into two great groups, 

 one of which is typical of the class, and is susceptible 

 of two, and the other, which is aberrant, of three 

 subdivisions, or orders, as exhibited below, and so 

 happily illustrated by the author of the above-named 

 essay ; but I regret that want of space prevents me 

 from entering into any of the arguments and facts 

 that he has adduced in support of his views : I must 

 therefore refer those individuals who are anxibus to 

 become acquainted with them to the paper itself in 

 the Linnean Transactions, vol. xiv. p. 395, &c. : and 

 I have farther to observe, that for a similar reason 

 the characters of the subdivisions and of the genera, 

 throughout the following arrangement, are as con- 

 cisely given as is consistent with the intention in view, 

 of illustrating the natural affinities. 



According to Mr. Vigors, birds are divided into 

 the following five orders : 



