104 
MEMOIR OP 
by reason of their generality and obscurity, for so 
many descriptions of different animals. 
“ Now, that he might clear up all these obscu- 
rities, and render the knowledge and distinction 
of species facile to all that should come after, he 
bent his endeavours to find out (as I before inti- 
mated) certain characteristic notes of each kind ; 
but if, in any, no singular mark occurred, whereby 
it might certainly be distinguished from all 
others, he did minutely and exactly describe all 
its parts, that, at least, a collection of many 
accidents, which altogether could not be found in 
any species else of the same kind, might serve 
for a characteristic, that the reader should not, by 
a general and ambiguous description, be left in 
suspense, or incur the danger of error. 
“ But because prolix and operose description 
is tedious to most readers, and to the inattentive 
seems rather to obscure than illustrate the thing 
described, to relieve and gratify such, besides the 
description, he often adds some short notes, by 
which the animal described may be distinguished 
from others of the same kind like to it, and 
wherewith it is in danger to be confounded. 
Now, though I cannot but commend his diligence, 
yet I must confess that in describing the colours 
of each single feather, he seems to me to be too 
scrupulous and particular ; partly, because nature 
doth not in all individuals (perhaps not in any 
two) observe exactly the same spots or strokes ; 
partly, because it is very difficult so to word 
descriptions of this sort as to render them intel- 
