186 ' 
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OP BIRDS. 
from what we have already stated, but is that also 
which will result from attentively considering the cha- 
racteristic distinctions of this family. As representatives 
of the natatorial form, they have the shortest feet of 
any birds in existence ; they live upon the ocean ; and 
they are the most bulky of the order : as, on the other 
hand, representing the Fissirnstres, the tip of their bill 
is suddenly hooketl; they have an enormous wide mouth; 
and they possess, above all others, the most astonishing 
powers of flight. * Condensing these remarks into a 
tabular form, we may state the analogies thus : 
Families of the 
Swimming Order 
Analogies of the Natatohial Families 
General Analo^es. 
C0LVMBID,£. 
Pre-eminently typical of 
their own circles ; bill 
lengthened, conic. 
Tribes of the Orders of 
Jnsessores. Birds. 
• CONIEOSTRES. InSESSORES. 
f Bill short, arched above, 7 -TV ... 
JHclDji j the tip bent down. ’jKESTiaosTREs, Rjptobes. 
rSize larg 
Pelecanidje. < wide; 
J and im 
C sea. 
L\QIDJ£. 
AlCATIDiK. 
rSize large; mouth very' 
' -"de; feet very short ( 
i imperfect; live at ( 
i. 
rBUl slender; nostrils very"' 
3 long ; legs lengthened ; / 
) ambulating, but wcb.i 
C bed. i 
f Eminently domestic ; 7 c„ . 
I wings short, convex, j 
FiS8!ROSTRES. Natatores. 
Tenuirostres. Grallatores. 
Kasores. 
(207.) Now this exposition will, probably, be thought, 
by most of our readers, sufficiently satisfactory ; and yet 
the experienced/ ornithologist, who remembers what 
we have advanced on a former occasionf, will perceive 
it is beset with many difficulties and apparent contra- 
dictions. These we shall now state, and endeavour to 
answer. It is far from our wish or intention to strengthen 
our theory by glossing over objections, as if aU our 
conclusions were infallible, or that no exceptions existed 
to the truth of those laws which we venture to think 
have regulated the variations of the animal kingdom. 
We have been accused, indeed, of being too dogmatical ; 
* See more particularly, on the Tachipclss, Vol. 1. p. 162. 
t Class, of Animals, p. 2S7. 
