PKOGIIESS OF ORNITHOLOGICAL SCIENCE. 19^ 
tain the results of the last six years’ study, and whatever 
may be its defects or deficiences, it nevertheless becomes 
the only system of ornithology upon the circular princi- 
ple of variation, yet given to the world.* 
(167.) We now turn to the other point of view in 
which the actual state of this science must be contem- 
plated. We have seen that, so far as the principles are 
concerned upon which it is now prosecuted, we are 
upon safe and solid ground. Although these principles 
are of very recent discovery, they will soon be verified in 
this work by a mass of details in all parts of the animal 
kingdom, lly the labours and nice rliscrimination of 
Illiger, Cuvier, Vieillot, and Temminck, a very large 
proportion of Ae most remarkable genera, or types of 
form, have been detached from the Linnsan groups, 
and distinctly named and characterised. All these, 
together witli near two hundred others, we shall here 
attempt to refer to their natural rank and station.f 
Our framework, therefore, is nearly complete, lor it 
may be questioned, whether from among the birds 
already known from description, &c., more than forty 
sub-genera will be found uncharacterised. But with 
all this, our labour has not yet reached to that point 
which is to make it productive of practical and or- 
dinary purposes. The house is built, and the apart- 
ments ready, but the furniture and die ornaments are 
yet to be selected and arranged therein. In other 
words, it is proliable, that, out of six thousand species of 
birds, described in the general systems now in use, not 
more than one-fourth, certainly not a third, can be re- 
ferred to the modern genera. The causes of this are 
various. The progress of discovery has far outstripped 
our inclination for suitable arrangement. The Linn®an 
list of genera was almost stationary for fifty years, 
although in that time our cabinets were probably aug- 
♦ For an account of the principal artificial systems of ornithology, the 
reader is referred to the “Classification of Animals." 
such systems maybe, they have nothing to do with philosophic zoo gy, 
because they are not founded upon any one general principle. , 
f This systematic arrangement will be given ia the second volume. 
O 2 
