AZARA. — ORNITHOLOGY OP AUSTRALIA. 
213 
Paraguay. Considering that this extraordinary man 
had never studied systematic ornithology (indeed, like 
Buffon, he affected to despise system), it is surprising 
to verify the accuracy of his descriptions and measure- 
ments ; and yet, strange to say, from not having given 
any Latin names, either generic or specific to his birds, 
he has been, unintentionally, the cause of introducing 
into our systems a host of nominal species. This will 
he understood when it is explained that no less than 
three systematists have attempted to refer all the birds 
he has described, without hn-vmi men them, to the re- 
corded genera ; so that the very same species will be 
found not unfretiuently in three different jpoups to 
wdiich it has been referred by Sonnini, VieiUot, and 
Latham, each having no other guide than the ori^nal 
description of Azara, which is often silent upon those 
very points upon which correct judgment as to the true 
genus can be alone formed. APe have lieeii assured 
that Azara transmitted to Kurope preserved specimens 
of every animal he described, and that they still exist 
in the royal museum of Madrid, “ unnoticed and un- 
known” by all his commentators. We know not a more 
acceptable service that could lie done to science than the 
personal examination of these specimens by a compe- 
tent ornithologist, who could at once determine every 
species, and by referring each to its true genus, place a 
stamp upon the writings of Azara, which would render 
his admirable work as standard an authority as that of 
AVilson, or even of Buffon. ATithoiit such information 
we shall never lie able correctly to locate upwards of 
.'iOO species, which Azara has actually described as na- 
tives of Paraguay; a country whose political state has 
prevented all our South American zoologists from 
visiting. 
(178.) The ornithology of Australia, the last zoolo- 
gical province, includes New Guinea, New Hollani , anc 
the Pacific Islands. There exists many valuable materia s 
for this department, but they are widely scattered m 
detached fragments, and no attempt has yet been sue- 
