214 
ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS. 
cessful in collecting them. The earliest account of the 
birds of New Holland will be found in the voyages of 
Collins, Phillijis, and \Thite. The plates of the two 
former are plain, hut those of the latter are accurately 
coloured, and the drawings, in general, are very faithful. 
The volume of AThite is exceedingly valuable in every 
way, for it contains no less than twenty-nine plates of 
birds alone, independent of the quadrupeds, reptiles, and 
plants. A beautiful work on the zoology of New 
Holland was commenced by Dr. Shaw, but discon- 
tinued, for want of public support, after the first num- 
ber.* Lewin, a zoological artist, settled in the country, 
published a thin volume, containing twenty-six plates, 
and descriptions of the native birds, drawn and etched by 
himself in a free and masterly style ; yet this, too* 
shared the fate of the attempt made by Dr. Shaw, to the 
regret of every lover of ornithology. The Linnaian So- 
ciety, udth liberality and judgment, purchased a noble 
collection of the birds of this country, which noiv 
grace their museum. After many years, Alessrs. Hors- 
field and ATgors undertook to describe them, and the 
first part of their labours, inserted in die Transactions, 
are, upon the whole, of considerable value ; but, by the 
strange fatality w'hich has attended the former attempts, 
ten years have elapsed without any thing having been 
done, so far as we can. learn, to finish the undertaking : 
thus, nearly one half of the birds remained unnamed. Our 
attention has been for many years directed to this object, 
but so httle are oiu" public librarians and bibliopolists, 
disposed to encourage works of pure science, that, even if 
other drcumstances wore favourable, we question whe- 
ther these materials will ever see the light. In regard 
to the ornithology of New Guinea, and die Pacific 
Islands, our information is very scanty, and, with the 
exception of the magnificent work of Le A^aillant on the 
Paradise Birds, is almost exclusively derived from the 
* In this is figured the Colnniha avtnrcHca^ described many years after 
a new species by M. Temmlnck, under the name of Cuhimha diU^yhns. 
i he latter name, Ihiaa ever, is go apiiropriato that it may be allowed to re. 
mam. 
