254 . 
on T!1E CLASSIFICATION OP BIRDS. 
make the experiment: teacliing these ingenious collectors 
the art of taking oflf the skin, so as the bird itself may 
be eaten, would probably tend to further this object, 
seeing that the most splendid birds of China are the large 
pheasants and other rasorial species. Persia, again, 
offers an interesting, if not a very rich, country for the 
ornithological traveller, where his researches may be 
prosecuted without those dangers and impediments at- 
tending the investigation among hostile tribes. It is, we 
believe, through the instrumentality of Mr. Hodson, 
our accomphshed scientific resident at the court of 
Nepal, that we have at length become acquainted with 
the productions of that most interesting portion of 
India, particularly its birds, which have been made the 
subject of a distinct jiublication.* General Ilardwieke 
has done much to elucidate those of Hindostan; but his 
materia,ls have only partially been pubHshed, and, from 
neglecting to bring home specimens of all the birds 
themselves, his drawings, now deposited in the British 
Museum, will not, in many cases, point out the natural 
genera to which they belong. Some other collections 
have been recently brought home, particularly by I 
Colonel Sykes, who has added much to our list of 
authentic species by his excellent descriptions ; those , 
we saw collected by cajitain Smee were also numerous, ' 
but nothing, we believe, has yet been done to render ' 
them available to science. The farther we advance 
southw'ard, the more interesting and beautiful are the 
ornithological forms. Sir Stamford Baffles, doctor 
Ilorsfield, and professor Reinwald, have all contributed ‘ 
more or less, to enrich our museums with specimens^ 
and our lists with descriptions of the birds of Sumatra 
and of Java; nor must we omit to do justice to the 
two French collectors, MM. Diard and Uuvosel, who 
were patronised by Sir Stamford Baffles, and through 
whose liberality they were chiefly enabled to send so 
many objects to the Paris museum. Still, however, 
there is ample room for future discoveries, even in these 
• Birds of tlie Himalaya Mountains, By J. Gould, A.L.& 
