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THE 
H I S 
A N I 
O R Y 
A 
L S. 
PART V. 
Of B I R D S. 
B irds are animals , whofe bodies are covered with feathers, and which have 
two legs, two wings, and a beak of a firm, bony, or horny texture , They lay 
eggs alfo, which are covered with a Jhell of a firm, crufiaceous fubfiance. 
As the genera T as well as the fpecies of birds, are confiderably numerous, it 
will be proper to take the mofi obvious and dijhndlive characters for the arranging them 
into clajjes, before we defcend to the genera. The beaks alone afford fuffcient matter for 
fucb a general diflinclion, and happily leave all the other characters to be ufed in the ge- 
nerical and fpecific difiinCiions. 
The whole family of birds will be conveniently arranged, according to the Jhape of 
their beaks, into fix clajjes, under the names of, i. Accipitres j 2. Piece j 3. Anjeres $ 
4. S colop aces j 5. Gallince and, 6. Pafferes. 
The Clafs of Accipitres comprehends all thofe which have the beak uncinated or hooked. 
The Clafs of Pica comprehends thofe which have the beak convex and compreffed. 
The Clafs of Anferes comprehends thofe which have the beak dentated or ferrated. 
The Clafs of Scolopaces comprehends thofe which have the beak fubcylindric and obtufe. 
The Clafs of Gallince comprehends thofe which have the beak of a conic forth, but 
crooked, and the upper maxilla imbricated. 
The Clafs of Pafferes comprehends thofe which have the beak conic and attenuated . 
After the claffcal names have been thus generally laid down, it will be neceffary, be¬ 
fore we proceed to the enumeration of the fpecies under their feveral genera, to explain 
what are the principal parts from which the fpecific difiinSiions are drawn, and by what 
words they are exprefed: thefe will occur more frequently in the names than in the de- 
feriptions of the fpecies • but as they are fome of them fuch as the earlier authors in or¬ 
nithology have not ufed at all j and others, fuch as they have employed in a very vague 
and indeterminate manner ; it will be neceffary to afeertain their meaning according to 
the writings of the naturalifts of thefe improved times. • ' 
The term Cera expreffes that membrane or naked tunic, which is propagated from 
the anterior part of the head, and furrounds and extends itfelf over more or lefs of the 
bafe of the beak . 
The term Urrhopygium expreffes that part of the body, which is between what we call 
the lower extremity of the back and the infertion of the tail. This we call the Rump 
in Englijh. 
The 
