With respect to the quotations or synonyms, it should be observed that we have in most instances limited them only to original works, all doubtful ones have been rejected, and such only given as have been actually consulted; indeed to this latter cause must be attributed the occasional omission of some, existing in books we had not the immediate power of consulting; our own library is not small; but the difficulty and expense of procuring all the new continental publications, and the impossibility of meeting with them at our public libraries[[2]], may have sometimes led us into error, and unintentionally to have passed over the discoveries of others.
With the few additions contained in the Appendix we shall now conclude; trusting that in the remarks drawn from us by the present state of the science in this country, our zeal for truth will not give us an appearance of want of candour or of vanity. The truth of our remarks on the labours of others, every one at all acquainted with the subject can inquire into, and either acknowledge or disprove: we neither deprecate nor despise criticism: an author who presumes to instruct others, should have his pretensions publicly canvassed, his merits admitted, or his deficiency exposed; no one is more sensible than we are that our own pretensions chiefly consist in having set an example for others more able to follow: and if we have in any way advocated the cause of truth and science, our object will be attained, and we shall then gladly retire in the shade.
London,
Sept. 15, 1821.
LIST OF BOOKS REFERRED TO.
Bruguire, Encycl. Meth. Histoire Naturelle des Vers, par M. Bruguire, 1 vol. 4to. and 4 vols. of Plates, forming part 10, 19, 21, 23, of the "Encyclopedie Méthodique." Paris, 1789-1792.
Bloch. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, en 6 parties, 8vo. Berlin, 1796.
Cramer. Papillons Exotiques, 4 vols. 4to. Amsterdam, 1779-1782.
Cuvier. Le Règne Animal, 4 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1817.
Chemnitz, Martini. Neus Systematisches Conchylein Cabinet, 11 vols. Nurnburg, 1781-1795.
Dill. A Descriptive Catalogue of Recent Shells. By F. W. Dillwyn, 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1817.
Edwards. A Natural History of uncommon Birds, &c.; and Gleanings of Natural History. By G. Edwards, 7 vols. 4to. 1763, &c.
Fab. Ent. Syst. Entomologia Systematica, emendata et aucta. J. C. Fabricius, 4 vols. 4to. Hafnia, 1792-1794.
Gen. Zool. General Zoology, commenced by Dr. Shaw, and continued by Mr. Stevens, 11 vols. 8vo. to 1819.
Gmelin Linn. Syst. Nat. C. Linné Systema Naturæ. Cura J. F. Gmelin. Lipsiæ, 1788-1793.
Godart in Encycl. Method. Encyclopedie Méthodique, t. 9. p. 1. 1819.
Gualtieri. Index Testarum Conchyliorum quæ adservantur in Musæo N. Gualtieri. Florentiæ, 1742.
Illiger. Prod. Systematis Mammalium et Avium, 8vo. Berolini, 1811.
Knorr. Les Delices des Yeux et de l'Esprit, 6 P., 4to. Nuremb. 1760, &c.
Klein Hist. Pisc. Historiæ Nat. Piscium promovendæ Missus, 6, 4to. Dantzic, 1740-49.
Linn. Syst. Nat. See Gmelin.
Linn. Trans. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 13 vols. 4to. 1791-1821.
Lister. M. Lister Historia Conchyliorum, folio. Oxonii, 1770.
Lamarck Syst. Hist. Nat. des Animaux sans Vertèbres. Par le Chevalier de Lamarck, 6 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1815-1819.
—— Anal. Mus. Annales du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris, 4to. 1802-1821.
Lath. Synop. Suppl. A General Synopsis of Birds. By Dr. J. Latham, 3 vols, and 2 Supplements, 4to. London, 1782, &c.
—— Index Ornith. Index Ornithologicus, 2 vols. 4to. London, 1790.
Martyn Univ. Conch. The Universal Conchologist. By T. Martyn, 4 vols. 4to. London, 1784, &c.
Martini. See Chemnitz.
Pennant. British Zoology. By T. Pennant, 4 vols. 8vo. London, 1812.
Risso Icth. Ichtyologie de Nice, 1 vol. 8vo. Paris, 1810.
Rumph. Thesâurium Imaginum Piscium, &c., folio. Hagæ, 1739.
Seba. Albertus Seba Rerum Naturalium Thesauri, 4 vols. folio. Amsterdam, 1734-1765.
Say. Description of the Land and Fresh-water Shells of the United States. By Thomas Say. Philadelphia, 1819.
Shaw in Gen. Zool. See General Zoology.
Temminck Pig. et Gall. Histoire Naturelle Générale des Pigeons et des Gallinaces. Par C. J. Temminck, 2 vols. 8vo. Amst. 1813.
—— Manuel. Manuel d'Ornithologie, 2d edit., 2 vols. 8vo. 1820.
Le Vaill. Hist. Nat. des Toucans et des Barbus, folio. Paris, 1806.
—— Hist. Nat. des Perroquets, 2 vols. folio. Paris, 1801.
White's Voyage. Journal of a Voyage to N. S. Wales, 4to. Lond. 1790.
