walks of Speculation and Hypothesis. The combinations thus produced, may well excite the smile of our continental neighbours, nor need we feel surprise that they look, with something like contempt, on such arrangements "called natural" of affinities and relations.

On the other hand the Ornithological writings of Sonnini, Le Vaillant, Wilson, and Azara, are never failing sources of information to the searcher after truth. The observations of such men, who recorded Nature as she really is, and who cared very little for the fashionable systems of the day, may be for a time neglected: but they must finally assume that importance which is ever attached to unbiassed and disinterested testimony. To this honourable list our own country can furnish other names. The habits and economy of our native birds have been accurately and patiently investigated by those lyncean naturalists, White, Montague, and Selby, while their internal structure is now engaging the attention of Mr. Yarrell, a Gentleman eminently qualified by long study, and matured reflection, for such a task.

In Conchology we have been more desirous to illustrate groups, than species; the latter will be done, on a very extensive scale, in the forthcoming work of Mess. Sowerby.

From the patient labours, and cautious deductions, of Dr. Horsfield, we expect a more perfect elucidation of the Lepidopterous Insects than has yet, perhaps, been attempted. As this will be the result of careful analysis, we shall place a high degree of confidence in the views it may develope.

In conclusion, it may be as well to add, that our views on several of the higher groups, here but slightly noticed, will be more fully explained in another work, now preparing for Publication.

W. S.

Sapphire crowned Parrot
fem.

PSITTACULUS vernalis.

Vernal Parrakeet.

Family Psittacidæ.—Vigors.
Genus Psittaculus.—(Lesson. Man. 2. p. 148.)

Specific Character.

The Vernal Parrakeet has hitherto remained unfigured, except in the scarce and little known work of Sparman: nor was its native country ascertained, until recent travellers discovered it in the islands of Java and Teinor.

This is one of the smallest of parrots, scarcely exceeding five inches in length; the feathers of the head have a silky texture, and their colour, in some lights, is particularly vivid: the tail and the wings are green above, but of a rich deep blue beneath; a character said to be equally conspicuous in P. galgulus L. The spot on the throat, in our specimen, is orange.

In respect to the situation of this bird among its congeners, we retain it, provisionally, in the genus Psittacula of Brisson & Kuhl, adopting the termination used by M. Spix, to avoid the alteration of specific names. We have not yet had leisure to study the new divisions made in this family, with that attention they deserve; but it strikes us, as a defect in the genus Psittaculus, that it unites birds of the Old and the New World in one group. Except in their size, no two parrots can be more dissimilar in construction than the Indian P. vernalis, and the American P. passerinus. In the first, the under mandible is smallest, narrow, and rather pointed; the first quill longest; and the tail feathers rounded. In P. passerinus, the under mandible is largest, high, very thick, and quite obtuse; the second quill longest, and the tail feathers acutely pointed. These may be usefully employed as sectional characters, until the contents of the two groups are better understood.

Brazilian Crested Eagle,
Polyborus Braziliensis.

POLYBORUS Braziliensis

The Caracara; or Brazilian-crested Eagle.

Family Falconidæ.
Generic Character.—See Vieil. Orn. 3. p. 1180.

Specific Character.

In Mus. Paris. D. Taylor.

The whole extent of Tropical America, from Mexico to the banks of the Rio Plata, is inhabited by this majestic bird. It has been slightly noticed by the earlier writers, but nothing was known of its history, until the publication of the invaluable Memoirs of Azara.

Its length is about twenty-one inches. In its habits there is a mixture of cowardice and daring. It will attack all other rapacious birds, excepting eagles, for the purpose of robbing them of their prey, and will often seize the game of the hunter, before he has time to secure it. Yet the Caracara is frequently driven from its haunts by the courage of small birds; and will only attack young chickens when not defended by their mother.

The birds which form the modern genera of Daptrius, Ibycter, Polyborus, and Milvago, present so many characters in common, that we cannot consider them of sufficient rank to be called genera. They appear to us, taken collectively, to form one group, in which every species exhibits a peculiar modification of structure, assimilating either to the Vultures or the Falcons. Allied both in structure and manners to both these families, each bird may be considered as a strongly marked link of connexion. They present, in short, that interchange of characters, generally confined to individual species, which Nature invariably exhibits at the union of her more