p r e f a c e .
#THHE intent o f the following Iheets is to give, as far as may
. be> a concife account o f all the Birds hitherto known ; nothing
having been done in this way, as a general work, in the
Englilh language, of late years.
5In otber countnes, however, it has been paid more attention to;
witnefs that valuable work of M. Buffon, who has brought down
his account to the year 1760*, when he publilhedhis Ornithology.
That great and.able Naturalift M. de Buffon, is likewife proceeding
faftwith a grand w orkfon the fame fubjeft, which, when
finilhed on the extenfive plan that he has chalked out for him-
felf will do him much honour. O f this feven volumes are already
pubhfhed, and we are promifed two others in a very fhort time,
which are intended to clofe the undertaking.
In this work of M. de Buffon, not only every thing which has
been treated of before is properly noticed, and the many contrai
l W i f e °n,y< *he l b 0» iD q" art0 S f there is another in octavo
pubhfhed in ,763, which contains fome few additions. Whoever has pe-
rufed th.s work, wiil be fully convinced of the accuracy and precifton with whkh
this gentleman has treated the fubjeft throughout; and it is but juflice here to
Bird"sT h £C rb,e,rty WC haVC take” With thefc defcriPtions- in refpeft to fuch
Birds as have not fallen under our infpeftion.
t Hijhire naturellc des Oijtaux,
a diftions