ii
p r e f a c e ,
tion as it mull have added to the bulk o f the volumes. A performance
o f this kind, therefore, to be of real utility, mull be in
a feparate publication; as, in that cafe, the defcriptions being
compreffed into a fmaller fpace, might be curforily perufed, in
the fame manner as in the Syfiema Nature of Linnaus, after whofe
elegant model it Ihould alfo be formed.
This, however, cannot be in a very little compafs, as it mull
exceed the limits o f the ornithologie part of that author’s work,
in the fame proportion as the fpecies deferibed in this Synopfts do
thofe in the Syftema-, for at the time o f Linn<tus\ writing, the
number of birds treated of by him did not greatly exceed 900,
for all of which (excepting between 30 and 40 which were new,
and deferibed by him as 1'uch) he was able to refer to one or
more writers who had given a full account ó f them ; but in the
prefent undertaking more than 2000 others havelikewife been deferibed,
the greater part o f which has been noticed by various
writers fince the laft edition o f Linnaus’s, work; the reft, between
5 and 600 in number, only to be found in the feveral volumes
o f this work.
That concifc generic and fpecific defcriptions have been
thought necefiary, need not, in this place, be further infilled on,
when it is known that the author o f thefe fheets haftily penned
.4 ' fuch,
fuch, for his own ufe, as fall as the volumes were publilhed; but
to give them a fufficient revifal, fo as to merit the public infpec-
tion, would, perhaps, require more time than he has immediately
in his power to fpare for the purpofe.
For the prefent, he will only add molt lincere thanks to his
former friends for the continuation o f their allillance, as well as
to thofe feverally mentioned in the prefent Supplement, who have
contributed theirs, and by whofe means he has been enabled to
add defcriptions o f many new and curious fubjefts. Rejoicing
not a little to have at laft finilhed his promifed talk, he wifhes
nothing more than to find hereafter, that his well-intended
labours may be received by the Public with its former candour,
J O H N L A T H A M .
Dartfard, May 1 ,1 7 8 7 .
S U P P L E M E N T .