Gould. Of which, I would fain have spoken with
gratitude and admiration in his lifetime; had not I known, that the
qualified expressions necessary for true estimate of his published
plates, would have caused him more pain, than any general praise could
have counteracted or soothed. Without special criticism, and rejoicing
in all the pleasure which any of my young pupils may take in his
drawing,--only guarding them, once for all, against the error of
supposing it exemplary as art,--I use his plates henceforward for
general reference; finding also that, following Mr. Gould's practical
and natural arrangement, I can at once throw together in groups, easily
comprehensible by British children, all they are ever likely to see of
British or Britain-visitant birds: which I find fall, with frank
casting, into these following divisions, not in any important matters
varying from the usual ones, and therefore less offensive, I hope, to
the normal zoologist than my heresies in botany; while yet they enable
me to make what I have to say about our native birds more simply
presentable to young minds.[19]

[18] The Macaw in Sir Joshua's portrait of the Countess of Derby
is a grand example.

[19] See the notes on classification, in the Appendix to the
volume; published, together with the Preface, simultaneously with
this number.

88. 1. The HAWKS come first, of course, massed under the single Latin
term 'Falco,' and next them,

2. The OWLS second, also of course,--unmistakable, these two tribes,
in all types of form, and ways of living.

3. The SWALLOWS I put next these, being connected with the owls by
the Goatsucker, and with the falcons by their flight.

4. The PIES next, whose name has a curious double meaning, derived
partly from the notion of their being painted or speckled birds; and
partly from their being, beyond all others, pecking, or pickax-beaked,
birds. They include, therefore, the Crows, Jays, and Woodpeckers;
historically and practically a most important order of creatures to
man. Next which, I take the great company of the smaller birds of the
dry land, under these following more arbitrary heads.

5. The SONGSTERS. The Thrush, Lark, Blackbird, and Nightingale, and
one or two choristers more. These are connected with the pheasants in
their speckledness, and with the pies in pecking; while the nightingale
leads down to the smaller groups of familiar birds.