GEN. 5. COLYMBUS.

The web-footed birds in this genus, that can be confidered as belonging to America, are only one species of the Guillemot and two of the Diver. The characters of the former are-Bill, slender, strong and pointed, upper mandible slightly bending towards the end; base covered with short soft feathers.Noftrils, lodged in a hollow near the base.-Tongue, slender, almost the length of the bill. -No back toe. -Colour, in general, black on the back, and white on the breast. Its weight is about twenty ounces.

The bill of the diver is strong and pointed, upper mandible the longest, edges of each bending inwards.--Noftrils, linear, upper part divided by a small cutaneous appendage.-Tongue, long and pointed, serrated at each fide near the base.-Legs, very thin and flat.-Toes, the exterior the longest, back toe small, joined to the interior by a small membrane.---Tail, short. This bird is about the fize of a goofe.

CEN. 6. RYNCHOPS.

This genus contains only a single species and a variety, both natives of North-America: it is sometimes called the Skimmer, from the manner in which it collects its food on the water with the lower mandible; by others it is called the Shearbill and Cutwater.---The bill of this bird is greatly compressed, lower mandible much larger than the upper.--- Noftrils, linear and pervious.---A small back toe.---Tail, a little forked. In its habits and figure it resembles the gulls.

GEN. 7. STERNA.

This genus contains the Terns and the Nodies: of the former there are seven species, all of which are found about the leas of America; of the latter we know of but one common to the same situations; indeed it is nothing but a species of the tern rather smaller. Characters--- Bill, short, flender and pointed.---Noftrils, linear.---Tongue, flender and sharp.---Wings, very long.---A small back toe.---Tail, forked.

GEN. 8. LARUS.

The characters of this genus, which comprehends the Gulls and Mews, names which only diftinguish this family into the greater and leffer gulls, are---Bill, strong, bending down at the point, on the under part of the lower mandible an angular prominency.--- Noftrils, oblong and narrow, placed in the middle of the bill.---Tongue, a little cloven.---Body, light.---Wing long.... Legs, small, naked above the knees.---Back toe, fma"

Briffon has eighteen species of this genus, and we are inclined to think them as common to the shores of America as Europe.

GEN. 9.

PROCELLARIA,

The Peterel, which forms this genus, inhabits all parts of the ocean; it braves and sports with the most furious storms, and some of the species seem to enjoy those tremendous scenes which fink the courage of the bravest men: they are found in great plenty in the feas near the cape of Good Hope and along the coafts of America, in the fame parallels. The characters of this genus are---Bill, straight, except at the end, which is hooked.---Noftrils, cylindric and tubular.--- Legs, naked above the knees.---No back toe, but a sharp spur pointing downwards instead.

GEN. 10.

MERGUS.

The Merganser is the species that forms this genus; it is found in the north of Europe and north of America.---Its bill is flender, a little depressed, furnished at the end with a crooked nail; edges of each mandible very sharply ferrated.--- Noftrils, near the middle of the mandible small and subovated.---Tongue, slender.---Feet, the exterior toe longer than the middle. The largest birds of this species are between a duck and goose, the smaller about the fize of the duck. There are in the whole about seven species known.

GEN. 11. ANAS.

This genus includes the whole of the duck tribe, under the name of Swan, Goose, Duck, Widgeon, Teal, &c. of which near seventy species are known in America; of the fpecies of the swan only one, of the goofe ten, the rest ducks, &c. The distinguishing characters of this genus are---Bill, strong, broad, flat or depressed, and commonly furnished at the end with a nail, edges marked with sharp lamille... Nostrils, small, oval.--Tongue, broad, edges near the base fringed.--- Feet, middle toe the largeft.

GEN. 12. PELICANUS.

The birds in this genus which may be said to belong to Amenca, or found in its feas, are the Pelican, of which there are two fpecies and four varieties belonging to that continent: the Boobies, fix ipecies; the Frigat or Man of War bird; and, according to the opinion of Buffon, the Garnet. The characters of the pelican are--- Bill, long and straight, the end hooked or floping.---Noftrids, either entirely wanting, or small and placed in a furrow which runs along the fides of the bill.--Face, naked.-Gullet, naked, and capable of great distension.-.Toes, all four webbed.

GEN. 13. PHAETON.

This genus is formed of the tropic birds; a class of the winged tribe, whose favourite haunts are the sequestered islands of India and America. There are three species known.---The bill is compressed flightly floping down, point sharp, under mandible angular.-Noftrils, pervious.---Toes, all four webbed.---Tail, cuneiform, two middle feathers tapering and extending to a vast length beyond the others.

GEN. 14. PLOTUS.

Characters-Bill, long, straight, sharp-pointed.---Neck, of a great length.---Face and gullet, covered with feathers.---Toes, all four webbed. The darter or anhinga is the only bird in this genus. We believe there are three species, besides varieties, in the fouthern part of the new continent.

GEN. 15.

The penguin may be confidered as the link between birds and fishes.---Its bill is strong and straight, bending only a little towards the point. Tongue, covered with strong, sharp spines, pointing backwards.---Wings, very small, pendulous, useless for Right, covered with mere flat shafts.---Body, covered with thick, fhort feathers, with broad shafts placed as compactly as scales.--Legs, short and thick, placed entirely behind.---Toes, four standing forward, the interior loose, the rest webbed...-Tail, confifting of only broad shafts. There are two species found on the coafts of South-America.*

• We noticed at the beginning of this account of American birds, that in the divifion and orders we had followed Mr. Pennant---the several genera are as classled by Linnæus, except where otherwise mentioned.

REPTILES

OF

AMERICA.

IMPERFECT

MPERFECT as the list of American quadrupeds and birds must be confefsfed to be, those of the reptiles must be much more so; few have been the characters who, with leifure and abilities, have possessed the inclination for these researches, and those who have attempted any thing of this kind, have contented themselves with very partial advances, or have found fuch difficulties as have prevented any great progress; they have, however, done sufficient, we trust, to stimulate others to a farther pursuit, and we may reasonably hope that a few years will open to us a more particular acquaintance with the woods, the marshes, the mountains, and waters of the new continent. The following lifts in a more particular manner refer to NorthAmerica, though perhaps the greater part are found all over the continent.

DIV. 1. PEDATED REPTILES.

Great Land do. called in the United States, Gopher.

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