181

REVIEWS.

ART. I. Catalogue of Works on Natural History, lately published, with some Notice of those considered the most interesting to British Naturalists.

PASQUIER, Le Baron M.: Eloge de M. le Baron Georges Cuvier, prononcé à la Chambre des Pairs, par M. le Baron Pasquier, Président de la Chambre des Pairs, séance du 17 Décembre, 1832. Pamphlet, 8vo, of 55 pages.

Every British naturalist feels the most cordial respect for the memory of Cuvier, the indefatigable and matchless illustrator of the objects in creation. The sentiment of such respect is, in the feeling of Britons, the highest eulogy, and, we may say elegy, that can be accorded to any man; and when Britons, who are strongly imbued with national prepossessions, unreservedly and unanimously accord this respect to one of another country, as they do to M. Cuvier, it indicates that the merits of that individual transcend comparison and all detraction. As such is the feeling of Britons towards the memory of M. Cuvier, what must be that of his countrymen, the French? The mere title, as we have given it above, of a pamphlet which has been published in Paris, sufficiently answers this question.

Turner, Sharon, F. S. A.: The Sacred History of the World, as displayed in the Creation and subsequent Events to the Deluge, philosophically considered. 8vo, 554 pages. London, Longman.

The main object of this work is, "to exhibit the Divine Mind in connection with the production and preservation, and with the laws and agencies, of visible nature, and to lead the youthful enquirer to perceive the clear and universal distinction which prevails between the material and immaterial substances in our world, both in their phenomena and in their principles." This is a very laudable object; and it is truly delightful to see the happy combination of strict philosophical scrutiny with sincere religious feeling which the work presents. Of its object, therefore, no complaint is to be made, although, in the execution of that object, there are several points connected with natural history sufficiently faulty to require correction.

The above sentence is part of a review which has been sent us of this work, and which notice would occupy about six of our pages. We cannot allow more space for noticing the work than to thank H. S., the writer of the review, and to add, that he represents the author as failing, here and there, to preserve the course of his argument vigorous and clear, and as burdening his text with too many notes, so as, in effect, to bewilder the reader: he has not so written his book" that he who runs may read." H. S. complains that the author, in his natural history, "mistakes the relations of analogy for those of affinity," and that the structure, habits, and classification ascribed in the book to several animals are erroneous. H. S. notices that, in nomenclature, the author frequently puts the specific name before the generic, and cites p. 261, 262. in example. In geological speculation, H. S. differs considerably from the author; and takes occasion to describe an "interpretation of the Mosaic cosmogony," which he deems preferable to that of the author, or to any other with which H. S. is acquainted: for this we have not room. The last remark in H. S.'s review is," I must notice an error which could only have proceeded from inadvertency (p. 48.). It is inferred that from this mode of movement [that of the moon always keeping the same side towards the earth], one half of its residents never see the earth, and the other half never behold the sun.' The falsity of this last assertion is apparent to any one at all acquainted with astronomy." Hodgson, Rev. John, M.R.S.L., Vicar of Whelpington, &c.: Memoirs of the Lives of Thomas Gibson, M.D.; Jonathan Harle, M.D.; John Horsley, M.A. F.R.S.; William Turner, M.D. 8vo, 147 pages. Newcastle, 1831.

The writer is the talented author of a History of Northumberland, and, consequently, addicted to antiquarian research. He has accumulated into this little volume facts and incidents appertaining to the biography of the above individuals, which all who have any curiosity respecting them will much appreciate. His memoirs of Dr. Turner (commemorated in the genus of plants Túrnera) will be welcome to botanists and to naturalists as well; for Dr. Turner wrote, more or less, on natural objects of every kind. He was described by Conrad Gesner as a man of the greatest learning, and deserving of the highest praise; and of him Pulteney says, "The true era of botany in England must commence with Dr. William Turner, who was unquestionably the earliest writer among us that discovered learning and critical judgment in the knowledge of plants." Of this little volume only one hundred copies have been printed.

White, Rev. Gilbert, A.M., &c.: The Natural History of Selborne; Observations on various Parts of Nature; and the Naturalist's Calendar. With Notes, by Captain Thomas Brown, F.L.S., M.K.S., President of the Royal Physical Society. Foolscap 8vo, 356 pages, with cuts, 3s.; or bound in green cloth, made to resemble Turkey morocco, and titled, 3s. 6d. Edinburgh, London, and Dublin, 1833. This volume contains White's Selborne complete. It is the first of a series of uniform volumes prepared and under preparation, to be published, one a month, all at the same price, and denominated the British Library. The proprietors, in their prospectus, descant on the superiority of the time-tried authors, whose writings a long course of public approbation has rendered classic, over the more novel but usually more vapid productions which are now daily born into the world. Their series of volumes, accordingly, is to include only the writings of the "classic" authors of Great Britain. The volumes are to be "occasionally illustrated with plates and woodcuts." In their first volume, or White's Selborne, the cuts are twenty-two in number, and eight of them are respectably executed. On the writings of White, the subject-matter of the volume, we have not a word to offer, save to rejoice at this instance of their being published so cheaply as to be placed within the reach of those unable to purchase dearer editions. On the "Notes" subscribed by the editor, in illustration or amplification of the text, we have a little to say. A share of these are from original observation; but the majority of them are compiled from books. The Magazine of Natural History has been most liberally drawn on for the supply of a large proportion of them, and, in many instances, without acknowledgment. As the ground on which the Magazine of Natural History addresses itself to its contributors and subscribers for support is its usefulness, we deem it due to the just advocacy of its claim to regard, to neglect no opportunity to make its usefulness deservedly apparent. The present is a necessary opportunity, our appropriation of which may possibly be unwelcome to the party whose deficient sense of justice has supplied it to us. Notes, including facts derived from the Magazine of Natural History, and acknowledged to be thence derived, occur in the following pages of the volume: - 6. 26. 36, 37. 40, 41. 43, 44. second paragraph, 71. 73, 74. 121. 123. 131. 138. 153. 169. 177. 276. note †, 291. 322.: the last is quoted from Vol. IV. p. 542.; but is rendered worthless by a subsequent criticism in our Vol. V. p. 197. Facts and notices, many of them very

interesting ones, quoted from the Magazine of Natural History without any mention of this work, will be found included in the notes on the following pages. We couple with them, for the sake of identification, and the amusement of observant readers, the particular pages in the Magazine whence they have been derived: -5. the last paragraph, iv. 30; 23., ii. 18, 19.; 29., iv. 165.; 41. Mr. Bree's fact, ii. 243.; 42. note †, v. 313.; 43. last paragraph, iii. 327.; 44. first paragraph, ii. 103.; 47. note i. 397., iii. 450.; 69., iv. 343.; 70., iv. 433.; 71. Mr. Marshall's fact, iii. 473.; 81., v. 277.; 89., i. 179.; 118., ii. 87.; 142., v. 735, 736.; 152., v. 286.; 153. first paragraph, iv. 146.; 163., iv. 337.; 164., i. 375.; 170. note *. v. 677.; 170. note †, v. 588.; 178. note †, iv. 167.; 182., iii. 456., &c.; 192, 193., v. 209—213.; 201., v. 569.; 222., iv. 558.; 223., iv. 558.; 224. note *, iii., 147.; 224. note †, iv. 147. 466.; 264. note †, iii. 376.;. 267., iii. 377.; 275., iv. 480.; 276. note *, v. 90.; 284., v. 714.; 286. last paragraph but one, and on 287., iv. 145.; 288., iii. 237., iv. 433.; 306., iv. 436.; 313. note †, v. 482.; 257., i. 373.; 324., i. 379.; 328., v. 304. Besides these instances, we have blinked a few trifling ones.

v.

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Those whom this identification may amuse may also find it worth their while to compare some of the remaining notes subscribed "Ed." with those which Sir William Jardine has infused into his edition of White's Selborne, published in

1830.

While engaged in exploring the "notes" in Captain Brown's edition, for the recovery of our lost property, above indicated, we found it somewhat disparaged by the following minor errors. Some of our readers, who may purchase the work, will perhaps excuse our here giving them space, for the facility with which they will hence be able to correct them. The errors in the remaining notes we leave unnoticed. Page 6., vol. "i.,” ii.; 26., “Mr. T. F. Loudon,” T. F. of London; 26. and elsewhere, "Mr. Yarrel," Mr. Yarrell; 69.," Mr. Hog," Mr. Hoy; 73., " Rev. W. J. Bree," Rev. W. T. Bree; Allesly," Allesley; 178., " polifolio," "polifolia; "Mr. Lees discovered the Iris tuberòsa near Cork," Mr. Bree did (see Vol. IV. p. 28. 438., and Vol. V. p. 197. 200.); "aralis," arabis; "polifolio," polifolia; "sascifraga,' saxifraga; "aluoria," arenaria; " pinguicala," pinguicula; 182., "Mr. Bakewell," Mr. Blackwall; 220., "vidæ,” viola; 267., "calendra," calendula; 275., "Allesly," Allesley; "felix, mas," filix-mas; 326., "the tuber cibarium genus of Linnæus," and the genus Tuber, and is the species cibarium of Linnæus; 327., Mr. Dovanston," Mr. Dovaston, &c.

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Rennie, James, M. A. A. L. S. (Professor of Zoology, King's College, London, Author of Insect Architecture, &c.) Editor: The Field Naturalist's Magazine, and Review of Animals, Plants, Minerals, the Structure of the Earth, and Appearances of the Sky. In monthly 8vo Numbers; each containing 48 pages, with cuts. London, 1833.

1s.

Of this work, only the second number, for February, has been sent us. The facts fresh from the "fields" which it contains occupy a much smaller portion of its space than does the information translated and transcribed into it from books. The quality and quantity of both kinds are, however, such as to render the number not dear at a shilling.

Gould, John, F. L.S.: The Birds of Europe; dedicated, by permission, to the President and Council of the Zoological Society of London. In Parts, imperial folio, each containing 20 plates. 27. 10s. plain; 37. 3s. coloured.

Parts 2. and 3. of Mr. Gould's Birds of Europe are now before us, and bear evident proof of increasing excellence as the numbers proceed. The first part of this work, which we noticed last year (Vol. V. p. 535.), gave promise of improvement from practice; and the author, and those associated with him in the different departments of the undertaking, have fully realised our expectations. The figures, beautiful and varied, are drawn with great truth and knowledge of the subjects, the colouring is natural, and the different landscapes, with their rocks, water, trees, and plants, are put in with good taste and great effect. Independently of the high pictorial merit this work exhibits, it is not less interesting and valuable to the admirer of the endless productions of nature for the novelties, European as well as British, with which each succeeding portion is enriched. The azure-winged magpie, figured with great delicacy and beauty, has been made known as a European bird by Wagler, but is not included in the Manuel of Temminck. This bird is found in Spain, where it frequents bushes and willow groves, and, like our own common species, is remarkable for its impudence and clamour. The blue-throated warbler and the white-bellied swift are recent additions to our British catalogue; and a new species of Régulus, lately discovered in Cambridgeshire by the Rev Mr. Jenyns, which very closely resembles our golden-crested wren, is also figured, and the differential characters rendered more obvious by the judicious placing of both birds on the same plate. The figures of the wagtails are excellent, exhibiting the characteristic elegance