So far, therefore, I consider his work as comparatively, one of the cheapest that can be purchased. I have heard it mentioned, as an objection to the size of the work, that the same object could have been accomplished by bringing the subjects within the usual dimensions of illustrative publications; or what the French happily call ouvrages de luxe. This I deny. These plates do not exhibit a uniform" rivulet of margin," with a single bird perched upon the tall leafless trunk of a tree, "signifying nothing," and merely put in to fill the paper. Here every object speaks, either to the senses or to the imagination. The examples I have quoted, show that histories are to be narrated, and peculiarities are to be explained. To trace such things, the painter must have "ample room and verge enough." It is this which elevates the character of his paintings, from mere matter of fact portraits, to historical representations. We feel, in short, that it is M. Audubon alone who can produce. a work, which, without such advantages as he possesses, not all the united talents now in existence could supply. It will depend on the powerful and the wealthy, whether Britain shall have the honour of fostering such a magnificent undertaking. It will be a lasting monument, not only to the memory of its author, but to those who employ their wealth in patronising genius, and in supporting the national credit. If any publication deserves such a distinction, it is surely this; in as much as it exhibits a perfection in the higher attributes of zoological painting, never before attempted. To represent the passions and the feelings of birds, might, until now, have been well deemed chimerical. Rarely, indeed, do we see their outward forms represented with any thing like nature. In my estimation, not more than three painters ever lived who could draw a bird. Of these the lamented Barrabaud, of whom France may be justly proud, was the chief. He has long passed away; but his mantle has, at length, been recovered in the forests of America. On casting my eyes over the list of subscribers, it is with gratified feelings that I see His Most Gracious Majesty at the head. From the fine and original taste which our king seems intuitively to possess, I question whether any of his subjects are better qualified to appreciate the merits of M. Audubon. The number of nobility who have followed the example of their sovereign, as yet, are few. To the honour of the public bodies and libraries of Edinburgh, and of our own Universities, they all appear to have stepped forward as subscribers; waving their undoubted right (hard as that right is,) to the possession of free copies. It is singular that nearly the whole of the remaining subscribers are provincial, principally from Yorkshire, Liverpool, and Manchester. This, however, may be accounted for, by M. Audubon having visited these parts of England. I conclude that in London his name and his works have not yet come into notice; that they assuredly will, ere long, I have no doubt. There is superabundant wealth, (and the liberality to use it too,) in the metropolis alone, sufficient to insure the continuation of ten such works, could they be found. I have no personal acquaintance with M. Audubon. I never even saw him. The copy of his work, which furnished these remarks, has been lent to me. These are vouchers for my sincerity and disinterestedness. But I can appreciate genius; and I shall ever employ my poor abilities to make it known. My praise shall be well directed, and I shall then feel assured it will ultimately have weight. W. S. ART. II. Catalogue of Works on Natural History, lately published, with some Notice of those considered the most interesting to British Naturalists. BRITAIN. Wilson, William, Esq. F.R.S.E., Member of the Wernerian Natural History Society: Illustrations of Zoology; being Representations of new, rare, or otherwise remarkable subjects of the Animal Kingdom, drawn and coloured after Nature: with descriptive Letter-press. Blackwood, Edinburgh. Cadell, London. Atlas 4to. Nos. I. II. III. and IV. 16s. each. The object of this magnificent work is to convey coloured representations (whenever possible, of the size of life,) of whatever animals are the most signalised by nature for their scarcity or beauty, or for any extraordinary peculiarities in their form, structure, instinctive habits, particular dispositions, or general economy of life. The plates are accompanied by detailed statements of the generic and specific characters of the animals delineated; and the representation of every separate order, or extensive natural group of the animal kingdom, is preceded by a short introductory essay, in which the general characters of that division are very delightfully explained. This we conceive to be a principal, and very important feature in Mr. Wilson's work, that every species is made to represent and illustrate the history of many others; and thus, in a condensed space, a student, while following out the history of a single species, may acquire an accurate knowledge of the essential relations of an extensive generic group. Most of our author's materials appear to be drawn from the Edinburgh Museum, a most richly stored zoological collection, of the origin, progress, and present condition of which, we hope, ere long, to provide our readers with a compendious history. The work now under review is intended mainly to illustrate the novelties of that museum; but, at the same time, the author's pages are open to efficient communications from all other quarters. Indeed his principal object seems to be to relieve the science of natural history from the extreme aridity of its accustomed details; and, by combining the precision of a scientific treatise with the more excursive and agreeable character of a popular miscellany, to entice towards the study those who, not being especially called to it by an instinctive and irresistible tendency, are apt to be dismayed by the barren technicalities of science, falsely so called. Mr. Wilson's work, though expensive, is not high-priced by which we mean to say, that although the costly nature of the materials employed, renders the publisher's remunerating price considerable, we yet think the charge (16s. per number) very moderate. The form is that of atlas quarto; and every number contains four plates, each representing one or more subjects, according to their size; and is accompanied, as we have said, by corresponding letter-press, splendidly printed by Neill, in which the natural history of the animals delineated is amply detailed. The numbers appear at indefinite periods of three or four months, and well merit the patronage of those to whom splendid, and at the same time instructive books, form the finishing furniture of the drawing-room. In subsequent notices we shall present our readers with some characteristic examples of the author's style, and mode of treating his subjects. In the meantime, as the author of these Illustrations of Zoology is warmly impressed with a desire to extend the province of the science, and as we ourselves are now venturing to follow in a similar course, with the same object in view, we most heartily wish him success. Bowdich, Mrs. T. Edward, widow of the late celebrated African traveller ; a lady of the most amiable disposition and elegant manners, and of great and various acquirements: The Fresh-water Fishes of Great Britain. In imperial 4to Numbers. No. I. Ackermann. This is a production of no common merit; and we are the more anxious so to announce it, because, from its nature, it can fall into comparatively few hands, and will be seen much less than it deserves. Mrs. Bowdich, the widow of a gentleman whose narrative of the mission to Ashantee has obtained considerable celebrity, has here exhibited remarkable talent in pourtraying the fishes of our rivers and lakes. When it is mentioned that every illustration contained in each copy is separately drawn and painted by this lady, without the aid of the engraver, it will be perceived that she has undertaken a task of no slight magnitude. As the supply of a work, conducted upon such a plan, must necessarily be limited, we understand it is not contemplated to extend it beyond fifty copies, and even to proceed to that extent will call into exercise an unusual degree of perseverance. In the classification Mrs. Bowdich has been assisted by Baron Cuvier, whose system she has adopted, and who has furnished her with the nomenclature he intends to employ in his forthcoming great work on Ichthyology. The first and only number yet published, contains drawings of the trout, carp, roach, and bleak. The regular series of the families has been intentionally interrupted in the illustrations, for the sake of variety in each number; those least interesting to the eye being mingled with their more beautiful companions. As specimens of art we can only speak of these drawings, in common, we believe, with all who have viewed them, in terms of admiration. Each painting has been made from the living fish, immediately after it came from the water it inhabited, so that no tint has been lost or deadened, either by changing the quality of that element, or by exposure to the atmosphere. The artist has judiciously selected her subjects not from extraordinary or large specimens, but from those of a common magnitude, and has chiefly directed her attention to convey the correct shapes of the fishes, and to exhibit the brilliancy of their colours with fidelity. They are, therefore, what they profess to be, strictly portraits; and, as such, are most acceptable to the naturalist. Curtis, John, Esq. F.L.S.: British Entomology; being Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain and Ireland; containing coloured Figures from Nature of the most rare and beautiful Species, and in many instances of the Plants upon which they are found. London. 8vo. Monthly Numbers, 4s. 6d. ; vols. 17. 17s. 6d. each. This work was commenced in 1824, and the numbers already published exceed four volumes. Though the author limits himself to the illustration of genera, yet, by giving a synoptic view of the species of each genus, his work is rendered exceedingly complete, and highly instructive to beginners. The figures, both of the insects and plants, are beautifully executed, and in each plate are dissections of the smaller parts, more or less magnified, as the case may require. The natural order of each genus is given, with various synonyms, and references both to published works and existing cabinets; the descriptions are in English. The scientific and English names of the plants are also given, and, as the same plant is never repeated, the student may gain from this work a knowledge at once of insects and plants. As we shall very frequently have recourse to the past volumes in the course of our labours, we shall only stop at present to notice the number which has just appeared. 207 to 210. No. LII. for April, contains 21 Colymbètes (kolymbētēs, a swimmer; habit) consobrìnus (cousin-german; relation to other species); Coleóptera Dyticìdæ. An inhabitant of lakes, ponds, brooks, and rivers, and found throughout the year, but most abundantly from the end of April to July. There are thirty-three British species. The plant on which this figure is shown is the Utricularia vulgàris, Common Utricularia, Bladder Snout, or Hooded Milfoil; Dian. Monog. and Lenticulària. - Coccinella (dim. of kokkos, a berry; resemblance) ocellàta (ocellus, a little eye), Little-eyed Lady-bird, Coleoptera Coccinellìdæ. A family of insects which attack and live on the aphides, and keep them within the limits prescribed by Providence. The plant is Astragalus glycyphyllos, Liquorice-leaved Astragalus, or Wild Liquorice; Diadelphia Decándria, and 22 Leguminosa Papilionàceæ Astragalèæ. - Amphisa Walkerana, Walker's Amphisa (fig. 21.) Lepidóptera Tortricìdæ. A very rare moth, of which only two individuals have been taken and sent to the author. The plant is Cerástium latifòlium, Broadleaved Mouse-ear Chickweed; Decandria Pentag., and Caryophylleæ.-Anápheles (a intens. apheles, slender; form) bifurcatus, Twice-forked Anapheles (fig. 22.); Diptera Culicidæ. This insect occurs about London, and has the appearance of the gnat in its flight and manner of life, but does not sting. The plant is Agáricus plicátilis, Plicate Mushroom. Cryptogàmia Fúngi L., and Hymenomycètes Hymenìni Pileàti Fries. (The cross lines indicate the natural size with the wings expanded.) Stephens, James Francis, F.L.S. &c.: Illustrations of British Entomology; or, a Synopsis of Indigenous Insects; containing their Generic and Specific Distinctions, with an Account of their Metamorphoses, Times of Appearance, Localities, Food, and Economy, as far as practicable. Embellished with coloured Figures of the rarer and most interesting Species. London. In 8vo Numbers, monthly. 38. 6d. Nos. I. to XII. This work was commenced in 1827, and twelve numbers are published, The object of the author is " concisely to describe, in systematic order, and with reference to their natural affinities, such species of insects as have hitherto been discovered to inhabit the United Islands of Great Britain and Ireland. To these descriptions-which I trust will be sufficiently explicit to enable the entomologist clearly and satisfactorily to identify any of the insects he possesses, or may hereafter obtain-will be appended such facts, relative to the economy or locality of the respective species, as have either been communicated by others or observed by myself, accompanied with occasional entomological remarks. The average lengths, or the usual expansions, of the several species, are also introduced at the end of the specific characters; and for the purpose of enabling the student readily to obtain, at one view, a knowledge of the contents of any order or inferior section, their more obvious characters are laid down, in a tabular form, at the head of each superior group. Their peculiar distinctions are afterwards detailed in English, drawn out, as far as possible, from external differences; and, unless mentioned to the contrary, the descriptions, &c., are made from, and collated with, specimens in my own collection." The author seems to have fulfilled his intentions, and we only regret that he and Mr. Curtis have not accented the systematic names, given their derivations, and also the literal English of the specific names, as we have elsewhere recommended. We have only room at present to state, that No. XII. for April contains, of Coleoptera, Platýderus (platys broad derē, a neck) ruficollis; Coleoptera Harpalìdæ. Not uncommon in the neighbourhood of London.-Argùtor (argutor, to make a shrill noise). Eleven species, of which the most uncommon is the A. vernalis, very abundant near London, inhabiting every gravel-pit and stony lane.-Pogòmus (pōgōn, a beard). Thirty species, all of which inhabit the sea-side. P. chálceus (fig. 23.) is found both on the eastern coasts, and also on the shores of the Thames and Medway. -Pa'cilus (poikilos, spotted). Five species. Of P. virgaúreæ (fig. 24.), the male (a b) has the wings above 23 of a beautifully resplendent fiery copper colour, the anterior immaculate with a black border; the wings of the female (c) are beautifully spotted. 24 |