406 Analytical Notices of Books. 



Art. XLV. Anali/tical Notices of Books. 



l^he Animal Kingdom described and arranged in conformity with 

 its Organization^ by the Baron Cuvier. With additional 

 Descriptions of all the Species hitherto named j of many not 

 before noticed', and other original matter. By Edward 

 Griffith, F.L.S, and others. Vol. I — III. 4to aqd 8vo, 

 with numerous Plates. 



A MERE translation of a work so universally known as the 

 Regne Animal of the Baron Cuvier, could not, however well 

 executed, fall properly under our notice in this department of 

 the Journal ; but the publication of Mr. Griffith, as may be seen 

 from its title quoted above, is of so different a character as to 

 claim in the light of an original production some portion of our 

 attention. The translation bears in fact so small a proportion 

 to the other valuable matter contained in these pages, as to 

 occupy, though printed in a larger type than the remainder of 

 the work, less than one-sixth of the volumes hitherto published. 

 To this it is unnecessary further to advert than to assign to it its 

 just praise of fidelity; and we shall therefore content ourselves 

 with briefly pointing out the principal features which contribute 

 to throw an air of originality over the whole undertaking. These 

 consist of a biography of the principal species, of a history of the 

 progress of zoological knowledge in the leading divisions, and of 

 a synopsis of the characters and synonyms of all the animals 

 hitherto described, which is given in portions corresponding with 

 the text of the original author. 



The biographical part, which forms the bulk of the work, is 

 extremely valuable and interesting. The original observations 

 contained in it are, it is true, not numerous, neither is it possible 

 that they should be so, in consequence of the very scanty oppor- 

 tunities possessed in this country of studying the manners of the 

 living animals. Were these opportunities even more frequent 

 then they are, it is moreover doubtful how far they should be 



