Liter my Notices, 177 



Contributions of the Maclurian Lyceum to the Arts and Sciences. Philadel- 

 phia, 1827. In 8 vo Numbers, occasionally. No. I. for January, and 

 No. II. for July, 1827, have appeared. 



In the introduction it is stated, that this Lyceum was established in 1826, 

 and in commemoration of the invaluable aid afforded by William Maclure, 

 Esq., named after him entirely without his knowledge. It is designed to 

 comprise all the natural and physical sciences, to include a library, museum, 

 and philosophical apparatus, and for the purpose of disseminating know- 

 ledge, and to establish a mutual intercourse with scientific societies and 

 individuals, to publish contributions such as those before us. 



No. I. contains an account of some 

 new salamanders, by Professor Green, 

 of Jefferson College, viz. : /S'alaman- 

 dra porphyritica {porphyra, purple; 

 colour of the body) {Jig. 81. a) Jeffer- 

 sonmwa (6), intermixta, glutinosa var. 

 (c), and subviolacea. 



A Catalogue of the Birds of the 

 United States, by Charles L. Bona- 

 parte, arranged in 28 families, 81 ge- 

 nera, and 362 species (209 land, and 

 1 53 water birds). Of these 8 1 genera, 

 63 are common to Europe and America, while 18 have no representatives 

 in Europe. Arranging all the known birds in 37 natural families, 28 of 

 these families are found in America ; and of these 28, two are not found in 

 Europe. 



No. II. contains some critical and other papers not of general interest. 



Art. Ill, Literary Notices, 



Ellis's Work on Corals^ with Additions. — The science of geology is now 

 generally acknowledged to be so dependent upon a right knowledge of the 

 fossils which are to be found in the various strata composing the surface of 

 the earth, that no one can be said to be well acquainted with it who has not 

 some insight into their nature and habits. That branch of natural history 

 which treats of shells has been most admirably illustrated by the Sowerbys ; 

 but another branch exists, in which, much to the discredit of the scientific 

 part of the nation, very little has been done : I allude to the corals that 

 are to be found in a mineralized state. It appears that no work, treating 

 expressly upon this important subject, is now extant in the English lan- 

 guage but that of Ellis and Solander, which is only to be found in private 

 libraries. But I perceive, by reference to Conybeare's Outlines of Geology, 

 p. 213., that a Frenchman, LamourouXy is stated to have republished Ellis's 

 work, with additions. Now, Mr. Editor, it would be very desirable, for 

 the advancement of this branch of natural history, that this work should 

 be known as extensively as possible ; and this object cannot be better at- 

 tained than by your taking notice of it in the forthcoming Number of the 

 Magazine of Natural History. 



If there be any other works which treat on this important subject, either 

 in the French or English language, you would be doing a great service to 

 your country readers by giving some account of them. — William Baitersly, 

 Cannington, near Bridgewater, May 29. 1828. 



Vol. I. — No. 2. n 



