ii^ Natural History in Foreign Countries. 



which require least expense for their preservation, are, specimens of the" 

 mineral products of Norway, Iceland, and Siberia; a collection of fossil 

 bones of the mammoth, elephant, stag, horse, and other animals, dug up at 

 Canstadt, near Stuttgard, which are frequently referred to by Cuvier (who 

 was educated at the academy here), Buckland, and other authors. There is 

 also a collection of specimens of native marble, of which the most remark-' 

 able variety is that of Bdttingen, which, being formed of an agglomeration 

 of stalactites, when sawn up longitudinally, presents the appearance of pur- 

 ple stripes passing into white, and, of course, transversely, of concentric 

 circles similarly coloured. As an appendix to this museum, there are a 

 number of curious pictures, books, relics, and other articles, selected from 

 the suppressed convent, among which is a portrait of the Countess of Salz- 

 burg, who, at the age of fifty years, had raustachios, whiskers, and a beard, 

 as long and black as those of any man. 



The Botanic Garden here contains a tolerable collection ; the herbaceous 

 plants are arranged according to the Linnean system ; and the trees and 

 shrubs grouped in masses, after the natural orders of Jussieu. To zoology 

 and botany, however, Wurtemberg has contributed less than to geology, the 

 fossil remains of this part of Germany being highly interesting. On this 

 subject we are promised communications, from time to time, by the corre- 

 spondent whom we have had the good fortune to establish here. 



Heidelberg, Nov. 25. — A Museum of Natural History was commenced 

 here in 1821, and has already made considerable progress. The collection 

 of birds is very considerable : they are, arranged in glass cases along the 

 sides of a narrow gallery, and each subject has a label of green paper pasted 

 on the glass, with the name printed, according to Linnaeus, Cuvier, or such 

 other modern naturalist as may have proposed a nomenclature which has 

 been received in the scientific world, jn French and in German. As good 

 specimens in excellent preservation, were pointed out to us, Tultur fuscus, 

 Falco Albicilla ; Gapeatus barbatus, young and full grown ; O^tis tarda, 

 Tringa pugnax, Vanellus melanogaster, Turdus roseus, Rhynchops nigra, 

 and a number of others, which we had not time to note down. The other 

 divisions of zoology are not yet so rich; but there are a great many 

 specimens of reptiles and amphibia, and a good many insects ; each insect 

 fixed in a small case, with a glass bottom and top, which admits of viewing 

 it minutely and completely on both sides, and without derangement. Every 

 day this collection is receiving accessions from different quarters. Much 

 taste and spirit are shown by those who have commenced it and are promot- 

 ing its progress ; and the curator, who shows it to the public, is a man who 

 takes the greatest pains to excite an interest in the spectator, by pointing 

 out the more interesting specimens, and accompanying his indications with 

 short historical details. 



There are two Botanic Gardens here : one adjoining the museum, chiefly 

 for the sake of the medical students, and containing a collection of her- 

 baceous plants, arranged according to the Linnean system ; the other on 

 the eminence on which stand the ruins of the castle of Heidelberg, con- 

 taining a collection of hardy trees and shrubs for the students of forest 

 jculture (forstwissenschaft), and also a collection of agricultural plants for 

 the students of agriculture (ackerbau). Forest culture is a subject of great 

 importance in densely peopled countries, where wood serves not only for 

 the purpose of architectural construction, but is the only fuel. The garden 

 round the castle is well known and justly celebrated for its picturesque beau- 

 ties, its antiquities, and its views of the town and the valley of the Neckar. 

 The agricultural garden contains one of the most extensive collections of 

 Cerealia cultivated in Europe, unless we except that of M. Lagasca, as far 

 as respects the genus J'riticum. The director of these gardens, M. Metz- 

 ger, has written Europaeische Cerealien in Botanischer tend Landwirihschaft- 

 licher Himicht, &c., Heidelberg, 1824, folio, 20 plates; a work of which we 



