Hetro&peCtive Criticism, S81 



m this Volume. At p. 1 19* a figure is given of the flamingo, and in the back- 

 ground of the cut the female is represented on her nest, on the authority, 

 I believe, of Linnaeus and Dampier. Now, it would ill become me to deny 

 the accuracy of this representation, relating, as it does, to a point of natural 

 history on which I confess myself entirely ignorant ; and, besides, from 

 the very construction and length of the bird's legs, it is probable that it 

 must have recourse to some such contrivance while engaged in the process 

 of incubation. Nevertheless, the attitude and bearing of the bird, as repre- 

 sented in the cut, are, to say the least, so outre ^ that it does require no 

 small portion of implicit faith in the authorities quoted, to believe what is 

 here presented to us to be an exact and faithful portrait of nature, and not 

 rather, in some degree, what old Parkinson would call " bombast and 

 feigned/' I -am well aware that there are many strange and wonderful 

 things in nature ; some, indeed, which, did we not know them to be facts', 

 would almost exceed belief: and to give delineations of these " miracula 

 naturae " cannot but be highly interesting to all who take pleasure in natural 

 history. But let the delineations be made, if possible, from the living sub^ 

 jects, drawn ad vivum, not copied, perhaps at second or third hand, from 

 ancient and somewhat questionable authorities, still less made up and con- 

 cocted at home in the artist's study. Natural history allows no scope for 

 invention ; not even the minutest detail must be filled up by the imagination. 

 I feel grateful to the editors of this interesting work, for the mass of valu- 

 able and entertaining information they have communicated to the world, 

 and communicated, too, at so very cheap a rate ; and more especially are 

 my thanks due to Mr. Rennie, for his excellent volumes on Insect Archi- 

 tecture * and Transformations. At the same time, I would respecfully sug- 

 gest to these gentlemen, whether it would not be advisable to refrain from 

 giving figures of such subjects as they cannot have the means of giving with 

 that accuracy and fidelity which are requisite portray the true characters of 

 the animal. Bad figures are worse than none ; and all those which are made 

 up from the mere written descriptions (however good) of naturalists and 

 travellers must necessarily be deficient in life, and spirit, and character, at 

 least, if not in truth and fidelity. The flamingo may sit astride its nest, 

 like a man on horseback, for all I know to the contrary ; I do not feel my- 

 self at liberty to call in question that point, which seems to be attested by 

 writers of established credit ; but I much doubt the bird's ever assuming 

 such an awkward, uncomfortable, grotesque appearance, as is presented to 

 us in p. 119. of the Library of Entertaining Knowledge. In conclusion, I 

 would strongly recommend to the editors of this delightful little work (for 

 such it is, in spite of minor blemishes) the inimitable wood-cuts of Bewick, 

 as the models of .their future illustrations. Yours, &c. — W. T. Bree, 

 Allesley Rectory, April 5, 1831. 



Art. III. Retrospective Criticism, 



Kew Mode of examining Birds, S^c. (p. 145.) — Sir, I cannot forbear 

 expressing the high gratification that " the new mode of examining birds, 

 &c.," has occasioned to myself and others of your constant readers. In- 

 deed, so many instances of useless cruelty continually occur among amateur 

 naturalists, that the whole body almost merits the epithet of destroyers of 

 nature, rather than lovers of nature. Young collectors would do well to 

 consider whether they may not pursue the study of insects to some ex- 

 tent by confining the object for examination, and then freeing it. It is 



* See a review of Insect Architecttire, p. 39. supra. 



