42# Timhs^s Knondedgefor the People. 



Timbsy Johiy Editor of " Laconics, Arcana of Science and Art," &c. : 

 Knowledge for the People ; or, the plain Why and Because, familiarising 

 subjects of useful curiosity and amusing research. Zoological Series, 

 London, 183L 12mo. 4*. 2d edition. 



Excellent; worth double the money: the information it contains has 

 been derived from works which, taken altogether, are doubtless fifty times 

 its price. The diligence of the research, the judgment in the selection 

 of the matter, and the ingenious adaptation of it to the reader's apprehen- 

 sion, which the book evinces, all attest that the editor is master of his 

 business. To be practically versed in every detail of his subjects no one 

 expects him. Hence we notice in p. 28 L, that the dog's-bane's (^pocy- 

 num «ndrosaemif61ium) power of entrapping flies is attributed to the 

 elasticity of its filaments. This is wrong ; the filaments have no elasticity 

 but detain the flies by their mechanical position only. See Curtis's 

 Botanical Magazine^ 280. the account whereat is practically accurate. 

 . The Zoological Series of Whi/ and Because embraces quadrupeds, 

 birds, amphibia, fishes, worms, and insects ; and explains the adaptation of 

 their structure and habits to the ends and offices for which they are 

 destined, in the general system of usefulness which fills nature, in aid of 

 man, and of each other. — J. D. 



JRennicy James, A.M. A.L.S. Professor of Natural History, King's Col- 

 lege, London : Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary of British Birds. 

 Second edition : with a Plan of Study, and many new Articles and 

 Original Observations. London, 183L 8vo. 1/. Is. 



Sir, I take the liberty of sending you a few remarks on the new edition 

 of Montagu's Ornithological Dictionary/ by Mr. Rennie, a work which has 

 been lauded by reviewers, &c., sufficiently ; my object, though certainly 

 less agreeable, but not less necessary, is to point out a few of its faults. 



His " plan of study " is no doubt very good ; but the supposition that 

 the student possesses such a variety of books as those referred to is 

 altogether erroneous. Instead of having Linnaeus, Latham, Willughby, 

 Ray, Brisson, Fleming, Goldsmith, Griffith, Jennings, Belon, Gesner, 

 Aldrovand, Jonston, Drapiez, BufFon, Hill, &c., the probability is that the 

 book under consideration is the only one he has. If the books are ne-. 

 cessary, the "plan of study" must be defective; but I should suppose 

 they are not, and that we are treated with all this array of names respect- 

 ing the nest of a dabchick, more to show the author's research than as an 

 example he would recommend to be followed. 



After the plan of study, the author proceeds to " the use of system ;" 

 and it is in this that I entirely disagree with him. It is well known that, 

 Montagu's work has for a long time been very scarce, proportionately 

 dear, and eagerly sought after by ornithological students. But why ? not 

 because it was the best book to enable the student to discover what a bird 

 was which he might have before him, but because, when he had ascertained 

 its name from some system, it contained more information respecting that 

 bird than any other single book which he could find, supposing, of course, 

 that the bird had come under Colonel Montagu's notice. I was, therefore, 

 amongst others, much rejoiced to see a new edition of the Dictionary/ ad- 

 vertised, by such an acute observer as Mr. Rennie ; fully expecting that a 

 systematic compendium of the birds would precede or follow the other 

 matter. My disappointment has been fully equal to my pleasure : on open- 

 ing the book, instead of finding a system, I find all systems abused ; instead 

 of finding the due praise bestowed upon our zoologists, for leading the way 

 to more extended knowledge by means of systematic arrangements, I find 

 them nearly all abused for it ; and some of them for casually making use 

 of expressions which, in the opinion of Mr. Rennie, derogate from the 



