BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 415 



elephants, struggling in the agonies of death, or amuse him- 

 self with galloping after a herd of giraffes, and hearing the 

 balls from his rifle tell upon the flanks of these most graceful 

 but defenceless animals. 



The favourable opinion, however, which we formed of the 

 sentiments entertained by our author towards the brute crea- 

 tion, were somewhat damped by a remark in a subsequent 

 part of his narrative, in which he tells us " mere sport," as 

 well as a desire to feed his followers, led him to " gird up his 

 loins for the chase, and burn with desire to slaughter some of 

 the larger game." 



Did our limits admit of it, we might introduce to our read- 

 ers the history of a cow with a walking-stick, of an ostrich 

 that put up its foot, and with its great toe-nail tore open a 

 Boschman from top to bottom, and of a hairy pig-faced ba- 

 boon, that entered into the service of a farmer, and faithfully 

 served him in the capacity of shepherd ; but the length to 

 which our Review has extended, reluctantly compels us to bid 

 the travellers adieu. 



An Appendix is attached to Sir James Alexander's narra- 

 tive, in which Messrs. Ogilby, Gray and Waterhouse indicate 

 the new or rare zoological specimens collected in the course 

 of the expedition, and Prof. Lindley those in Botany. Capt. 

 Harris has also inserted at the end of his work, the admea- 

 surements and description of the specimens he shot, and re- 

 christens the Aigoceros niger, in honor of its discoverer, Aig. 

 Harrisii ! 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



AUGUST, 1859. 



It is perhaps hardly necessary to remind our readers, that the ninth 

 meeting of the British Aosociation is to be held at Birmingham during 

 the latter part of the present month. This Association contemplates no 

 interference with the ground occupied by other Institutions. Its objects are, 

 — To give a stronger impulse and a more systematic direction to scientific 

 inquiry,— to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science in dif- 

 ferent parts of the British empire, with one another, and ivith foreign phi- 

 losophers, — to obtain a more general attention to the objects of science, and 

 a removal of any disadvantages of a public kind, which impede its progress. 

 Happily conceived and most successfully carried into operation has been 

 Vol. III.— No. 32. n. s. 2 x 



