a Work on the Nests of British. Birds. 213 



thologist should undertake a work which should be devoted 

 to those fairy cradles, birds' nests ; or, still better, a complete 

 work should be forthwith commenced, containing a figure of 

 every species of British bird, together with its nest and egg, 

 as far as possible the size of nature. The work might be 

 about the size of that of Gould's Birds of Europe ; and a page 

 or more, as required, of letterpress might be given. There is 

 no work, with which I am acquainted, that does not contain 

 figures, either of bad form, or incorrectly coloured : even the 

 works of Gould and Audubon are no exceptions. It should 

 be the care of the author of the work which I am proposing 

 not to admit any figures which would be liable to this cen- 

 sure ; and, in short, he should endeavour to make it worthy 

 of the present advanced state of science, and to rescue orni- 

 thology from the blame, which I have heard attached to it, of 

 being half a century behind most other sciences. In Mudie's 

 Feathered Tribes two nests are given, but apparently more for 

 ornament than as representations of the real objects. That 

 of the dipper is, as Mr. Salmon remarks [VIII. 358.], most 

 erroneously open at top. I am rather surprised that such an 

 ornithologist as Mudie should have allowed this. The figures 

 of the birds are also far from what could have been wished : 

 I advised a friend of mine to have the plates left out when he 

 sent his copy to be bound ; and a great improvement it has 

 proved. This work, I am glad to find, has been appreciated 

 by the public; for it is near a third edition. I shall conclude 

 by hoping that my hints for the production of a work on the 

 nidification of British birds will be productive of the desired 

 effects, and that other correspondents will second my wishes. 

 — C. T. Wood. July 10. 1835. 



Remarks on the extravagant Price of Works on Natural His- 

 tory. — It ought to be the aim of every one to remove, as far as 

 lies in his power, the obstacles which may happen to impede the 

 acquisition of his favourite pursuit ; and, with this view, I wish 

 to draw the attention of your readers to the very unfair prac- 

 tice, which has prevailed to an extent of which few are, perhaps, 

 aware, of charging for works, especially works on natural 



replied, that the eggs could not be procured with certainty; but if, before 

 he had commenced the work, he had made known what eggs he wanted, 

 surely individuals who have collections would have been liberal enough to 

 have supplied him with those he needed. The work should also have been 

 brought out monthly, and not at the present long intervals. (See a review 

 of British Oology in No. xi. of the Analyst.) There ought likewise to be 

 two volumes, one containing the eggs of land birds, and the other those of 

 the water birds. However, as this is the first work which has been dedi- 

 cated to eggs, these numerous failings must be overlooked, and improve- 

 ment must be looked for in a future work. 



