Partington's Cyclopedia of 'Natural History. 277 



These things would facilitate any one's choosing the locality 

 in which he would seek for any species, and, if other cases of 

 the species besides their locality should be embraced in the 

 work, would avail as a means of generalising on these in re- 

 lation to the natural system. In the first edition a notice of 

 the case, the kind of the substratum, is given in some in- 

 stances. 



Partington^ C. F., Professor of Mechanical Philosophy, 

 Author of various Works on Natural and Experimental 

 Philosophy, &c, Editor : The British Cyclopaedia of Na- 

 tural History; combining a Scientific Classification of 

 Animals, Plants, and Minerals ; with a Popular View of 

 their Habits, Economy, and Structure. In parts, each of 

 64 pages, with two plates by Landseer, and several wood- 

 cuts, Is. " The various articles are written expressly for 

 this work, by authors eminent in their particular depart- 

 ment." The parts with the plates coloured, 2s. each. 



I wish to offer a few remarks on a well-known periodical 

 work on natural history, Partington's Cyclopcedia of Natural 

 History. It has hitherto appeared monthly, each number con- 

 taining about 60 pages, and many woodcuts, for Is. Twenty- 

 two numbers are now published ; and these contain a greater 

 mass of valuable information on natural history, than was 

 probably ever before brought together within the same com- 

 pass, or at so small a price. A large proportion of the articles 

 are by the most talented writer on natural history in Britain, 

 Mudie; and the articles avoset, bee-eater, beaver, falcon, &c, 

 fully sustain his high reputation, as an accurate observer, 

 philosophic reasoner, and eloquent writer. It is on this ac- 

 count that I am sorry to see carelessness, or any appearance 

 of a falling off, which may be detected in some of the last 

 numbers. Under the representation of a pair of the blue 

 nonpareil (Aurella amce v na), or, perhaps, the crimson-necked 

 finch, at p. 538., is written " reed bunting ! " and for " painted 

 buntings," is printed " painted beauties." The woodcut 

 at p. 541. could hardly be recognised, were it not for the 

 underscription, • " Haw Grosbeak." And the corn-bunting 

 is a duplicate of what was given in the article " Emberiza." 

 Nor is there any unity of system pervading the work. One 

 writer takes Cuvier as his guide, another Macleay and Vigors, 

 and another himself. The history of species, likewise, is 

 sometimes given under the family head, sometimes under 

 the generic name, and sometimes the specific one: why 

 not always the latter? The editor tells us, that each 

 of the three volumes is to contain " from 850 to 900 



