Notes of a Cruise off Cherbourg. 641 



work, but has been edited in a slovenly manner. The second 

 edition of the Feathered Tribes has appeared, and, I am sorry 

 to say, in fully as disgraceful a manner as the second edition 

 of the British Naturalist, by the same author, for an exposi- 

 tion of which I refer to the article of your able correspondent 

 A. R. Y. (IX. 495.) Not only are several typographical 

 errors suffered to remain, but others are added : for instance, 

 at the head of the description'of the bearded pinnoc, is written 

 H Bearded Tit or Road Bird." Relying on the advertisements, 

 which set forth that the new edition was greatly improved and 

 enlarged, I procured a copy ; and found that, although a few 

 new species had been added, yet the number of pages was 

 exactly the same ! and, also, that some of the land birds were 

 yet unceremoniously crammed into the volume dedicated to 

 water birds, apparently to make the volumes of equal thick- 

 ness ! ! In the preface to the first edition, the author com- 

 plains of want of room to bring forward all he has to say on 

 many species; and, in the preface to the second, he tells us he 

 has not found much to add ! If this is the case, he really 

 should not try to gull his readers in advertisements. The 

 plates (many of which would disgrace a twopenny nursery 

 book) remain the same. From this disgraceful exhibition, 

 we turn with pleasure to a noble undertaking commenced by 

 the spirited publisher Van Voorst ; namely, a complete series 

 of works on British zoology. The fishes, by Yarrell, are 

 completed ; and the quadrupeds, which are equal, if not su- 

 perior to that work, are wellnigh completed, under the aus- 

 pices of Bell. The birds will follow next. The woodcuts 

 are truly beautiful ; and the typography and getting up of the 

 work is more to my taste than anything of the kind I have 

 before seen in works of natural history. — C, T. Wood. 

 Campsall Hall, Doncaster, Nov. 9. 1836. 



Notes on a Cruise off Cherbourg. — Sept. 18S6. I went into 

 Cherbourg on Monday, Sept. 19., in a yacht of 19 tons ; the 

 wind gentle from the north. We left Durlstone Head at 

 8 A. M., and made Cape la Hogue, at 3 p. m. ; having lost 

 sight of the English land two hours. About four o'clock, a 

 swallow made its appearance, and hovered round us for some 

 time, attempting to settle on the gaff-topsail; but the roll 

 of the sea shook the vessel so much, that it was with 

 difficulty the bird could keep its hold : but it continued 

 hovering about us till we anchored in Cherbourg Roads, 

 at 8 P. m. It was evidently much distressed. If it was, 

 as I suppose, passing from Dorsetshire to Normandy, on 

 its way southwards, its distress was probably occasioned by 



