The British NcUtiralist, 55 



these days of horticultural improvement * it might be worth 

 while to try the experiment, by bestowing on this beautiful 

 little flower some extra care in the cultivation, with a view to 

 increase the produce of its fruit, and thus combine the useful 

 with the agreeable. 



We must now turn to a different subject. Our author's 

 forte lies evidently in ornithology. In this department of 

 natural history he seems to have made deep and accurate 

 research. Accordingly, we are presented throughout these 

 volumes with many interesting remarks, and much useful 

 information, the result, as it appears, of close personal ob- 

 servation, on the subject of British birds. In particular, his 

 remarks on the eagles, and the larger birds of prey, are the 

 more valuable, inasmuch as these species constitute some of 

 the least accessible subjects in natural history. The birds 

 themselves are, many of them, of rare occurrence ; and, even 

 when met with, are to be seen, perhaps, but for a few mo- 

 ments in passing. They suffer us not to approach them near ; 

 and consequently are difficult to be procured for minute 

 examination. They differ, too, in many cases, so much in 

 their plumage, according to sex or age f , that the greatest 

 confusion has prevailed respecting their several species, which 

 even yet, perhaps, have not been thoroughly ascertained. 

 We cannot now enter into particulars, but incline to think 

 that the reader of the British Naturalist will find consider- 

 able light thrown on this subject at p. 113, &c. 



In treating of the golden eagle, our author has been 

 tempted, in an evil hour, we think, to introduce the story of 

 Hannah Lamond; whose infant (so the tale goes) was 

 snatched up by an eagle, and carried ofF to the eyry, but 

 rescued again, mirabile dictu ! safe and sound, by the mother 

 herself, whose maternal feelings roused her to such a pitch of 

 physical strength and boldness as to enable her actually to 

 scale a hitherto inaccessible clifF, which even Mark Steuart, 

 the sailor, turned his back upon and attempted in vain ! This, 

 no doubt, is a very pretty story, and afFectingly told (we have 

 even seen tears shed at the narration), but, unfortunately, it 

 is wholly incredible. Such a tale might have cut a figure in 

 some fashionable novel ; but is, we presume to think, quite 

 out of place in a grave work on natural history. Surely there 



* Linnaeus says it is difficult of cultivation, and commonly proves barren 

 in the gardens : — "In hortis non facile colitur, et communiter sterilis eva- 

 dit." {Fl. Lap.} We have ourselves found it thrive very well, and spread 

 itself when planted in peat soil ; nor has it proved shy of bearing fruit. 



f " iEtate sexuque variant." {Linncci Syslema Nattcrce.) 



E 4 



