The British Naturalist. \S& 



&c. The author evidently means several species. True it is, 

 that of some of these species, there are several varieties, espe- 

 cially in the smaller kinds, as A'grion puella and Calepteryx 

 Virgo [Stephens), each of which occurs of such totally diver- 

 sified hues, that an inexperienced observer v^^ould at once 

 suppose them to be so many distinct species. 



A lively and accurate description of the most common- 

 place occurrence in nature never fails to afford pleasure in 

 the perusal, just as a faithful sketch of some homely scene 

 always gratifies the beholder. The following picture of the 

 lashing of the beach by the waves of the sea is drawn to the 

 life ; — 



" Even when seen from the pebbly beach of a lee-shore, the ocean in a 

 :$torm is a sight both to be enjoyed and remembered. The wave comes 

 rolling onward, dark and silent, till it meets with the reflux of its prede- 

 cessor, which produces a motion to seaward on the ground, and throws the 

 approaching wave ofl'its equilibrium ; its progress is arrested for a moment ; 

 the wall of water vibrates, and as it now meets the wind, instead of moving 

 before it, its crest becomes hoary with spray ; it shakes, it nods, it curls 

 forward, and for a moment the liquid column hangs suspended in the air ; 

 but down it dashes in one volume of snow-white foam, which dances and 

 ripples upon the beach. There is an instant retreat, and the clean and 

 smooth pebbles, as they are drawn back by the reflux of the water, emu- 

 late in more harsh and grating sounds the thunder of the wave." (p. 206.) 



They who doubt (for such we believe there are) the specific 

 difference between the herring and the pilchard, will find 

 some ready marks of distinction between the two pointed out 

 at p. 282. 



" In the pilchard, the dorsal fin is placed exactly over the centre of 

 gravity, so that if the fish be suspended by it, the body hangs in a horizontal 

 direction. In the herring, it is placed farther back than the centre of 

 gravity, so that the head droops when the fish is lifted by it. The same 

 distinction holds in the fry as well as in the full-grown fish. The fry of 

 both are taken in great numbers, and known by the common name of 

 sprats." 



We shall detain our readers only a little longer with any 

 remarks on the contents of the first volume; but we cannot 

 refrain from pointing out what we conceive to be a palpable 

 error on the subject of that amusing bird, the swift. " The 

 nest," says the British Naturalist (p. 365.), " is constructed 

 much in the same manner as that of the common swallow." 

 Now, the swallow's nest, it is well known, is a neat piece of 

 masonry, composed externally of much the same materials as 

 that of the marten ; that is, of mud or clay : but as the swift, 

 by choice at least, never settles on the ground, and, if it does 

 by accident, is scarcely able, from the shortness of its legs * 

 and the length of its wings, to rise again into the air, we are 



* The specific name, ^^pus, signifies without feet. 



