Northumherland Nat, Hist, Society's Transactions, 7 1 



ries are in crop, unless they be in the immediate neighbourhood of a wood, 

 in which it can shelter." (vol. ii. p. 223.) 



What the writer means in the latter part of the following 

 sentence, we are utterly at a loss even to conjecture : — 



" The sand- marten (jH'irundo riparia) is the species most frequently met 

 with in such localities, as it nestles in holes of the steep banks, generally 

 in colonies at one place, whichsoever the stream hath upwards and down- 

 wards:' * (vol. ii. p. 381.) 



Errors and imperfections, like those above noticed, occur, 

 we are sorry to observe, far more frequently in the latter part 

 of the second volume, which, indeed, exhibits indisputable 

 proofs of hasty composition, and most unpardonable negli- 

 gence. On the whole, though we cannot entirely acquit the 

 author of the sin of book- making, we are ready to acknow- 

 ledge that he has contrived to make a very pleasant and a 

 very useful book. With the omissions, alterations, and cor- 

 rections at which we have hinted, with a view to a future 

 edition, we venture to recommend the work to the favourable 

 notice of our readers ; many of whom, we doubt not, will 

 derive as much pleasure and information from its perusal as, 

 we are bound to say, we have done ourselves. 



A. R. Y. 



Art. II. Transactions of the Natural History Society oj' Nor thum- 

 berlandf Durham, and Newcastle upon Tyne. Vol. I., and Part I. 

 of Vol. II. 4to. Newcastle, 1831. 



The Society whose Transactions are before us was esta- 

 blished little more than two years ago, and it has already 

 published one large volume, and a considerable portion of a 

 second. The fact affords the best possible evidence of the 

 zeal of its members ; and the contents are very tolerable 

 specimens of their talent and aptitude for observation. The 

 work is handsomely printed in quarto ; which, we think, is to 

 be regretted, for Transactions of provincial societies can never 

 be too cheap. Their principal use and object is to diffuse an 

 accurate knowledge of a particular district among the bulk of 



* The following also is very obscure, and cost us some trouble to under- 

 stand, if, indeed, we even now comprehend the author's meaning : — " The 

 eggs of birds, when properly described, are very useful for distinguishing 

 the species, ' as in the same one they often differ less in colour than the 

 birds.' " (vol. ii. p. 367.) We wish it to be understood that we have been 

 the more particular in pointing out individual errors and imperfections, in 

 the hope that they may be corrected in a second edition of the book, 

 which, if we do not mistake, will, in due time, be called for. 



F 'i 



