44< The Naturalist. 



of this periodical, but it is undoubtedly a work possessing 

 strong claims to the support of those who are desirous for 

 the advancement of the two departments of science to which 

 its pages are devoted. The names of Selby, Jardine, and 

 Johnston, so well known to all the cultivators of science, are 

 associated with those of Swainson, Jenyns, Gould, Westwood, 

 Henslow, and other eminent naturalists, in the establishment 

 of this addition to our scientific literature. Four numbers 

 have already issued from the press, containing much interest- 

 ing and valuable matter, whilst the general character of the 

 work fully bears out the favourable anticipations which at 

 the period of its announcement we were led to form respect- 

 ing it. 



2. Naturalist. — We are induced to give this publication a 

 more extended notice than we might otherwise have done, 

 from the general silence on the part of other scientific pe- 

 riodicals respecting it ; and also because the object it has in 

 view, and the plan upon which it is conducted, appear very 

 much to accord with our own ; namely, that of communicating 

 to the public information upon various subjects in different 

 branches of natural history, divested, in some measure, of the 

 technical details of science, but, at the same time, without our 

 excluding such articles as are worthy the attention of the ex- 

 perienced naturalist. This association of matters compara- 

 tively abstruse, with those which are calculated to produce a 

 more general degree of interest, is a combination perfectly 

 legitimate, and which, if judiciously carried into effect, may be 

 attended with highly advantageous results. Much caution is, 

 however, requisite in the selection of appropriate materials ; 

 for a journal conducted upon this principle must necessa- 

 rily embrace a wide range of subjects ; and it not unfre- 

 quently becomes a nice point to determine the particular class 

 of contributions which are, or are not, admissible to its pages. 

 In deciding upon the degree of latitude which in this respect 

 should be given to the observations of all those who are seek- 

 ing after knowledge, circumstances of a very opposite cha- 

 racter often require consideration, and difficulties present 

 themselves which do not arise in the case of a periodical that 

 aims exclusively at the higher departments of natural science, 

 or in one which is solely elementary. 



When the above work was first announced, we certainly 

 were disposed to think that, if well conducted, it might succeed, 

 more especially as the prospectus contained (as future contri- 

 butors) rather a numerous list of " eminent scientific men," the 

 majority of whom being quite unknown to us in that capacity, 



