Dr Fleming's History qf British Animaik. 355 



is lecturing, — an occupation not always adapted to individuals who are yet 

 well qualified for the prosecution of scientific research. Assuredly it does 

 become the scientific journalist to complain loudly that even this precarious 

 encouragement to science is about to be taken away ; for a system has be- 

 gun of publishing lectures taken for this purpose by professional reporters, 

 who, by attending the same course twice, may copy a lecturer's manuscript, 

 as accurately as if it were before them ; and the law has in due solemnity 

 pronounced that this description of robbers, who prey upon the vitals of 

 science, are not to be molested in their lawful calling in this free country. We 

 have no fears for the progress of science ; but, looking to the shameful ne- 

 glect of their rights in this country, and to the munificent patronage which 

 is extended to scientific men in other countries, we have fears for the share 

 of glory that will fall to Britain. Amidst these complaints, however, it 

 would be unjust in us to forget that in the case of Mr Dalton, the neglect 

 upon which we animadvert was alleviated by his being presented, through 

 the hands of Sir Humphry Davy, with a royal medal, when his own ge- 

 nius had established a fame, which envy could no longer tarnish, and to 

 which royalty could add no lustre. 



II. — A History qf British Animals, exhibiting the Descriptive Characters 

 and Systematical Arrangement of the genera and species of Quadrupeds , 

 , Birds, Reptiles, Fishes, Mollusca, and Radiata, of the United King- 

 dom ; including the indigenous, extirpated, and extinct kinds, together 

 with periodical and occasional visitants^ By John Fleming, D. D. 

 F. R. S E. &c. 8vo. Edinburgh, 1828. 



VV E are happy to announce a work on British Zoology by a naturalist so 

 learned and acute as Dr Fleming ; and are so much more pleased with 

 its appearance, that it affords a practical proof of the progress of the study 

 of Natural History in this quarter of the island. Till lately, notwith- 

 standing the Zoological, Botanical, and Mineralogical riches of Scotland, 

 it is rather a singular circumstance that the published works connected 

 with these subjects have been chiefly written by temporary visitors or 

 tourists, whose means of investigation must have been limited in point of 

 time, and their attention distracted by a multiplicity of other objects. 

 With the exception of Sir Robert Sibbald and the first superintendent of 

 the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, James Sutherland, upwards of a century 

 ago, and afterwards the Reverend George Low, a clergyman in a remote 

 district, we scarcely recollect a name belonging to Scotland which is worthy 

 of record as having contributed to the investigation of indigenous Natural 

 History. The first Flora of Scotland was by an ingenious Englishman, 

 the fellow traveller of Pennant ; and the second, much later in point of time, 

 by a Scottish professor, though from the sister kingdom — Dr Hooker, a 

 most able and zealous botanist. In Zoology, Pennant's British Zoology, 

 however incomplete as a scientific catalogue, long stood without & rival. 

 This was followed by the useful Synopsis of Dr Berkenhout, of which two 

 editions were printed ; and in 1807 by the British Fauna of Dr Tiirton. 

 The systems of British Zoology prior to Dr Fleming's work have been 



