188 Scientific Reviews. 



is illustrated by twelve plates, engraved and coloured in a style 

 which does credit to the artists. 



The great rivers and lakes of America abound in shells of this 

 interesting family, which has fewer representatives in the Euro- 

 pean waters. Yet it is seldom that in this country one meets with 

 specimens in the cabinets of the curious, although the Unios in ge- 

 neral, and the great American species in particular, are held in 

 great esteem. The splendid nacreous interior of many of them, 

 forms a most striking contrast to their rugged and sombre exterior, 

 while others present a beautiful red or purple hue, vying with the 

 most glowing of our vegetable productions. The genus has hither- 

 to been very obscure, owing to the want of characteristic speci- 

 mens; and we cannot but regret the retardation of precise know- 

 ledge on this subject, whilst a magnificent collection lies hidden 

 from view in the unexplored receptacles of the Museum of the 

 University of Edinburgh. 



The Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society Delifieated; 

 bei?ig Descriptions and Figures in Illustratioti of the Natural 

 History of the Living Animals in the Society's Collection. Pub- 

 lished with the sanction of the Council, under the superintend- 

 ance of the Secretary and Vice-Secretary of the Society. Chis- 

 wick. Nos. I.— VI'II. 1829-30. 



The great beauty of the wood-cuts of this interesting work 

 has afforded us the highest gratification. Although some of the 

 more minute features of the exterior of animals, especially the gloss 

 and texture of the hair and feathers, might be better expressed by 

 copper engravings, it is astonishing with how much accuracy the 

 details are delineated ; while in the general characters of life, and 

 the particular forms and aspect of the animals figured, hardly any 

 thing is left to be desired. Figures drawn from skins stufifed with 

 straw and cotton we are wearied of looking upon. Whatever may 

 be the skill of the artist, if he adheres to his original, and is unable 

 to throw the object into characteristic forms and attitudes, he can 

 never produce but a caricature, pleasing perhaps to those who love 

 to study nature at second hand, in the cabinet, but most unsatify- 

 ing to him who delights only in the direct manifestation of the 

 wonders of animated existence. A single outline from living na- 

 ture is worth a whole fasciculus of the stiff and stupid-looking things 

 Avhich we are accustomed to see. Nevertheless, we cannot con- 

 scientiously give unqualified praise to the whole of the engravings 

 in this work : the turtle-dove, for example, which we should never 

 have recognized. On the other hand, what a noble-looking fellow 

 is the Thibet watch-dog, with his grim and leonine visage ; and 

 how naturally represented are the two species of sea-eagle, and so 

 many other animals, which we cannot afford time to enumerate. 



The descriptions, from the pen of Mr. Bennet, Vice- Secretary 



