282 REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



Here we have the sixth volume — containing nearly 700 pages — of De Can- 

 dolle's elaborately-composed Prodromes. The characters of the various groups 

 and species of the vast order Composites are given in Latin, in a concise and 

 comprehensive manner. The volume is, of course, not calculated for the pur- 

 poses of the reviewer ; and both the work and its learned author are so well- 

 known and justly appreciated by the botanical world, that further criticism 

 appears needless. 



The Naturalist's Library. Vol XX. Birds of Great Britain and Ireland. 

 Part i. Birds of Prey. By Sir William Jardine, Bart., &c. London : S> 

 Highley. 1838. 



The volume before us opens with a brief memoir of Sir Robert Sibbald. 

 After working through the pages devoted to his pedigree, &c, we are informed 

 that he was born at Edinburgh, April 15, 1641. He received the rudments of 

 his education at the High School of Edinburgh, and in due time entered the 

 University of the same city, where we learn that " he studied hard, shunning all 

 plays and amusements." On March 23, 1660, Sibbald embarked in a Dutch 

 frigate, and proceeded to Leyden, where he remained a year and a half, pro- 

 secuting his medical studies. He took his degree of M.D. at Angiers, on July 17 

 1662, and returned to the Scottish metropolis in October of the same year. 

 About the year 1666, the return of Dr. Andrew Balfour from France was the 

 means of exciting Dr. Sibbald to more particular attention to the study of 

 Natural History. A short time after, Sibbald, Balfour, and Murray — the 

 Laird of Livingstone, " a great botanist" — established a Botanic Garden at Edin- 

 burgh. On April 25, 1677, Dr. Sibbald married Anne, second sister of Mr. 

 Lowes, of Merchison, and two or three years afterwards he formed an intimacy 

 with the Earl of Perth. By the influence of this nobleman, he obtained a patent 

 from Charles II., constituting him his Majesty's geographer for Scotland, 

 together with another appointing him his physician there. In 1681, Dr. Sibbald 

 was highly instrumental in the establishment of the Edinburgh College of Physi- 

 cians, and at the commencement of the succeeding year received the honour of 

 knighthood. In 1684 appeared his " Scotia Illustrata, sive Prodromus Historise 

 Naturalis," which is his principal work on Natural History. After a narration 

 of the surprising convertion and reconversion of Sir Robert, we are furnished 

 with several interesting letters to his friends. The exact period of his death is 

 not known, but is presumed to have occurred in the year 1722. At the conclu- 

 sion of the memoir a list of Sibbald's works, with dates of publication, &c, is 

 furnished. 



