182 ON THE TOTAL AND PARTIAL 



remarkable, when we reflect that this little bird is one of the few of 

 that genus (motacilla) which endure the utmost rigours of our winter. 

 Did not their sudden death arise from some impropriety of food, rather 

 than from the cause to which it was ascribed ? The straw which your 

 correspondent T. M. G. observed the sparrows purloining was probably 

 carried away for the sake of the corn left in the ear, and not for the 

 purpose of forming a nest at so early a period. I have now a hen 

 canary, which is a most beautiful singer. What is remarkable is, that 

 she still continues her warble, although she has paired with a cock, so 

 that they are often singing simultaneously. My paper warns me to 

 conclude these desultory remarks. I fear you will deem them 

 " Non benejunctarum discordia semina reruni ;" 



but I am emboldened to forward them by your former kindness. 

 Gravesend. 



ON THE TOTAL AND PARTIAL EXTERMINATION OF 



ANIMALS. 



BT JAMES FFNNKM.. 



THAT the number of species of animals now upon this globe is less 

 than formerly, is an unquestionable fact. Some, species of animals, we 

 shall presently see, have totally disappeared from the earth, while 

 others are daily becoming scarcer, and gradually approaching to their 

 general departure. 



The important and extensive science of geology has revealed to us 

 many surprising truths relating to this subject. It tells us of the 

 existence at one period of the mammoth, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopo- 

 tamus, bison, hyaena, bear, crocodile, &c., in England ; and from the 

 circumstance of no human bones occurring among these numerous fossil 

 remains, induces the supposition that man, and such of the above-named 

 creatures as are now extinct, were not contemporaneous beings, the 

 creation of the former being subsequent to that of the latter. The 

 presence of the elephant at one time in this and other countries the 

 most cold and northern, in which it does not and cannot possibly exist, 

 appears a strange fact, but one which perhaps might easily be explained, 

 were we disposed to entertain the views of some modern and shrewd 

 philosophers who. from matter of fact, not theory have arrived at the 



