New Puhlicaitcnis. 3^ 



Land Mammalia, or Quadrupeds, and is illustrated by twenty- 

 eight plates, drawn and etched by Mr Thomas Landseer. It 

 is the most valuable addition which has been made to our know- 

 ledge of American animals since the publication of Pennant's 

 " Arctic Zoology," and presents the most ample and accurate 

 picture which we yet possess of that department of natural his- 

 tory in the New World. While the precision of science is in 

 no way sacrificed to the affectation of what is called a popular 

 style, neither are the more interesting facts in natural history 

 overloaded by a too cumbrous mass of scientific detail ; and 

 thus, while those skilled in systematic zoology will find both 

 pleasure and instruction in Dr Richardson's writings, the gene- 

 ral reader will be equally amused and enlightened. 



A perusal of the volumes of Franklin and Richardson, will 

 shew the great extent of territory traversed by our adventurous 

 countrymen, and that Dr Richardson must have passed seven 

 summers and five winters in the central and northern regions of 

 North America. To those who are acquainted with that ex- 

 cellent man's talents and assiduity we need scarcely point out 

 the value of this fact, nor the important conclusion to be deduced 

 from it, namely, that his works must necessarily contain a rich 

 mass of valuable information regarding those branches of natural 

 science of which they profess to treat. 



The beautiful volume now under our more immediate consi- 

 deration forms the second part of the Fauna Boreali-America- 

 na, and is devoted exclusively to Ornithology. It is the joint 

 production of Mr Swainson and Dr Richardson. The lithogra- 

 phic illustrations are drawn by the former with great skill, ac- 

 curacy, and elegance, and are carefully and beautifully coloured. 



That gentleman has contributed a curious body of infor- 

 mation regarding what he considers as the natural arrangement 

 of the different groups of birds, especially of those belonging to 

 the Insessorial order ; and, in his introductory observations, he 

 has explained his views of the natural system in general, which 

 are in accordance with those of some Continental naturalists. 

 These may be briefly stated in the following propositions : 



1. Every natural series of beings, in its progress from a given 

 point, either naturally returns, or evinces a tendency to return, 

 again to that point, thereby forming a circle. 2. The contents 

 of such a circle or group are symbolically represented by the 



