REVIEW. 167 



the cares of business and the toils of labour, seek a short season of rest 

 to recruit their exhausted spirits among the refreshing scenes of rural 

 life. The result of the universality of such enjoynaent is, that within the 

 last few years, almost every retired village and hamlet in the United Kingdom 

 has acquired somewhat of the stirring, business character of the city, and 

 hundreds who endeavour to rusticate amid cherished scenes, now seek in vain 

 for that quietude and retirement which the localities at one time enjoyed. 

 A few rural villages and country towns still, however, remain, for the enjoyment 

 of those who cannot find enjoyment amid the busy bustle of the "fashionable 

 watering-place;" South Queensferry is one of those quiet retreats. ^^Little, 

 however, do the denizens of Edinburgh appear to know of the surpassing 

 beauty of the little watering-place of South Queensferry, lying a matter of 

 nine miles distant from the Edinburgh General Post-office; separated from any 

 of the lines of railway by at least half of this distance, ^'The Ferry" is yet 

 appreciated by the few who render it their place of summer resort, on account 

 of its beauty and seclusion." 



The object of the delightful work now before us, is to depict the picturesque 

 and artistic beauties of '^The Ferry" and its environs; to detail the many 

 interesting and important events of Scottish history with which it is connected; 

 and to illustrate these by an elucidation of its antiquarian relics. To its it 

 is chiefly a source of satisfaction that the talented author has allotted a 

 portion of his work to the natural productions of the district, and the fertile 

 waters of the Forth have afforded him many interesting subjects for comment. 

 Throughout the whole volume the author evinces a keen eye to the beauties 

 of nature, while an extensive knowledge of her productions enables him to 

 [contribute many interesting facts to science. The various tribes of animals are 

 noticed at length in an exceedingly interesting manner; and among the notices 

 of native plants, we find the following enumerated, their popular names, localities 

 etc., being given in addition to their scientific titles: — Glaucium luteum 

 Cochlearia officinalis, Silene nutans, Silene maritima. Astragalus glycyphyllus 

 Astragalus hypoglottis, Oxytropis Uralensis, Vicia lutea, Hieracium Sp 

 Poteutilla verna, Ligusticum Scoticum, Orchis pyramidalis, Habenaria albida 

 Thalictrum majus, Silene Anglica, Beta maritima, and many other interesting 

 floral beauties. 



Amongst the numerous beautiful engravings which adorn this elegant work, 

 we find one representing a group of birds, and another a group of fishes, 

 native to the district. These are both excellent, artistically and scientifically, 

 and any one having a slight personal acqvaintance with the animals represented, 

 will readily recognise the various species in the plates, the poiiraits being at 

 once characteristic, life-like, and accurate as regards scientific details. 



We have no room to make extracts, else we should certainly draw upon the 

 volume for many valuable particulars respecting marine productions; but the 

 book is altogether so interesting that we feel no hesitation in recommending 

 its perusal to all interested in Natural History, and especially to those within 



