334 CIRITIOAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



According to the view which ]Mr. IMartin takes of this country, 

 the position of the colony admirably adapts it for the seat of a great 

 empire in the southern Hemisphere, while the numerous fertile 

 islands with which it is surrounded, and its contiguity to India, 

 South America, and Africa, place it in the centre of countries which 

 will hereafter exercise a powerful influence over the destinies of the 

 earth. There is abundance of land within the present boundaries of 

 the colony, to say nothing of that which is adjacent, capable of 

 supporting millions of our fellow creatures, and a field of emigration 

 presents itself, where the industrious agriculturist or mechanic will 

 obtain remunerating employment. The small capitalist can no 

 where find a more lucrative place for the increase of his property ; 

 and when the feelings respecting emigrants and emancipists shall 

 have passed away, society may become as pleasing as it is represent- 

 ed to be in other colonies. 



The other parts of this volume comprise descriptive particulars 

 of Van Diemen's Island, Swan River, South Australia, &c., full of 

 information as that part on which we have so long dwelt. We 

 cannot now however pursue this subject interesting as it is, in our 

 present number, nor even allude to the geology, mineralogy, vegeta- 

 ble productions, animals, &c. At a future time, perhaps we may 

 again bring it before the view of our readers, and draw some of the 

 inferences which we had purposed doing in this notice, had we not 

 been prevented by want of room. These volumes are exceedingly 

 neat, whether as relates to typography, paper, plates, or maps — 

 they are the first published of twelve intended volumes on the His- 

 tory of the British Colonies — and it must be acknowledged that the 

 entire execution reflects great credit on the spirited publisher. 



A History of British Fishes, by William Yarrell, F.L.S. Numbers 

 14, 15, and 16. London : J. Van Voorst. 



We have so frequently alluded to this valuable work (in terms 

 of commendation it so richly deserves) without having- given our 

 readers any extracts, to enable them to judge of the intrinsic merits 

 of the publication, that we shall, in the present number, refrain 

 from any comments of our own, and devote a few pages to the 

 author's description of the Muraenidce, or Eel-shaped Fishes. 



*' The genus Anguilla, including our common Eel, is the first of this order, 

 and its appearance is so well known, and so unlike that of most other fishes, 

 as to reauire but a slight description ; yet it was not till a period of very- 

 modem aate that naturalists became acquainted with the fact that the fresh 

 waters of several countries produce three or four distinct species which had 

 previously been confounded together. Thus the first edition of the Regne 

 Animal, published in 1817, included but one species of common fresh- water 

 Eel as well known : the second edition, published in 1829, contains a short 

 notice of four different species; three of which, if not all four, are found in 

 this country. 



"The form of the Eel, resembling that of the serpent, has long excited a 

 prejudice against it, which exist in some countries even to the present timej 



