CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 347 



lon^ since been entirely superseded by the system of the great French 

 Naturalist, which latter system has also now given place to that of Vigors 

 and Swainson. Mr. Hewitson could not have done better than follow 

 the arrangement adopted by Selby in his admirable " Illustrations of 

 British Ornithology" in every particular, and even now we would advise 

 him, when the work is completed, to arrange the plates in exactly the 

 same order as the birds come, in the second edition of the last mentioned 

 work. The ** Oology" would then form a valuable addition to the 

 •' Illustrations" of Mr. Selby. 



In fine, notwithstanding the defects of this work, we may safely re- 

 commend it to all those who wish to possess a complete work on British 

 Oology ; it is also an elegant work for the drawing-room, and we are 

 happy to see the names of several ladies amongst the numerous subscri- 

 bers, and also many of the first British Naturalists. We hope that Mr. 

 Hewitson will figure the eggs of all the birds described by Selby, and 

 even a few more, such as Cypselus Alpinus, Regulus ignicapillus, and 

 Motacilla neglecta of Gould (Yellow-headed Wagtail). The '* British 

 Oology" was commenced five years ago, and, if continued at the same 

 rate as hitherto, will not be completed for ten years to come. 



The Naturalisfs Library. Ornithology. Vol. IV. Part II. Game Birds, 

 32 plates engraved on steel by Lizars j with a portrait and 

 biographical sketch of the life of Raflfles. By Sir Wra. Jardine. 

 Foolscap 8vo. London, Edinburgh, and Dublin. 



This Volume — or rather part — is decidedly superior to the preceding 

 Ornithological vols, of this work, both as regards the plates and the letter- 

 press ; it is prefaced by a beautiful portrait of Raffles, copied by permis- 

 sion from that which accompanies the interesting history of the " Life 

 and public services of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles." The life of this 

 modern Sir Hans Sloane cannot fail to be of great interest to every Brit- 

 ish Naturalist, and is written in an easy flowing style. 



On the title page is a beautiful vignette, consisting of a pair of Red 

 Grouse ; the female surrounded by a numerous family, some of which are 

 perching on her back, and the male standing beside her with all the watch- 

 ful soUcitude of a good father. The descriptions are generally well writ- 

 ten and interesting, particularly the long and full account of that noble 

 bird the Wood Grouse— now, alas 1 extinct in Britain, and has been so for 

 more than half a century. The plates are, for the most part, very fairly 

 executed, especially that of the Wood Grouse, evidently taken from Be. 

 wick's wood-cut. The figure of the Black Grouse is also very good ; altho' 

 the tail is not so well finished as in Selby's plate, from which it is copied. 

 The author speaks of the elegant Coromandel Quail, but unhappily the 

 figure of this bird does not support his testimony, as it appears to our 

 vision to be remarkably clumsy. It is, however, perhaps unfair to criti- 

 cise any of the plates very severely, as they are generally good, and the 

 volume is certainly remarkably cheap. 



We understand that the next Ornithological volume of this work is to 

 be on the Columbidse (Pigeon family), from the able pen of Mr. Selby, 

 the well known author of the " Illustrations of British Ornithology." 



Faculties of Birds .- forming a vol. of the Lib. of Entertaining Knowledge. 

 By James Rennie. 12mo. 1835. 



This volume, like all others pubhshed under the superintendence of 

 the Society for the DiflTusion of Useful Knowledge, certainly does answer 



