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REVIEWING. 



wetted. Instead of putting in any sand or earth and damping it, fill the 

 jar nearly up with water, and float thereon a large cork or bung, or piece 

 of cork, leaving only room for the height of the pins between it and the 

 lid or cover. On this cork stick the insects that require to be relaxed, 

 and each time well wet the cloth cover, or, if there be a lid, the cloth 

 that should be put between it and the jar when placed upon it, or still 

 better, sewn to and round it, so as to save trouble. In twenty-four or 

 forty-eight hours, according to size, you will find your insects well relaxed, 

 and without being wetted as is often the case under the old plan. There 

 is also much less injury from mould, or rather, I should say, that it is 

 considerably postponed. — F. 0. Mouris, January, 8th., 1856. 



In a letter to me of the 14th. instant, from the Rev. W. W. Cooper, 

 of West Rasen, Lincolnshire, he writes: — "We have had a great many 

 Golden Plover lately, but the snow-storm has driven them away. I hope 

 when the mild weather returns they may re-appear. The hedges are one 

 mass of haws, but I never saw so few of our winter birds, I have not 

 seen two score of Fieldfares or Redwings, and I do not think there is 

 one of the former in the neighbourhood now. Woodcocks and Snipes are 

 also much scarcer than usual — Qucere: the reason? Food was never more 

 abundant, but the birds have not made their appearance at all." 



I insert the above extract for the sake of corroborating the statement, 

 as to the unusual scarcity of winter birds usually common. I had observed 

 the fact before, but had not made any definite mental note of it. The 

 only supposition I can suggest is, that aware, by some prescient instinct, 

 of the coming of the unusually early hard weather we have had, and have 

 indeed still, they betook themselves to the south to avoid its severity, and 

 that when they have consumed the food in that quarter, they will eat 

 their way down to us. Possibly something of this kind may be the case 

 every year. Certainly I never remember seeing haws in greater abundance, 

 nor of a more beautifully bright red colour. — F. 0. Morris, Nunburnholme 

 Rectory, December 22nd., 1855. 



REVIEWING. 



I HAVE for some time had a theory on the subject of Reviews, if that 

 can indeed be called a theory which is rather a perception of a fact, a 

 plain and unmistakeable fact, that the Gentlemen who go by the name 

 of Reviewers, are, at all events for the most part, more apt to be for- 

 ward to display their own erudition and talents, than to care to display 

 those of the authors, (supposing always that there be something in them 

 worth displaying,) whose works they arc imagined to do honour to by noticing. 



