^04 Scientific Intelligence. -^New Pnhiications. 



opposed themselves to the formation of an elementary introducw 

 tion to Natural History upon a permanent basis, in which the 

 facts of the science shall be presented in a popular, and, at the 

 same time, philosophical manner. That no such introduction 

 exists, is to be regretted as detrimental to the progress of science. 

 In the absence, however, of such a work, we hail with plea- 

 sure the appearance of the publication, the title of which is pre- 

 fixed to our present observations. Its object, as the author states 

 in his preface, is " to combine the precision of a scientific trea- 

 tise, with the more excursive and agreeable character of a po- 

 pular miscellany, and by avoiding alike the vagueness and inac- 

 curacy of the one, and the repulsive dryness of the other, to gain 

 the favour of both classes of readers, by a faithful and conse- 

 quently an interesting exposition of one of the most beautiful 

 and certainly not the least important of the natural sciences.'^ 

 He further remarks; " By a judicious and varied selection of 

 subjects from the different classes of the animal kingdom, accom- 

 panied by a history of their habits and modes of life, it is hoped 

 that, in the course of not many years, such a representative as- 

 semblage may be brought together, as will serve to exemplify, 

 in a novel and interesting manner, the numerous tribes of living 

 creatures, of which the great family of nature is composed.'^ The 

 work has been established, as the vignette on its title page implies, 

 in immediate connection with the museum of our University, and 

 chiefly for the purpose of illustrating the rare and beautiful objects 

 which it contains. We have no doubt, however, that, from the su- 

 perior style in which it has been brought out, and which, we are 

 happy to say, reflects the highest credit on all concerned, Mr Wil- 

 son's " Illustrations of Zoology"" will be welcomed by the natura- 

 listsof these kingdoms as a highly valuable medium, through which 

 to communicate coloured representations of whatever objects may 

 henceforward occur in any department of Natural History, of pe- 

 culiar interest from their novelty or beauty. Although the col- 

 lection of drawings already in the author's portefolio, is of great 

 value from its accuracy and elegance, we understand it to be his 

 intention to leave the work open for the reception of whatever 

 communications may be made to him, accompanied by faithful 

 portraits of the animals described. In the furtherance of his de- 

 termination to illustrate the animal kingdom, in a more efficient 



