REVIEWS. 117 



In conclusion, we would congratulate the author on the appearance of 

 a third edition, which, though it wants the Equisetaseae and Lycopodasese, 

 still far surpasses its predecessors. "Want of space has kept us from entering 

 into what appears, even to ourselves, to be endless disquisition as to the 

 rights of some forms to the rank of species ; but so much has been written by 

 men more experienced than we are, without finally settling the dispute, and 

 the subjects themselves are so very candidly discussed in this volume, that 

 we prefer sending our readers to the pages themselves, than adding one 

 more to the already large list of disputants. The price of this volume — 

 considering its increase in size — has been materially lessened ; and we 

 hope that every one who cares about the subject will, by securing a copy, 

 help to defray the expense and trouble, which are, we regret to say, neces- 

 sary consequences to ushering into life works on natural science, where 

 they are the result of private enterprise. 



A Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro, with an 

 Account of the Native Tribes. By A. R. Wallace. Pp. 541. 

 8vo. London : Reeves and Co. 1853. Price 15s. 



In our last number, when noticing Mr. Wallace's unpretending little work 

 on the Palms of the Amazon Valley, we briefly alluded to the circum- 

 stances under which it was compiled, referring to his work on the Valley 

 of the Amazon for a fuller narrative of the labours of a naturalist in an 

 almost unexplored region. This narrative forms the volume now before 

 us, which contains notes collected during four years' residence in this in- 

 teresting and too little known district. It would be difficult to estimate 

 how deeply science is indebted to wayside notes and jottings brought home 

 by travellers ; observations recorded as trivial, perhaps, at the time, often 

 serve to illustrate or confirm a theory that, in the absence of such inde- 

 pendent testimony, would have scarcely been hazarded, or would have been 

 treated with silent contempt. The present age is eminently remarkable as 

 an age of observation ; and this tendency may, in some measure, have given 

 an impulse to the energies of those who devote their prime to foreign travel, 

 not with the mere design of spending a few years in the gratification of a 

 vacant curiosity, but who go forth with prepared minds, eager to observe all 

 that would be likely to advance the interests of science ; and the result has 

 been the production of a class of works of travel, unsuited, indeed, to the 

 mere literary lounger, but in which the man of science, or of cultivated 

 understanding, will take a deep interest, and which will not be dismissed 



