109 

 REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



The Naturalist's Library. Conducted by Sir William Jardine, Bart., 

 F.R.S.E., F.L.S., &c. Ornithology. Vol. VII. Birds of Western Africa. 

 By William Swainson, Esq., A. C. G., F. R. S., M. W. S., &c. Edinburgh: 

 W. H. Lizars; Highley, London; Curry, Jun. and Co., Dublin. 1837. Fools- 

 cap 8vo. 



We conclude that our readers, one and all, are as well acquainted with the 

 name and talents of the author of the volume before us, as they are with the 

 scope and objects of the Naturalist's Library, Mr. Swainson is, in fact, without 

 any flattery, at the head of the zoological school in this country, and he is 

 favourably known as a scientific zoologist wherever the study of Natural His- 

 tory is cultivated. We have only to refer to his splendid Zoological Illustrations, 

 or to the ornithological volume of the Fauna Boreali Americana, to be fully as- 

 sured of his capability to investigate, in the most satisfactory manner, and on the 

 highest philosophical principles, the natural affinities existing throughout the 

 animal kingdom. Not less admirable for their perspicuity and accuracy are the 

 minor details of those splendid publications ; and the plates, executed by the 

 author, are scarcely to be surpassed. Individuals who had only witnessed Mr. 

 Swainson's talents in works like those of which we have been speaking, might 

 well be inclined to doubt the prudence of engaging him to take any part in a 

 popular zoological series, similar to the Naturalist's Library. But such an ob- 

 jection could never be raised by any one who had perused our author's beautiful, 

 philosophic, and highly interesting volumes, in Dr. Lardner s Cabinet Cyclope- 

 dia. Besides, no one need ^consider it a disgrace to be the author of a volume or 

 volumes of Sir William Jardine's useful and widely-circulated Library, seeing 

 that the Editor has studied to make it practically valuable and interesting to the 

 professed naturalist, as well as entertaining to all classes of readers, and that he 

 has engaged some of the most eminent authors in the publication. Mr. Swain- 

 son has, in short, the talents requisite to enable him to write in almost every 

 style (on subjects connected with Natural History) equally well ; and although 

 he has, of course, by no means employed the full extent of his powers in the Birds 

 of Western Africa, yet the volume is replete with original observations. But 

 we must not much longer indulge in this strain of general commendation. The 

 book contains thirty-four plates, engraved by Lizars from drawings by the au- 

 thor. We question whether the Naturalist's Library ever appeared to such great 

 advantage, in this respect, as in the volume before us. The illustrations of the Par- 

 rot and Pigeon families (Psittacida and Columbidae) were, it is true, admirable, 

 but, on the whole, they would scarcely bear comparison with the plates in the 



