OP BRITISH ORNITHOLOGY. 85 



yeats ago, an octavo Atlas of the Birds of Europe (Atlas des Oiseaux 

 ii' Europe J y illustrative of Temminck's work. One Number (Li- 

 vrai&on) containing ten figures of birds, each the subject of a sepa- 

 rate plate, drawn upon stone, and plain, or carefully coloured, should, 

 in accordance with the original plan, have appeared, regularly, at 

 stated intervals. Up to the present time — December, 1834, — thirty 

 only of these numbers have, we believe, reached London. Since the 

 *' three glorious days" of July, 1830, the Sciences, in Paris, seem to 

 have been doomed to a somewhat inglorious slumber. Haply, they 

 may have not yet quite recovered from the stunning shock of the 

 thunder-storm of the Barricades ; which unluckily scared from their 

 propriety, not only the crawling but the winged animals, — the Rep- 

 t'dia and the Aves, — the birds as well as the Bourbons, — of the Gal 

 lie capital. Had the later numbers of Werner's Illustrations of 

 Temminck at all equalled the first three in correctness of outline, 

 and chasteness and fidelity of colouring, his Atlas would have proved 

 an invaluable acquisition to the science of Ornithology. Unfortu- 

 nately, this is not the case. 



We now come to the great, the Herculean work of Prideaux John 

 Selby, — Herculean, not only from its size, but from the time and 

 labour which must have been expended upon its execution. Seven 

 Parts, each consisting, on the average, of about nine plates, in ele- 

 phant folio, constitute the first Division and Volume of the Illustra- 

 tions of British Ornithology ; and comprize the whole of the Land- 

 Birds. The first Part was published in 1825. The Second Divi- 

 sion, including the Water-Birds, is still, if we err not, in the course 

 of publication ; but must now be rapidly drawing to a close. The 

 first Division of the Plates was accompanied by an octavo volume 

 of descriptive matter, also entitled Illustrations of British Ornitho- 

 logy, Part I. ; clearly, concisely, and sensibly written ; and contain- 

 ing much information, alike correct and valuable. The arr^inge- 

 ment and genera adopted, are, with few and slight deviations, those 

 of Temminck. Some two years ago, Mr. Selby formally announced, 

 through the medium of the press, that a new Edition of the First 

 would be shortly published with the Second Part of his lesser or 

 descriptive work. The fulfilment of this important, but hitherto 

 unredeemed, pledge, we have long been anxiously expecting. To the 



