iS^ CRITICAL NOTICES OK NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



" To accomplish such a desirable object, not only would the assistance and 

 co-operation of scientific gentlemen be requisite, but, also, time and some 

 perseverance. However, by the combined exorcise of these essential principles 

 of action^ I have no doubt, if a beginning were once made, much, in a very 

 short time, might be accomplished." 



The Naturalist's Library. — Ornithology. Vol. V. Pigeon Family. 

 Thirty-two plates, engraved on steel, by Lizars ; with a portrait 

 and biographical sketch of Pliny. By P. J. Selby. 



Five volumes of the ornithological portion of The Naturalist's 

 Library have already appeared. The first two are devoted to the 

 Colibree family, ( Colubridce ) , the third to the Pavo family, (Pa- 

 vonidce), the fourth to the Grous family, (Tetraonidce), and the 

 fifth, now under consideration, to the Pigeon family, ( Columbidce J . 

 It is in every way superior to its predecessors. The portrait, we 

 like better than those prefixed to the former volumes, and the vig- 

 nette (a pair of Ring Pigeons) is tastefully conceived and beautiful- 

 ly executed. The plates, likewise, completely eclipse those of the 

 preceding volumes, whether we regard the position of the birds, the 

 elegance of outline, or the delicacy of feathering. To support our 

 assertion, we may specify the Green Tinilope ( Ptinilopus purpura- 

 tusj, and the Purple Fancrest, (Lophyrus cseruleusj — the latter a 

 splendid figure. In these plates, however, we miss one auxiliary, 

 which added greatly to the beauty of the former volumes — we allude 

 to the landscapes, which were lightly and very tastefully indicated : 

 and at the same time served to take away from that appearance 

 of coldness produced by the bright colours standing out from the 

 white paper : as a striking example of this, we may refer to IMudie's 

 Feathered Tribes, where the plates, although some of them are very 

 fairly executed, have a wretched effect, for want of relief. The let- 

 ter-press of the present volume greatly exceeds, in interest, that of 

 the preceding, and the histories of the Ring Pigeon, the Wood Pi- 

 geon, and the Rock Pigeon, are in Selby's best style. We are hap- 

 py to see that the English nomenclature has received some attention 

 in the present volume, and hope it will be attended to in the two 

 volumes of British Ornithology announced for publication. 



The Earth ; its Physical Condition, a?id most remarkable Pheno- 

 mena. By W. MuUinger Higgins, F. G. S. London : Orr & 

 Smith. 1835. 



Among the innumerable host of books which yearly issue from 

 the untiring press, in this bibliomaniac aera, there are none which 

 we behold with so much pleasure as scientific and practical works. 

 However bitterly our critical acumen might be poured forth against 

 the productions of '^ wild distempered brains," we receive the small- 

 est tribute to science with pleasure and respect. Science is the pal- 

 ladium of national safety ; for every discovery is a security against 

 decay. It is this revelation of powers applicable to our common 



