338 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



A History of British Fishes, by William Yarrell, F. L. S. Parts 8, 

 9, and 10. London : John Van Voorst^ Paternoster-row. 1835. 



This very neat and extremely valuable publication merits every 

 eulogiura. Whether as regards beauty and correctness of printing, 

 its admirable wood-cuts, or its judicious and well-written matter, 

 we are convinced- that it will challenge comparison with any month- 

 ly periodical whatsoever. Old Walton himself might have derived 

 information from its pages; and as it abounds in anecdote, it will be 

 found amusing even to such ai? are not attached to piscatory subjects. 

 We pronounce this to be the most complete work of the kind, in 

 every particular, with which we are acquainted. We had marked 

 some interesting extracts, descriptive of the ascent of the Salmon up 

 the rivers beyond the influence of the tide, preparatory to depo- 

 siting their spawn, but which we are compelled reluctantly to omit. 



The Gardener's Magazine. The Magazine of Natural History. 

 The Architectural Magazine. Arboretum Britannicum. Numbers 

 for October, November, and December. London : Longman & 

 Co. 1835. 



These periodicals maintain their high ground, and are admira- 

 bly adapted to elucidate the several subjects on which they so per- 

 tinently treat, Mr. Loudon's indefatigability never Lires, and he is 

 equally graphic in his information, whether he speaks of trees, of 

 natural history, or of architecture. In these numbers are some very 

 interesting articles, but we are so pressed for room that we are only 

 now enabled to mention two papers in The Gardener s Magazine, 

 furnished by Mr. Richard Varden, architect and landscape gardener, 

 of the city of Worcester, " On the simple and expeditious modes of 

 ascertaining- the heights of Trees," and " A Plan for laying out the 

 Grounds of a Suburban Villa." 



Mr. Varden, whose ingenuity is well worthy of commendation, 

 has invented a small instrument for ascertaining the height of trees, 

 which can be efl^cted thereby with greater ease and' expedition than 

 by measuring with rods. This instrument is a modification of a 

 quadrant or sextant, and it is graduated on a particular principle. 

 As it requires, however, an engraving to enable our readers to form 

 an exact idea of the invention, wie must content ourselves, at pre- 

 sent, with referring to the work. 



London Catalogue of Books. London, Robert Bent. 1835. 



This useful work of reference contains a list of upwards of 

 22,000 books, published from 1814, to December, 1834; classed under 

 the following heads : — 'Miscellaneous Literature, Divinity and Ec- 

 clesiastical History, Law and Jurisprudence, Medicine, Surgery, 

 Physiology and Chemistry, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Latin, &c. — 

 The price, size, and name of the publisher are appended. It is 

 needless to point out the utility of a work so indispensably nece^- 

 sarv in the formation of a librarv. 



