of Nawnann's ' Vogel Deutschlands.' 41 



menced in 1795 the publication of a Natural History of the 

 Birds of Germany ; but though from 1 805 assisted in his labours 

 by his eldest son, Johann Friedrich — then five-and-twenty years 

 of age — the work^ from the disturbed state of central Europe 

 in those days, was not completed until 1817. Not long after, 

 in 1822, they began to bring out a second and improved 

 edition, which^ on the old man's death in 1826, was continued 

 by his coadjutor, and finally concluded in 1844. So long as 

 the German tongue is spoken, so long as among those that 

 speak it any are found to admire and study one of the fairest 

 classes of creation, so long will this work rank among the first 

 histories of German birds. It consists of twelve volumes of text, 

 illustrated by vxpwards of three hundred plates, most of them 

 containing figures representing the various states of plumage 

 arising from the difference of season, sex, or age ; and though 

 the figures are of small size, yet they are engraved and coloured 

 with so much care, and in a manner so exact, as scarcely to leave 

 anything to be desired. As Temmiuck long ago remarked of 

 them, " ils sont des chefs-d'oeuvre de verite." The letter- press 

 also merits equal praise. The descriptions are given fully and 

 with precision. It has even been objected to them that the 

 details they offer are too minute. At the same time, so forcible 

 and expressive is the style employed, that, having but a slight 

 knowledge of the language in which it is written, one can easily 

 refer to the work with equal profit and pleasure. The advanced 

 student and the unscientific learner are alike capable of fully 

 comprehending the accurate and simple relation of facts ; for 

 Naumann, like all men of real genius, had the faculty of stating 

 his meaning clearly, and throughout this great undertaking, 

 though popularly written in the best sense of the expression, he 

 never stoops from the exalted throne of truth to suit the conve- 

 nience of ignorance, but rather raises ignorance by easy steps to 

 his own high level. 



Now, as we believe that neither the more lengthened reviews 

 nor the shorter critical notices which have appeared in this Jour- 

 nal are open to the charge of fulsome adulation, we trust that the 

 remarks we have just made may be also received as expressions 

 of honest appreciation. We are far from saying that even Nau- 



