Rrconf Oruitholuf/icdl Pii/j/ica/ions. 89 



no means follows that \vc should consider species as otherwise 

 than "finitely" invariable. Specific diiFerences, if produced by 

 the ordinary laws of generation, can only be arrived at at the 

 end of series of generations, which may be supposed for all in- 

 tents and purposes to be infinite. The adoi)tion of Mr. Darwin's 

 \ icws should therefore by no means discourage naturalists from 

 the great work of the differentiation of species. And, whatever 

 amount of success we are inclined to allow to the work, we must 

 all, I think, allow that Mr. Darwin's theory of " natural selection" 

 is the only really philosophical attempt which has been made 

 to explain one of the most anomalous phenomena in nature 

 — the violation of its ordinary laws caused by the continuous 

 introduction into the world of new forms of animated life. 



Dr. Adams and Dr. A. L. Adams have reprinted, " with a few 

 verbal alterations," a paper read at the late meeting of the 

 British Association in Aberdeen, " On Ornithology as a branch 

 of liberal Education*," containing notes on all the wild birds 

 which have been discovered in Banchory Ternan by the former, 

 with remarks upon such of them as have been found in India bv 

 the latter gentleman. 



j\lr. Henry Stevenson of Norwich has kindly lent us the 

 ' Supplement to the China Mail,' No. 670, published at Hong- 

 kong, on the 17th December, 1857. It contains an article 

 read by Mr. Swinhoe at a meeting of the Literary and Scientific 

 Society of Amoy, entitled "A few remarks on the Fauna of 

 Amoy," which was previously unknown to us. There are some 

 notices here given of the habits of the birds; but Mr. Swinhoe's 

 account of the Ornithology of Amoy, which we have the plea- 

 sure of publishing in our present Number, is in every way more 

 jjcrfect. 



To Mr. Stevenson we are also indebted for the perusal of Mr. 

 Swinhoe's " Narrative of a visit to the island of Formosa," pub- 

 lished in the 'Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal 

 Asiatic Society.' Several birds are mentioned as having been 

 obser\ed — Alauclu minuta, Sierna caspia and S. minuia, (Jriulus 

 sinensis, Dicrunts malabaricus, Hirundo daurica, and species of 

 * Abrrflceii, 185!^ Hvo. pp. ;i(5. 



