296 LIST OF ENTOMOLOGICAL WORKS. 



was effected by the large arms, wliicli were closed, and projected in 

 an instant with the quickness of lightning. An apparent anxiety 

 to keep the head and claws in front, made me suspect that the 

 animal lodges its hinder part in holes and recesses, from which it can 

 strike at its prey or other passing objects. The attitude represented 

 in the figure (nearly linear), was maintained during my observa- 

 tions ; and I did not see any inclination to close the tail in a more 

 compacted form. — Magazine of Natural History, Vol. VIII. p. 464. 



Recurring to the work whose title stands at the head of 

 this article, it seems to us that we shall scarcely do our duty 

 without offering an observation on its general tenor. Far be 

 it from us to set up our opinion in opposition to that of 

 Mr. Kirby ; far be it from us to tell one so much our superior 

 in these matters that he is wrong : yet will we venture, in 

 humility and perfect kindness towards Mr. Kirby, whom we 

 respect and love, to make a few comments on the work before 

 us. Mr. Kirby starts witli the motto, " C'est la Bible a la 

 main que nous devons entrer dans l.a temple auguste de la 

 nature, pour bien comprendre la voix du Createur;" and 

 keeping this maxim in view, facts in nature are bent into 

 unison with the Bible, or passages in the Bible receive new 

 and strange interpretations to make them agree with nature. 

 Now, though we admit to the full the exquisite beauty and 

 sublimity of various metaphorical and illustrative allusions to 

 natural objects which occur throughout the Holy Scriptures, 

 yet we consider the sacred volume designed for higher objects 

 than the elucidation of scientific questions, or the description 

 of perishable objects. We cannot view it as a book of Natural 

 History. Nevertheless, wide as is the difference between 

 Mr. Kirby's belief and our own on this point, and wider it 

 cannot be, we must still add, that we feel confident that 

 Mr. Kirby's views are not promulgated without a firm and 

 conscientious belief, on his part, that they are perfectly sound, 

 and calculated to advance the design of the work he has 

 undertaken, — that of showing " the power, wisdom, and good- 

 ness of God, as manifested in the creation." As works of 

 science, we have been sorely disappointed with the Bridge water 

 Treatises. Considered as a work of science, we offer no opinion 

 of the individual treatise now under consideration ; yet we 

 have no hesitation in recommending it to the general reader. 



