Bibliographical Notices. 239 



selves in suitable places. Most of the birds of this order walk very 

 expertly. The males are little larger than the females, and generally 

 the sexes are coloured alike ; but the young have more mottled and 

 duller colours than the adult. Their fl'esh is not esteemed, and none 

 of them have been domesticated." (Vol. v. p. 7.) 



As a happy illustration of our author's manner of describing the 

 habits of the typical genera, as far as British species are concerned, 

 we quote the following passage on the TringincB, as remarkable both 

 for its truthfulness and its beautiful imagery : — 



" Who, that has often visited the shores of the ocean, wandered 

 along the extended sand-beaches on the margin of which the waves 

 terminate their career in foam and uproar, or visited the muddy 

 estuaries alternately filled and emptied by the periodical floods, has 

 not stood to gaze upon the flocks of tiny birds that were busily 

 picking up their food from the moist gronnd, or wheeling, as if in 

 sport, their devious flight, now skimming the surface of the water, 

 now rising high above the breakers and then shooting far off to sea, 

 to visit a distant part of the coast? How often, in visiting a sedgy 

 pool surrounded with marshes, have we been saluted, but in no friendty 

 wise, by the shrill clamour of the long-billed and sharp-winged birds 

 which had placed their nests on tufts too remote to be reached ! 

 Again, on the long range of heathery hills that we had traversed 

 for many a weary mile, we have come, very unexpectedly to us, and 

 with no welcome' from its occupant, upon the nest of the lonely Cur- 

 lew, which fluttered from among our feet in silence and terror, until 

 reaching a safe distance she began to entice us away from her trea- 

 sure, by displaying a broken wing and shattered leg — taught, in fact 

 by instinct, to act a palpable untruth. Many pleasant sights have 

 we seen on these solitary rambles— here the four spotted eggs of the 

 Dunhn, so hke in colour to the surrounding ground, that you wonder 

 how the eye has distinguished them — here the timid young of the 

 same bird squatted among the short heath— there a flock of Godwits 

 thrusting their bills into the mud ; and, again, the gliding and low 

 flight of the beautiful White-breasted Tatler, as skimming by the 

 margin of the quiet lake, it emits its shrill and reiterated cries." 

 (Vol. iv. p. 161.) ^ ^ . 



To enter into a critical examination of the value of the orders, 

 famiUes and genera would demand greater space than we can com- 

 mand, and a far more extensive acquaintance with the subject than 

 we possess ; it could only be superficially treated, whilst common 

 justice demands that it should be done with respectful attention : the 

 changes introduced into the scientific nomenclature are much to be 

 regretted, whilst we believe his legislation in vernacular names is 

 worse than useless. Perhaps few naturalists will agree in accepting 

 the views of our author either in nomenclature or in classification, 

 but such has been the labour and research employed in the work, 

 that in wisely admitting or in wisely attacking them, an extensive and 

 varied acquaintance with the subject is required. 



Under these circumstances, in dealing with an original work Hke 

 this, which has been boldly planned and ably executed, we gladly 



