240 Bibliographical Notices. 



turn from the consideration of the ever-vacillating quantities of fami- 

 lies and genera, concerning which there is so much diversity of opi- 

 nion amongst able men, to that of species, which, if their chief cha- 

 racters are accurately described and their habits ably illustrated, 

 constitute a monument of merit far more enduring than any system 

 that ever has been promulgated ; for without such imperishable mate- 

 rials the temple of the natural system cannot be built ; and it is for 

 the sake of storing up these materials, some smoothed and ready to 

 fit into their proper place, others rough-dressed and requiring the 

 finisher's touch, that we would respectfully invite the student to lay 

 aside all unworthy prejudices against these innovations. 



The specific descriptions are in every instance where practicable 

 taken from fresh specimens, they are most carefully elaborated, and 

 often illustrated in part by excellent woodcuts ; there is also a short 

 diagnosis of each species acceptable to the general reader, and obvia- 

 ting any inconvenience in going over those minute descriptions, which 

 can only be justly appreciated for purposes of comparing identical or 

 nearly allied species from different quarters of the globe. The de- 

 scriptions of the habits are given with much care, beauty, and accu- 

 racy ; many of them must have heen written in the field, and in 

 default of personal observation extracts are given from the works of 

 other naturalists ; but it is much to be regretted that the title of the 

 work is occasionally omitted, and in almost no instance is there any 

 reference to the page whence the extract has been derived. 



In the remarks on the general habits of the order of Tentatores or 

 Probers, most of which are remarkable for the solicitude with which 

 they guard their nests and young, some remarks possessing much 

 interest are made on this habit, as displayed in birds belonging to 

 different orders ; but unfortunately the chapter is concluded by stric- 

 tures on social morality which are foreign to the subject, injudicious 

 in the choice of examples, and unwise in their general application. 

 Neither can we agree with a general law stated in treating of the 

 PluvialincB, that " No bird that eats entire and live animals has a 

 crop ;" whereas Bulimus acutus and Helix ericetorum are largely 

 eaten by the Rock Pigeons in the Hebrides, whilst the Kestrel, Honey 

 Buzzard, Pheasant, Partridge, and Quail, devour insects with little or 

 no dismemberment. In the pleasing biographies of the Golden Plover 

 and theGreen andWhite Sandpiper (To^awj/s kypoleucos), no mentionis 

 made of their peculiar habits during the pairing season, — how the males 

 lower their heads, elevate their wings, and pirouette around each other 

 in presence of the females, with shrill, menacing, and rolling cries ; 

 nay more, the latter are very frequently observed to perch on trees and 

 run along the branches vrith ease : in America, Audubon notes this 

 arboreal habit in the Spotted Sandpiper {T. macularius) . Several of 

 our native birds which do not usually swim, do so readily when 

 winged and chased into the water, or when they fall into it severely 

 wounded : amongst those which voluntarily take short swimming 

 excursions in tidal pools, we may enumerate the Oyster-catcher and 

 the Redshank ; the latter, we are told, casts up the indigestible cases of 

 the larva of the caddice-fly upon which it feeds, as the Owl ejects the 



