42 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



qualifications, his works are assuredly the most 

 valuable, on general ornithology, that have ever 

 appeared in England. This arose from his being 

 the first who figured and described a vast number 

 of birds, then new to naturalists, who consequently 

 refer to him as the original authority for all such 

 species. The figures of Edwards were copied and 

 recopied by nearly all succeeding writers, up to the 

 year 1820, when we ventured, in the Zoological 

 Illustrations, to introduce a new style of delinea- 

 tion ; and to substitute original figures for those 

 which were then copied into nearly all the popular 

 compilations. Edwards was remarkably exact in 

 his descriptions, and sufficiently so in his figures, 

 so that no zoological library, especially one for 

 reference, should be without his volumes. * In the 

 year 1744, the famous discovery was made by 

 Trembley, a native of Geneva, of the reproductive 

 powers of the freshwater polype, f The develope- 

 ment of this wonderful fact entitles his name to a 

 high station in the records of analytical research ; 

 although, in its general effect, this discovery exer- 

 cises far less influence on zoological arrangement 



* Edwards. (1.) The Natural History of uncommon Birds, 

 and of some other rare and undescribed Animals. By George 

 Edwards, Library Keeper to the Royal College of Physicians. 

 In 4 vols. 4to. 1743 — 1750. Edwards is erroneously termed 

 by Cuvier, Peintre Anglais. (2.) Gleanings of Natural History, 

 exhibiting Figures of Quadrupeds, Birds, Insects, Plants, &c. 

 By George Edwards, F.R.S. and F.A.S. In 3 vols. 4to. 

 1758—1764. 



f Trembley. Memoires pour servir a l'Histoire des Po- 

 lypes d'eau douce, a bras en forme de comes. Leyden, 1744. 

 1 vol. 4to. 



