868 
employment for a whole life. The 
levers of natural history, will therefore, 
be pleased to meet with a new work of 
asimilar kind, and still more compre- 
hensive in its general plan, undertaken 
by some of the most eminent naturalists 
‘in France; each confining himself to 
the particular branch which he has most 
diligently studied. 
In the present work, the history of 
quadrupeds and birds is executed by 
Sonini, author of Travels in Egypt, and 
editor of an improved edition of Buffon. 
His arrangement of quadrupeds is that 
which he himself has already laid before 
the world in his supplement to Buffon : 
in the birds he has adopted the nomen- 
clature and method of Latham. A 
long bodily indisposition has prevented 
this able and well-known naturalist from 
-extending his labours to the reptiles and 
fishes. ‘These, with the naked and testa- 
eous mollusca, and the vermes, have 
#allen to the lot of Bosc, member of the 
society of natural history at Paris, and 
~of the Linnzan society in London.- -- 
Desmaret also has furnished some arti- 
cles on quadrupeds, and Vieillot on 
‘birds. The coleopterous insects are de- 
scribed by Olivier, author of Travels in 
Greece, and of the principal articles on 
the natural history of insects in the En- 
~cyclopédie Methodique. The other or- 
ders of this class are undertaken by 
Latreille, associate member of the na- 
tional institute. Virey, the author of 
the Natural History of Man, and the 
editor of the present work, has charged 
himself with the articles on the structure 
and faculties of man and other animals. 
The veterinary art is treated by Huzard, 
an approved professor of that branch of 
medicine. 
‘The vegetable kingdom is divided 
between Bosc, Du Tour, Cels, Thouin, 
Tollard, and Parmentier. Bosc has de- 
tailed the genera with their most useful 
species, and has particularly laboured 
the synonyms, referring the whole to the 
artificial system of Linnzus, and the na- 
tural.ones of Jussieu and Ventenat. Du 
Tour has chiefly confined himself to cul- 
tivated vegetables, whether natives of 
France or exotics ; for the latter of which 
he is particularly qualified, having re- 
sided at St. Domingo in the capacity of 
a planter. Tollard has principally at- 
tended to vegetable physivlogy, and Par- 
mentier to domestic and rural economy. 
The mineralogy is the work of Patrin, 
who has spent eight years in Russia, 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
and has studied the science among the 
mountains of Daouria, and along the 
chains of Ural and Altai. ‘ 
The application of chemistry to the 
different productions of nature, especially 
to plants and minerals, has been assigned 
to Chaptal, well known for his chemical 
knowledge. Physics properly so called, 
and meteorology, are the department of 
Libes, professor of natural philosophy 
in the central schools of Paris. 
Such an assemblage of eminent names 
will naturally raise the expectations of 
the public ; and, we are persuaded, these 
expectations will not be disappointed. 
The first six volumes are now on our 
table, which include only the three first 
letters of the alphabet; and if the work 
proceeds asit hascommenced, it will form 
a more extensive and accurate collection 
of natural history than has hitherto been 
laid before the public. 
‘The articles Ane(Ass), Aigle( Eagle), 
Alouette (Lark), and Autruche (Os- 
trich), by Sonini; Cochon (Hog), by 
Sonini and Parmentier ; Coucou (Cuc- 
kow), by Vicillot; Baleine (Whale), by Vie 
rey ; Cheval (Horse), by Huzzard; Abe- 
ille (Bee), Araignée (Spider), and Co- 
chenille, by Latreille; Chenille (Caterpil- 
lar), and Chrysalide, by Olivier ; Corps 
organisés, Animal, and Alimens, by Vi- 
rey; Arbre, by Tollard and Thouin ; 
Bette (Beet), and Cacaoyer (Cacao), by 
Parmentier ; Bois, (Wood), Botanique, 
Cafoyer (Coffee), Canne a Sucre (Su- 
gar Cane), Cannelier (Cinnamon ), Chan- 
vre (Hemp), Chene (Oak), Chou (Cab- 
bage), and Cottonier (Cotton Tree), 
by Du Tour; Argent (Silver), Argill 
(Clay), Basalte, and Bitumes, by Patrin, 
are extended to a considerable length, 
and are rich in information. 
None of these admit of | sufficient 
abridgment to come within our pre- 
scribed limits. We shall, therefore, 
translate part of two shorter articles, as 
specimens of the work. The first shall 
be from the article Chameau, by Des- 
marest; the otherfrom the article Cham- 
pignons, partly written by Bosc, and 
partly by Parmentier. 
«¢ Cuameau (Camel), the name of a ge- 
nus of quadrupeds,. belonging to the first 
section of the order of ruminants, character- 
ised not only by their having three kinds of 
teeth, but also by their great height, their 
divided upper lip, long and arched neck, one 
or two dorsal bunches, and naked callosities 
at the joints of their legs and the lower part 
ef their breast, &c. 
‘‘ The camel, though placed in the order 
