298 Xolices respecting Xevu Booki. 



all the public as well as private libraries auJ inbtilutions of 

 this metropolis, ^5rith which we are acquainted : luid while from 

 the learned of our own country are extorted a number of 

 copies of their works, however costly and unproductive, for 

 the gratuitous supply of various piivileged institutions, there 

 is no one library (since the death of the ever to be lamented 

 Sir Joseph Banks, whose private munificence was exerted to 

 supply this defect of our public institutions) where in return 

 they can find the foreign scientific Journals and Transactions 

 of learned societies, or the most important productions of the 

 press of foreign countries. 



We make these preliminary remarks as a preface to the 

 following analysis of the Ti'ansactions of the Academy of Na- 

 tural Sciences in Pliiladelphia. The first volume is dated so far 

 back as 1817; but which we never saw until recently lent to us 

 by an obliging friend, who has just received it from America. 

 We only regret that our limits will oblige us to confine the fol- 

 lowing notice to the heads of the interesting papers they contain. 



The first part of the first volume contains the following 

 valuable papers by M. Le Sueur; a naturalist and draughtsman 

 of distinguished excellence, who accompanied the unfortunate 

 Peron in the French discovery ships sent to Austi'alasia : 



Description of six new species of the genus Firola, from the 

 Mediterranean, with masterly outlines of each on one plate. — 

 Description ofFiroIoida, a new genus of Molhisca, and of three 

 species belonging thereto, with figures of the same. These 

 two papers are nighly valuable, as they have made us ac- 

 quainted with a tribe of most wonderful animals hitherto un- 

 known. On three new American species of the genus Raja. 

 Ditto of five new species of the genus Murcenn; two of Gadus, 

 and one of Cyprinus. Description of Testiido geographica, a 

 new aquatic species from Lake Erie, with a spirited figure. 

 The characters of Catostomus, a new genus of abdominal 

 fishes ; with descriptions of the species. Description of four 

 new species of Hydrargyra, a genus of fresh-wuter fishes 

 Observations on several species of Actinia; illustrated by 

 figures. The indefatigable industry and accurate investiga- 

 tion displayed in the above papers, reflect the highest honour 

 on M. Le Sueur, and credit on the Transactions of the Society. 

 Mr. Ord, the American zoologist, has the two following papers: 

 Accoimt of Ovis montana^ the Rocky-mountain Sheep; anew 

 quadruped of North America; and Description of a large Ameri- 

 can Ibis^ probably distinct from Tantalus Mcxicanus of Latham. 



Mr. Nuttall, the American botanist, has papers on the fol- 

 lowing subjects : Observations on the genus Enogonum, and on 

 the natural order Polygoncce of Jussicu, Account of two new 



genera 



