Miscellanies. 379 
6. Reports on the Fishes, Reptiles and Birds of Massachusetts. 
Published agreeably to an order of the Legislature, by the Commis- 
stoners on the Zoological and Botanical Survey of the State. Bos- 
ton, 8vo. pp. 426. 4 plates.—This volume, prepared under the fos- 
tering care of the enlightened and liberal State of Massachusetts, is 
a most valuable contribution to science. The first and second reports 
are drawn up by D. H. Storer, M. D.; the third (on the Birds) by 
Mr. W. B. O. Peabody. The report on the Fishes is by far the best 
treatise on this department which has been published in our country. 
That on the Reptiles, being prepared at short notice and under several 
disadvantages, is probably less complete than it may hereafter be 
rendered; but it is nevertheless a work of which the author has no 
reason to be ashamed. The birds of our country having been so 
thoroughly described by Wilson, Bonaparte, Audubon, Nuttall, and 
others, Mr. Peabody considered it unnecessary to copy at Jength 
their scientific descriptions, and has therefore very properly given 
especial attention to an account of their habits. The remarks upon 
these reports, by a committee of the Boston Nat. Hist. Society, (pub- 
lished at p- 393,) render it unnecessary for us to say any thing more 
in their praise. 
7. Telescopes. 
To the Editors—Agreeably to your request, I forward you a de- 
scription of my telescope, with many thanks for your kind offer. 
It is fitted np in very handsome style, near 8 feet Jong and 5 in di- 
ameter, objective treble glass, with a magnifying power of about 
180; price, $4,000. 
In 1821, while at Warsaw, the Emperor Alexander ordered me to 
make a telescope for his college, such as the one I have now finished, 
but could not undertake it in consequence of the difficulty of obtain- 
ing a suitable piece of flint glass. In travelling through England and 
rance, I met with a piece which enabled me to finish one of the 
above power, and which I am confident will give satisfaction to men 
of science. : 
Ihave one in hand, of much larger dimensions, viz. 16 or 18 feet 
long, and 12 or 14 inches diameter, objective glass, but from want of 
Means, cannot proceed with its 
If any society here would-advance me $1,000 on the above instru- 
Ment, they might use it, and I then could proceed with the larger one. 
T have to lose a great deal of time in sending to England and France 
for flint to grind here, but_have some now on the way. 
have encouraged the glass manufacturers in this country to make 
flint glass, and I hope, ere long, to be enabled to get it here instead 
of having to send to Europe. 
