32 MEMOIR OP 



Hague, which is the only one to which we have 

 had access, the title is as follows, " Dissertatio de 

 generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surina- 

 mensium ; in qua, praeter vermes et erucas Surina- 

 menses, earumque admirandam metamorphosin, 

 plantae, flores et fructus, quibus vescuntur, et in 

 quibus filer unt inventse, exhibentur. His adjun- 

 guntur Bufones, Lacerti, Serpentes, Aranea3, aliaque 

 admiranda istius regionis animalcula, omnia manu 

 ejusdem Matronae in America ad vivum accurate 

 depicta et mine aeri incisa. Accedit appendix 

 transformationum Piscium in Ranas, et Ranarum 

 in Pisces." At the time of its publication, this was 

 justly considered a magnificent volume, far sur- 

 passing any illustrated work previously devoted to 

 this tribe of animals. The dimensions of the plates 

 of that description which is technically called atlas 

 folio allowed most of the objects to be represented 

 in their natural size ; and as many of the most 

 beautiful and striking are selected, they form a series 

 of as shewy and imposing pictures as can well be 

 conceived. Many of the figures, both of plants and 

 animals, are delineated and coloured with great 

 elegance and accuracy ; but this commendation can 

 by no means be extended to the whole, or even the 

 larger proportion of them. The author is frequently 

 led into serious errors, by having but an imperfect 

 acquaintance with the objects of her study, and 

 she is far from being free from the bad taste of the 

 period, in occasionally placing her figures in fanciful 

 and unnatural positions. In this respect, some of 



