58 MEMOIR OF 



gions." * And his friend Walckenaer, speaking from 

 personal knowledge, says, " No man is more gentle 

 and modest, or freer from every thing like scientific 

 rancour, more ready to doubt, and to retract when 

 he finds he has been wrong." 



So soon as this work appeared, it was hailed as a 

 very valuable acquisition to the records of Natural 

 History. In proof of this, we need only mention 

 that the individual who was appointed to report con- 

 cerning it to the first class of the French Institute, 

 did so in the following terms : " M. Azara has 

 been the first to point out the conformation and ha- 

 bits of many animals of which previously we pos- 

 sessed only very imperfect descriptions and incorrect 

 drawings, and of which we really knew little more 

 than the names. He has also added many species to 

 our catalogue, which were previously unknown to 

 naturalists, which it was of consequence we should 

 be acquainted with, and concerning which we could 

 least have hoped for information." 



We can supply only a short specimen of the kind 

 of information to be obtained from this celebrated 

 treatise, in a few meagre extracts from Mr. Hunter's 

 translation, of which we are happy to avail our- 

 selves.t 



The work contains a minute account of seventy- 



* Preface. Hunter, u. a. 



f One volume only of this translation (it will extend to two) 

 has hitherto been published. Mr. Hunter has given the prece- 

 dence to the non-indigenous animals introduced by the Spa- 

 nish conquerors. 



