1846.] Darwin's Voyage of a Jfaturalist. 265 



DARWIN'S VOYAGE OF A NATURALIST, 



Or a Journal of Researches into the JViafural History and Geology 

 of the Countries visited during the Voyage of H. M. S. Bea- 

 gle round the World, under the command of Capt. Fitz Roy, 

 R. N., by C. Darwin, M. A., R. R. S., in 2 vols. 12mo. Harper 

 & Brothers, N. Y. 1846. 



We have no intention to write at this time a criticism of this 

 work. Our design in noticing the Journal of Researches is 

 the more humble one, that of recommending the work to the 

 public, as one of the most interesting and instructive books of 

 the kind which has been published for many years. In the form 

 in which it is presented to the public, it is admirably adapted to 

 the purpose of popular instruction and entertainment, and is es- 

 pecially worthy of a place in all the school libraries of our coun- 

 try. It wnll be found full of interesting matter in all the depart- 

 ments of natural history; indeed it would seem from the range 

 of observation which Mr. Darwin takes, that he is an accomplish- 

 ed and finished naturalist in all the several classes of investiga- 

 tion into which this field of knowledge is now divided. We 

 cannot add to Mr. Darwin's reputation or fame by any remarks 

 which we can make; we shall content ourselves with the above 

 recommendation of his researches, and proceed at once to make 

 some extracts from them which have a bearing upon the objects 

 which this Journal is designed especially to promote. We shall 

 first take up Mr. Darwin at the Banda Oriental with his host on 

 an estate at Arroyo de San Juan. We give a few passages from 

 the Journal here, as it will convey a better idea of South Ameri- 

 can farming and husbandry than any labored description which 

 we can give, and in connection we shall introduce his account of 

 a singular breed of cattle which came under Mr. D.'s observation 

 at this place. 



18^^. — Rode with my host to his estancia at the Arroyo de San 

 Juan. In the evening we took a ride round the estate: it con- 

 tained two square leagues and a half, and was situated in what 



