Natm^al History. 1 2 i 



"to his labours succeeded those of M. Frisch, a 

 German, whose work is perhaps the most philo- 

 sophical and interesting that was ever published 

 on the subject. After him came the celebrated 

 Latham, of Great-Britain, the author of a work 

 on ornithology, which is probably the most ex- 

 tensive and complete yet presented to the world. 

 The history of birds has also been well treated by 

 Brisson and Buffon, of France; and those of 

 Africa have been ably described by Vaillant, of 

 the same country. In addition to which it may 

 be worthy of notice, that the plates published by 

 order of the King of France, and intended to ac- 

 company Buffon's history of birds, are certainly 

 among the most elegant specimens of human art 

 ever executed to promote the study of ornitho- 

 logy. 



That department of zoology which includes the 

 Amphibia^ or the third Linucean class, has also 

 been greatly extended and improved during the 

 eighteenth century. Besides Linnjeus, this class 

 was treated, with much ability, by Mr. Catesby, 

 an English gentleman, who resided for some time 

 in America.^ Next to him, Ur. Garden, of 

 Great-Britain, who spent a number of years iii 

 South-Carolina, communicated much nev/ light 

 with respect to the animals, generally, and especi- 

 ally the Amphibiay of our country/ Dr. Russell's 

 great w^ork on the Serpents of the Coromandel 

 coast'' is a production of the highest excellence in 

 its kind, the publication of w^hich was an im- 



b Natural History of Carolina, Florida j and the Bahama Islands, &c. By 

 Mark Catesby. a vols, folio. 



c Dr. Garden, who was a respectable physician of Charleston, In South- 

 Carolina, communicated to Linnjeus much valuable information concern- 

 ing the animals of America. Few names occur more frequently, or are 

 mentioned with more honour In the Sysiema Natura than his. 



d An Account of Indian Scrfents^ &c. By PATRICK RuiSELt, M, D« 

 F. R. S. folio. 



