Bibliographical Notices. 463 



breeding in the hollows of trees, as recorded by Mr. Hewitson, is 

 here confirmed ; the only specimen seen by Mr. Audubon, while in- 

 cubating, being discovered in the cavity of a large broken branch. 

 It is a curious situation to be selected, in all the instances we know 

 of, by a duck so decidedly and expertly aquatic in its habits ; but 

 Mr. Audubon also states that, to his great amazement, he once saw 

 a small flock, on being disturbed, fly to some distance, and edight on 

 the large branches of a sycamore tree which hung over the creek. 

 Bonaparte gives the bird of America as distinct, under the name 

 of C Americana. 



Hen-Harrier, Circus cyaneus, is said to be identical in both con- 

 tinents, contrary to the latest decision of the Prince of Musignano. 

 The habits of these birds in the different countries seem to vary very 

 little, and we incline to consider them alike ; at the same time there 

 are one or two varieties in the plumage which are pretty constant. 



Sand -Martin, Hirundo riparia. Described as identical with the 

 British birds, but still placed by Bonaparte with a query. Follow- 

 ing the description of this swallow we have that of another closely 

 allied and considered new, under the name H. serripennis ; it is pe- 

 culiarly marked by having the outer webs of the quills elongated 

 into hooks, to judge from the wood-cut of the parts, similar to what 

 we observe in some of the owls and night-breeding birds. 



Many of the other descriptions in the volume may be perused 

 with much interest, particularly those of the Brown Pelican, Snake 

 bird, Avocet, Black Skimmer, &c., where we have minute relations 

 of the manners, such as none but an observer, and one devoted to 

 his subject, could relate. 



Genera Plantarum secundum Ordines Naturales disposita ; auctore 

 Stephana Endlicher. Vienna. 1836, &c. 



Of this valuable publication, which may be considered a new edi- 

 tion of the ' Genera Plantarum ' of Jussieu, and of which we gave 

 an announcement in the ' Companion to the Botanical Magazine,' 

 v. ii. p. 191, seven parts are now before us, and an eighth, we be- 

 lieve, has also reached this country. Here, as in the work just al- 

 luded to of Jussieu, the arrangement is begun with the least perfect 

 plants, and the vegetable world is divided into kingdoms (regiones), 

 sections, cohorts, classes, orders, sub-orders, tribes, genera. The 

 characters are copious, drawn up with great care. The first regio 

 is entitled Thallophyta, and includes what are familiarly known 

 as Algce, Lichens and Fungi. 



The second regio is entitled Cormophyta ; in it we have the He- 



