Anniversary Meeting of the oological Club. 221 
registering of species, a strictness and a clearness of expression 
have taken place among naturalists which almost assumes the 
merit of originality. No materials are presumed to be genuine, 
no species allowed to pass current, which have not undergone 
the ordeal of accurate examination. Striking is the contrast 
here exhibited with the catalogues of earlier days, where spe- 
cies fabricated from the hearsay of travellers, from mutilated 
fragments of specimens, or from rude and unauthenticated 
representations, were handed down with “ all their imperfec- 
tions on their heads” from one generation of compilers to 
another. Nor is it sufficient, in the present state of science, 
to look alone to the superficies of the object described. No 
character is neglected in the examination, internal or external. 
Comparative anatomy and physiology lend their aid to the 
true discrimination of species. And it is only by a strict observ- 
ation of every part of its structure, added to'an acquaintance 
with its economy and geographical distribution, that a modern 
zoologist considers any species which he undertakes to de- 
scribe, as entitled to rank among the legitimate accessions to 
science. 
The same scientific accuracy which attends the description 
of the naturalist extends equally to the representations of the 
artist: and no stronger proof can be adduced of the advance- 
ment of our science, than the contrast exhibited between the 
illustrative. plates of former days and those of the present. It 
is but justice to our Continental neighbours, to acknowledge 
that they first led the way to this improvement, and have ably 
maintained the per fection which they introduced. But those 
naturalists of our own country who have happily blended the 
character of the artist with that of the man of science, need 
not shrink from the comparison of their own labours with the 
proudest of the foreign productions. I cite, as proofs of my 
assertion, the plates of Mr. Selby, Sir William Jardine, and 
Mr. Audubon, in ornithology ; of Mr. Swa ninson, in various de- 
partments of animal life ; of the Messrs. Curtis, in entomology ; 
and the Messrs. Sowerby, i in shells. So faithful, so truly repre- 
sentative of nature, are the products of their pencils, that the 
student may apply to them for scientific instruction with 
almost equal reliance as to the subjects from which they are 
copied. I have mentioned the names of professed natural- 
ists. But, even among the votaries of the art who have not 
made natural history Hieit exclusive study, we find indivi- 
duals emulating the strictness of science. It is sufficient to 
mention the name of the Landseers, to convey to you the idea 
of all that is faithful as well as striking in the representation 
of nature. Bewick is recently lost to us, —- Bewick, whose 
OFS 
