Retrospective Criticism. AAD 
collection as possible, and then rolled in strong paper, or any soft mater ial, 
to protect its edges. 
18. A heavy hainmer to break off the specimens from the rock, and a 
smaller one to trim them into shape, are indispensable. If the larger ham- 
mer have a pick at one end, it will be found very useful in digging up and 
flaking off those thin shaly beds which usually contain the best preserved 
shells, &e. A chisel or two are also desirable. 
19, The recommendation expressed in the instruction No, 1. may be 
repeated : — That it should be a general maxim with geological collectors 
to direct their principal attention to the procuring of fossil organic remains, 
both animal and vegetable. These are always of value when ‘brought from 
distant countries, especially when their localities are carefully marked ; 
but when the rocks contam no petrifications, yery small specimens are 
sufficient. 
*,* All boxes to be addressed to W. Lonsdale, Esq. Curator, Geo- 
logical Society, Somerset House, London, 
“Apar tments of the Geological Society, Somerset House, 
London, February 19, 1830. 
Art. VIII. Retrospective Criticism. 
WILBRAND and Ritsen’s Picture of Organised Nature.— 1 object to several 
incorrect passages in your review of this work. — Vol. IL. p. 349. “ The 
lion” lives “ only in Africa’s burning deserts.” This is so far from being 
the case, that the lion is also found in the comparatively fine climates of 
Northern Indiaand Southern Africa. — P. 349. “ The camels of the Old 
World belong to the warmer half of the temperate zone.” Are they not 
found in the torrid zone too? From what is said (p.350.) of the ox and 
buffalo, the obvious inference is, that the former is peculiar to the temperate 
zones, and that its place in the torrid zone is supplied by the buffalo; but 
the ox as well as the buffalo abounds in the torrid zone, and more ‘than 
one species is found wild in India. “ The hor se (p. 359.) is” not- “ found 
wild in Arabia,” neither, I believe, “ in Java;” nor is “ the bear” (p- 350.) 
peculiar “ to the coldest half of the temperate zone,” three species being 
found in India and its islands. In the same page (350.), “ the dog” is said 
to extend from the “ snow to the torrid zone, terminating with the jackall and 
hyena ;”’ but the hyeenahas been properly separated from the genus Canis, 
and not only are the jackall and it found in the torrid zone, but the 
wolf and wild dog also. —P.350. Again, “ the cat genus,” “ towards 
the middle of the. temperate zone, diminishes into the wild cat.? -The 
wild cat, however, the very type of our domestic one, I have often 
seen in the woods of Southern India. In the same page, the “ stork” 
is oddly enough combined with the “ermine and weasel:” I presume 
stoat is meant. In the same page, again, “ moles” are said to “ inhabit 
both the temper ate and torrid zones.” Is this correct? Again, same 
page, “ por cupines’ are not restricted “ to the warmest part of the tem- 
perate zones: > they are common in the south of India, in the torrid zone. 
A similar remark applies to the wild swine, which is abundant in most parts 
of India. “ Gulls (p.351.) are” not “ peculiar to the-northern hemi- 
sphere.” Ihave two different species, which I brought from the Cape of 
Good Hope; Table Bay 1 is full of them. Is it meant (p. 351.) that fous 
are more numerous “ in the colder portion of the temperate zone” than in 
the torrid zone? If so, it is a mistaken idea. As to the lizards being 
* most numerous in the direction of the snow line,” yet “ belonging chiefly 
to the torrid zone,” | know not what to make of it. _ Crabs and shellfish 
({p. 352.) are met with in the southern hemisphere beyond 80°”! Who 
GG 3 
