The Naturalist. 45 



we concluded that their pretensions to rank as such would 

 date from the commencement of the Naturalist. The late 

 proceedings at Bristol have furnished a striking example of 

 an individual who must long have had just claims to the title 

 of an eminent scientific man, although he was, comparatively 

 speaking, quite unknown to the world at large. Hence we 

 flattered ourselves that so many persons coming forward for 

 the first time in that character, through the medium of a new 

 periodical, its publication would stamp a new epoch in the 

 present condition of our knowledge of natural history. 



Would that we could say our hopes and expectations have 

 not been disappointed ! The Naturalist has appeared ; but the 

 scientific men — where are they ? 



On glancing over the first numbers, we do not see much to 

 arrest the attention of the man of real science, or to captivate 

 the mere lover of nature. The articles, generally speaking, 

 are extremely tame, and written in a style which unavoidably 

 forces upon the reader's recollection the idea of their being 

 " got up " for the occasion, instead of being the spontaneous 

 productions of those who are engaged hand and heart in the 

 advancement of that science of which they profess to treat. 



There is, however, one feature in the present work upon 

 which we cannot help expressing ourselves in terms of the 

 most unqualified approbation, the fair sex having come 

 forward as contributors to its pages; and we blush to observe 

 that the only original facts connected with natural history, 

 recorded in the columns of the first number of the Naturalist, 

 are to be found in the communications of two ladies. 



In geology, and some other branches of physical science, 

 there are among our countrywomen names that will shine 

 bright in the history of the progress of human knowledge, 

 and which can never be referred to without exciting our feel- 

 ings of pride, and calling forth our admiration. Considering 

 the numerous matters of every day occurrence which still 

 furnish ample materials for investigation, we cannot but feel 

 that there are abundance of subjects to which the attention 

 of the other sex might be advantageously directed. If they 

 would take up the study of zoology, even with reference only 

 to our domestic animals, we feel convinced, from the facts 

 now before us, that we should soon be in possession of a series 

 of valuable and original observations. 



Miss Dobson's communication, though, perhaps, the less 

 important of the two, stands first in order. This lady, whilst 

 studying the habits and peculiarities of gold and silver fish, 

 has remarked, among other particulars, that, after catching 

 the worms thrown to them in the water, they shake them in 



