Analytical Notices of Books. 483 



Art. LXI. Anal t/f teal Notices of Books. 



The Transactions of the Linnean Societij of London, Vol. XVI, Part 

 I. pp. 149, Plates xv. 



In the present purely zoological part of the Transactions of the 

 Linnean Society, the first paper which claims our attention is entitled 

 " Remarks on the Comparative Anatomy of certain Birds of Cuba, with 

 " a view to their respective places in the System of Nature, or to their 

 *' Relations'with other Animals." It is from the pen of our valued friend 

 and correspondent Mr. MacLeay, and, like all the productions of that 

 gentleman, aims at far higher objects than the mere placing on record 

 of a few facts, which are left to be turned to account at some future time 

 by an abler and more philosophical naturalist than the observer who 

 first announces them to the world. Of Mr. MacLeay's studies, the 

 primary object has always been to elucidate more fully the natural 

 arrangement of the animal kingdom, and in the present remarks this aim 

 it kept steadily in view, so far as regards the two principal, and conse- 

 quently the most generally interesting, classes of animated nature, the 

 Mammalia and the Birds. Of cotnparative anatomy they contain but 

 little, and appear rather to be designed as prefatory observations introduc- 

 tory to anatomical notices which are intended hereafter to be given. 

 But they are filled with curious research, with deep speculation and with 

 interesting facts, so brought together from various sources as to be made 

 to bear upon the leading object of enquiry, and thereby to exhibit them- 

 selves in a point of view altogether novel. 



Commencing with some general observations on the primary impor- 

 tance of comparative anatomy in zoological researches, and remarking 

 that no zoologist can be satisfied that he has ascertained the place of any 

 animal in nature, without fully investigating the structure and use of its 

 various organs, since on this structure and on this use depends all his 

 knowledge of its place, Mr. MacLeay proceeds to state his intention to 

 avail himself of the facilities afforded by his residence in an intertropical 

 climate, for examining anatomically particular genera which are not 



