3966 The Zoologist— May, 1874. 



that " we are almost entirely ignorant of their places of retreat." 

 Then again, with regard to the doubt whether birds "conceal 

 themselves and remain in a state of torpidity," is it possible that 

 even a doubt can be entertained ? 



In the brief preface to this Second Edition, dated 22nd August, 

 1872, we are told that "the descriptions of the British spiders are 

 omitted, as they are all included in 'A History of the Spiders of 

 Great Britain and Ireland ;' " but the author adds, " 1 may remark 

 that the materials of which the present volume is composed have 

 been collected for the most part during intervals of relaxation from 

 more important avocations ; and it is hoped that they may be found 

 to contain information on various subjects interesting to the general 

 reader and to the natural philosopher." Not one word is said of 

 the author entertaining a doubt of his preliminary statement as 

 quoted above. 



When I began the pursuit of Natural History I heard every one 

 who possessed a similar proclivity speaking of Mr. Blackwall ''with 

 bated breath," and regarding him as one whose vast knowledge of 

 Natural History removed him entirely out of the category of living 

 and working naturalists, as one who should be regarded rather as a 

 superior being, a sort of inspired teacher, than as a humble and 

 erring fellow-labourer and fellow-student of Nature's doings. His 

 writings were considered far too profound for common capacities, 

 and were only permitted to see the light through the instrumentality 

 of hot-pressed quartos or technical octavos, which, by their very 

 tone and phraseology, were hermetically sealed against all but the 

 elect. When, therefore, 1 received this volume, and for the first time 

 Mr. Blackwall stood before me, as he describes himself in the para- 

 graph 1 have quoted, I experienced a shock that I can scarcely 

 describe. Still 1 shall be able to make some extracts showing that 

 as an observer he is not without merit ; but before doing so I think 

 it may be allowable to notice an anachronism continually occurring 

 which requires explanation. 



In the " Inquiry into the Supposed Capability of the Peri- 

 odical Birds to become Torpid," are cited observations made 

 in 1816, 1824, 1826, 1827, 1842, 1843 and 1855, those of the 

 last year containing avowed extracts from the Report of the 

 Twenty-fifth Meeting of the British Association, and yet these 

 are repeated in 1873 as portion of a Second Edition of the 

 'Researches in Zoology,' published in 1834. This confusion is of 



