THE ZOOLOGIST. 
THIRD SERIES. 
Mot. 111.] JUNE, 1879. 
ANIMAL LIFE AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY. 
By tae Eptror. 
“We have the Exhibition to examine.” 
Much Ado About Nothing, iv. 2. 
A cRITIcIsM upon animal-life as depicted in any collection 
of paintings, to be of value, we opine, should be penned 
either by an art-critic who is also a naturalist, or (as these 
qualifications are rarely combined) “in consultation,” as the 
lawyers have it, by a representative of each of these two 
different professions. Certain it is that some of the best artists 
of the day, who from their profession may be supposed to be 
perfectly familiar with the principles of their art, are unable, 
from their want of acquaintance with Zoology, to criticise 
pictures of animal-life from any view of the subject but their 
own. Equally true is it that a naturalist, however observant he 
may be in his own particular sphere, must in a great measure 
fail if he attempt to descant upon an art with the principles of 
which he is more or less ignorant. The writer, finding himself 
in the latter category, experiences considerable diffidence in 
undertaking, single-handed, a critique on animals as depicted 
at the present time on the walls of the Royal Academy. It is 
to be understood that he makes no pretension to be considered 
an art-critic, and the remarks which follow are to be regarded as 
an expression of opinion by one who views pictures of the class 
under consideration solely with the eyes of a naturalist. 
2H 
