Intelligence and MisceUaniei'. 353 



INTELLIGENCE AND MISCELLANIES. 



Domestic and Foreign. 



1 . Report of a committee appointed by the Lyceum of Nat- 

 ural History af New York to examine the splendid uwrk 

 of Mr. Audubon upon the Birds of North America. May, 

 1829. 



It is almost five years since our associate Mr. Audubon 

 exhibited his rich port-folio of nearly four hundred original 

 drawings of American Birds, at a meeting of this Lyceum — 

 Having afterwards carried his collection to Europe, the pub- 

 lication of them has been commenced in London, and the 

 first volume, embracing forty nine species, is now submitted 

 to the inspection of our society ; and it will hardly be denied 

 that it forms the most magnificent work of its kind ever exe- 

 cuted in any country. 



Every species is represented of the natural size, the Wild 

 Turkey and the largest Eagles appearing in their full dimen- 

 sions, the size of these regulating that of all the other plates. 

 When the birds are too small to occupy so large a sheet, it 

 is filled up either by giving several figures of the same spe- 

 cies of diflferent sex or age, or by introducing the plants on 

 which the bird is usually found, and in most instances by 

 both these embellishments. In others are represented Quad- 

 rupeds, Reptiles, or Insects, the mortal enemies, or the favor- 

 ite prey, of the principal species- Thus we see in one plate, 

 three figures of the Baltimore Oriole, male, female, and young; 

 and a splendid representation of the Tulip tree, the pride of 

 the American forest. In another, the graceful foliage and 

 brilliant corolla of the Trumpet-creeper are tastefully group- 

 ed with the portraits of a numerous family of the Ruby- 

 throated Humming-bird, and in a third the soft hues of the 

 Carohna Dove are seen to harmonize with the no less soft 

 and elegant Stuartia of our Southern States. The Rattle- 

 snake, the Harlequin snake, the American Hare, the Squirrel, 

 many insects, and even fishes, are brought in to give ef- 

 fect to the picture, at the same time that they illustrate in 

 the most striking manner the habits and economy of the birds. 

 These latter have been all drawn from life. We see them 

 in their living and most spirited positions. All is activity 

 and energy, and each is busily engaged in some peculiar em- 

 VoL. XVI.— No. 9. 18 



