THE EDINBURGH 



JOUENAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



AND OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



N°. 1. 



SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1835. 



ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC. 



The taste for Natural History is now universally diffused throughout the empire. 

 Within the last few years, various cheap publications on this subject, illustrated 

 by engravings on wood, have led all classes to observe and to enjoy the ever-varied 

 beauties of the creation. But no description, however correct, or no wood-cut, how- 

 ever well executed, can give that complete idea of a natural object, which is elTected 

 by an engraving on steel, when coloared with accuracy. The enormous price at which 

 these illustrations of a higher order are usually sold, has alone prevented them from 

 becoming extensively popular. Hitherto, coloured engravings, executed with beauty 

 and correctness, have been accessible to the wealthier classes alone. It is proposed, 

 in this work, to place elegant engravings of the choicest productions of Nature, with- 

 in the reach of all classes of the community ; and thus, in small towns and in the 

 country, where museums are unknown, and libraries very scarce, the lover of Nature 

 will be enabled to extend his knowledge of the works of the Creator beyond the limited 

 sphere of his own observations. 



The plan of this work is twofold. — An attempt is here made for the first time to 

 combine the lighter character of a popular periodical, with the more solid utility of au 

 eminent scientific work. One half-sheet of each Number will contain, '* The Edin- 

 burgh Journal of Natural History, and of the Physical Sciences;" and 

 the other will be devoted to a new translation of *' The Animal Kingdom, by 

 Baron Cuvier," with extensive Notes and Additions. 



THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, AND OF TIH! 

 PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 

 In this portion of the work, interesting articles will be given on every department of 

 Natural History, taken in its most extensive sense. The physical peculiarities of 

 the inhabitants of different countries will be recorded, in so far as they have been 

 ascertained, the habits and instinct of animals will be explained, and such discoveries 

 as may be made from time to time, both relating to Man and to Animals, will be 

 regularly published. The wonders of the Vegetable Kingdom, the culture and ma- 

 nagement of Plants, and their economical uses, will form subjects of description, as 

 well as the interesting and useful objects of the Mineral Kingdom. The novelties of 

 Geology, and of Physical Geography, will also be embraced; and an account given of 

 every remarkable occurrence in nature, ■whether proceeding from sudden ajid violent 

 atmospheric changes, or from causes within the earth's surface. Elementary papers, 

 on the different departments of Natural History, will aid the student in his inquiries. 

 Popular articles will be written on the most interesting phenomena of Astronomy ; 

 while Mechanics, Optics, Chemistry, Electricity, and the higher branches of Physical 

 Science, will not be altogether neglected. The novelties of Foreign Science and 

 Literature will hold a prominent place in this Journal; and translations will appear of 

 the more popular parts of important works, which would be otherwise inaccessible to 

 most persons in this country. We shall explain the proceedings of Learned Societies 

 • — give Reviews of New Works — and record the demise of all who have been skilled 

 in the Physical Sciences. This part of the work will be written in a style as simple 

 as the subject will admit, avoiding, on all occasions, deep and abstruse reasoning; 

 yet, at the same time, being inteUigible and instructive to all classes of readers. A 

 short and popular account of the objects illustrated in each plate will be given in the 

 Number accompanying it, while a more detailed and scientific description will after- 

 wards appear in its proper place. 



THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, BY BARON CUVIER. 

 TiiE. second portion of our publication contains an improved translation of the last 

 edition of this justly celebrated work. It is well known, that the original was chiefly 

 designed by its illustrious author as an outhne, being more particularly intended to 

 elucidate the new system of classification, of which he was the inventor. It is pro- 

 posed, in the present translation, to fill up the masterly outline of Baron Cuvier with 

 interesting and popular accounts of the habits and peculiarities of the whole Animal 

 Kingdom. Care will, hov.-Gver, be taken to distinguish this additional matter from 

 the original text of Baron Cuvier, by printing it in a smaller t)-pe; and, wherever 

 it has become necessary, from more recent discoveries, or for other reasons, to supply 

 a few words in the text, these are inclosed in brackets [ ]. The whole wiU run on 

 in a continuous manner; and the plates are intended to be bound, at the completion 

 of the work, with this Edition of the Animal Kingdom; the whole thus forming the 

 most complete and economical publication on the subject of Natural History ever of- 

 fered to the Public. It \vill be accompanied by a Portrait of Baron Cuvier, and by 

 a Memoir of his Life. An historical article will be given on the rise and progress of 

 Zoulogy; also, a treatise on the Geographical Distribution of Animals, and another 



on Fossil remains. The work will conclude with an extensive Synopsis, or Index, of 

 the entire Animal Kingdom. 



Occasional wood-cuts illustrate matters of general interest. Throughout the 

 entire work, the utmost caution is observed in excluding all passages which are 

 calculated to offend delicacy; and those details, without which the work would "oe 

 incomplete, appear in a foreign language. Supplementary plates will be published 

 at intervals, for the convenience of those who may wish to possess figures of the whole 

 Animal Kingdom. 



In respect to the execution of the work, although this number is offered as a speci- 

 men of its general ehai*acter and arrangement , yet various improvements will obvious- 

 ly suggest themselves in the course of this extensive undertaking; and unlike many 

 similar works, the later numbers will exceed the first, in the quality and the beauty 

 of their illustrations. The artists employed are all of the most respectable descrip- 

 tion; the designs are drawn from the objects themselves; or, when this is impracti- 

 cable, they are copied from the best authorities in our own and in foreign countries; 

 while the engra\'ing5 arc coloured in the most careful manner. The average number 

 of objects upon each plate will be about ten, varying in number according to the di- 

 mensions of the animals. We have selected the present size, as being the smallest 

 that can combine economy with accuracy of deUneation. It will be seen in the plate 

 of Trogons, accompanying this number, that the Golden Couroucoui, a bird of the 

 size of a small pigeon, has been reduced to about one-third of its natural dimensions; 

 and it will be readily seen, from the great length of its tail, that any smaller work 

 could not possibly have given a correct deUneation of an object of this description. 

 Also, by placing many objects on one plate, great facilities are afforded for a compari- 

 son of the external forms of allied animals ; while room is given for a tasteful ap- 

 proximation and contrast of forms and colours. 



It is hoped that the tj-pography and general execution of the work, entitle it to 

 some consideration: the sheets are all carefully pressed, and are not issued in their 

 rough state, as is usual with periodical publications. 



In regard to economy this work is imrivalled. The quantity of matter in each 

 number is equal to sixtt-five ordinary /oo/scap octavo pages; so that a quantity of 

 letter-press, equal to a volume of the Waverley Novels, will be had for One Shil- 

 ling. 



Thus, while the views of the lowest classes will be fully met by the cheapness of 

 this work, it is hoped that its beauty and accuracy will render it worthy of the ap- 

 probation even of the very highest. By spreading a taste for science, and for intel- 

 lectual improvement among all classes of the community, we endeavour to promote 

 the moral and intellectual progress of the species. We hope to make it appear, in the 

 words of an illustrious living authority, " that the pleasures of science go hand in 

 hand with the solid benefits derived from it ; that they tend, unlike other gratifica- 

 tions, not only to make our lives more agreeable, but better; and that a rational 

 being is bound, by every motive of interest and of duty, to direct his mind towards 

 pursmts, which are found to be the sure path of virtue, as well as of happiness." 



No expense or trouble will be spared by the Proprietors of this work to obtain the 

 latest information, and the most correct delineations of natural objects. Naturalists 

 and men of science, in this and in foreign countries, are requested to favor the Editor 

 with an early notice of their observations. 



To ensure regularity in the publication of the work, a large portion of the illustra- 

 tions are already completed. Arrangements have been made at New York, Hamburgh, 

 Paris, Brussels, and various parts of the Continent, to render them available to 

 foreigners, as well as to our own countrymen. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE THE TROGONS. 



The figures on this plate represent the genus Trogon of Linnieus, commonly called 

 the Couroucoui. These birds are remarkable for the splendour of their plumage, iu 

 which the hue of the emerald is placed in agreeable contrast to those of the topaz and 

 ruby; while their briUiant colours lead us to forget their rather inelegant forms. They 

 are members of that class of birds called Scansores, or CUmbers, their feet being pro- 

 vided with four toes, two of which are placed before and two behind. 



These birds lead a lonely life, frequenting solitary woods. They feed on insects. 

 they fly principally in the morning and evening, and they incubate in the holes of 

 trees. In general, they are very silent birds; but sometimes they cry Covroitcovi, 

 from which their name is derived, and sometimes Pio, Pio. They are noted by na- 

 turalists for the plenitude of their plumage. 



Fig. 1. — The Golden Couroucoui (Trogoii Pavommis), is one of the most beautiful 



