96 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



of Wilson, and of Audubon, or even of Bewick, 

 and it will be found miserably defective. Yet it is 

 fuller than many, and very few contain more infor- 

 mation. Lewin should have been impressed with 

 the assertion of Mudie, " One ocean scene, to give 

 it breath, one sea bird to give it wing, would require 

 a volume." 



Nor can we report more favourably of the plates. 

 We suspect that not only Individuality, but also 

 Form, Size, and Color, were lamentably deficient 

 in the brain of our luckless would-be Naturalist. 

 That prince of birds the noble Golden Eagle, 

 (Aquila aurea) is here nothing but an assemblage 

 of tawny feathers, and the eye lacketh that deter- 

 mined spirit looking proud defiance, so characteristic 

 of the species. The Hoopoo, Beeater, Hairy Wood- 

 pecker, Barred Woodpecker, Crested Tit, Blue Tit, 

 and a few others are bright exceptions ; but these 

 are few and far between ; the coloring in most of 

 them is bad, the form worse, and the attitude worst. 

 Almost all are twisting their heads into some strange 

 contortions. The eggs are rather better, but they 

 will bear no comparison with Mr. Hewitson's mas- 

 terly productions in this department. If cur author 

 instead of seeking foreign fame he could never 

 possess, by writing his descriptions in French as 

 well as in English, had applied himself more dili- 

 gently to the necessary parts of his work, his 

 production would perhaps have been worth its cost- 

 In the frontispiece a curious variety of the Garden 



