THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 127 



for if we do not understand that, we shall never be 

 able to comprehend the purpose and working of any 

 of the parts." 



Mudie appears to us to have taken the subject in 

 the right light, but we have dwelt long enough on 

 the first volume, and shall now just glance at the 

 second. This is divided into " the Year," " Spring," 

 and " Summer," and the various productions of 

 nature are described under their proper heads. 

 Both in matter and manner it strikes us as being 

 much inferior to the first volume. The style is very 

 frequently, to say the least, inelegant, and sometimes 

 obscure. The author's scepticism as to the fact of 

 the Cucoo laying her egg in the nests of other birds, 

 seems to us, very absurd, and savors more of singu- 

 larity than a desire to arrive at the truth. 



In a review of this work on its first apj)earance, 

 (1830,) which appeared in vol. V. of the Magazine 

 of Natural History, the reviewer points out many 

 passages which are not only obscurely expressed, 

 but which it is impossible to understand, and makes 

 many suggestions with a view to a future edition. 

 These hints, we are surprised to find are not adopted 

 in the second edition, and nothing has been added 

 but an index and a few additional cuts. The 

 obscure passages remain just the same. The fron- 

 tispiece to the second volume is very beautiful : the 

 cow chinking is hit off to the life. Several of the 

 cuts of the birds (as the Lapwing and Nightjar) are 

 very fair, but we must add, they are copied. 



