THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 139 



depicted. As to the merits of the plates, we can by 

 no means concur with the praise which has often- 

 times been so lavishly pronounced on them : and 

 assuredly they will not for an instant stand compari- 

 son with the chaste, delicate, and we may add, 

 eloquent, ay, Reader, eloquent productions of Mr. 

 Gould's pencil. Many of the land birds are so over- 

 laid with foliage and other productions of the 

 vegetable world, that it is not easy to detect the 

 bird — which ought to be the ruincipal object. 

 Notwithstanding these defects, Ave may well say 

 with Cuvier, " que c'est le monument le plus magni- 

 fique qui ait encore ete eleve a l'ornithologie." 



Fauna Boreala Americana ; or the Zoology of the Northern parts of 

 British America. By John Richardson, M.D. : assisted by 

 William Swainson, 4to. vol. II. Ornithology. £4 4s. 1831. 



The appearance of this work is not one of the least 

 remarkable of the signs of " the march of intellect," 

 and may almost be said to mark an epoch in the 

 country's history. But for the fostering care of 

 government, which set apart £'1000 for the pur- 

 pose, the necessary funds could not have been 

 raised to meet the expenses of publication. This it 

 is true is but a small beginning, but is a cheering 

 prognostication of what may be expected hereafter, 

 when, having emerged from barbarism, nations shall 

 no longer permit their rulers to misapply the country's 

 treasure for the truly infernal purpose of murdering 



