576 Magazine of Natural History. 



though it is to be regretted that in the selection of these papers the Editor must 

 be guided, not by their merit, but by the smallness of the cost at which they 

 can be got up. There are some admirable essays in the Annales des Sciences, 

 &c, both botanical and zoological, far superior in the importance of their subjects, 

 in interest, and in novelty to those selected, but the plates required to illustrate 

 them is a veto absolute, and not to be removed in this country for years to come, 

 — until a love of genuine science shall have displaced that ticklish amateurship 

 now so common, and frequently forsooth held up as a proof of the wide spread 

 which natural history has made among us ! Oh Yes, " Illustrations" for the 

 drawing-room, — " coloured figures" for wealthy collectors — too lazy or ignorant 

 to determine their species without this aid — and " Popular Histories" for children, 

 sell all well enough, but let us note the spead of natural science by a higher test, 

 — and how few are they who would subscribe to put into an English dress the 

 essays of Morren, Muller, Dujardin, Edwards, Turpin, Rusconi, and a host of 

 others ? We can merely indicate the contents of our contemporary, whose success 

 will give us sincere pleasure. 



1. Zoology. 



Blyth on the Psychological distinctions between Man and all other Animals ; 

 and the consequent diversity of Human Influence over the inferior Ranks of Crea- 

 tion, from any mutual and reciprocal Influence exercised among the latter, p. 1, 



and p. 77. An essay of very considerable merit Description of a new 



British fish, by Dr Ed. Moore, p. 17. The fish is Peristedion Malarmat, Lace- 

 pede, the Trigla cataphracta, Lin. and was taken between Plymouth and the 



Eddystone Bree's observations upon Trochilium crabroniformis, the Lunar 



Hornet Sphinx, p. 19. This insect is, we believe, of frequent occurrence in 

 the north of England, and south of Scotland. We have lately seen specimens 

 of the Salix caprea cut in Berwickshire, perforated in many places with the grub 



of it.*— Strickland on the mode of Progression observed in the genus Lima, 



Brug. p. 23. CHARLESWORTHon the Occurrence of Voluta Lamberti on the 



Suffolk coast ; with observations upon its claim to rank with existing species, 



p. 35 Observations upon Voluta Lamberti, with a description of a gigantic 



species of Terebratula from the Coralline Crag, by Ed. Charlesworth, p. 90. 



2. Botany. 



Christy's Notices of Rare Plants collected in Jersey, p. 25 Bowman on 



the Longevity of the Yew, as ascertained from actual sections of its Trunk ; and 



on the origin of its frequent occurrence in churchyards, p. 28, and p. 85 



Bird's Remarks on a particular form of irritability observed in the stems of 

 many plants, especially exogens, evinced on dividing them in the direction of 



their axis, p. 57 Some observations on the oak, by Von Osdat, p. 74. We 



hope to see many papers like the two preceding, and no more like this 



Such is a list of the original papers in these numbers, for we omit of purpose 

 any notice of the Translations and Reviews. 



* In Dumfries-shire it is abundant, inhabiting in the larva state S. caprea and 

 the Black Italian poplar. The perfect insect, however, is scarcely ever taken, and 

 specimens are to be procured with certainty only by rearing the caterpillar. 

 —W.J. 



