ornithologist's TEXT-BOOK. 23 



to the plain sense of the reader. On the contrary, 

 I am most justly entitled to call for a proof of the 

 assumptions, that a stone has improved itself into 

 an oak, and a horse into a man, or that these de- 

 grade from man on all sides." 



We think that this extract will make it appear 

 sufficiently plain that the Professor has wholly mis- 

 understood the Quinary system. Rennie gathers 

 that the Quinarians suppose a stone to improve 

 itself into an oak, and a horse into a man, &c, 

 from the simple expression of one group leading 

 through another, and passing into a third ; which 

 of course only signifies that one group has an 

 affinity to another ; and a species which connects 

 two genera may be said to lead from one to the 

 other. The chain of living beings is unbroken, 

 and consequently each group, of whatever value, 

 passes into that which follows. We think it would 

 be impossible for any one but such as Rennie to 

 interpret this simple expressson into a declaration 

 that one living being is transformed into another, 

 It is the same with the doctrine of degradations. 

 Are not all living creatures inferior to man ? and, 

 therefore, if ranged round him in a circle — as is 

 the system of Nature — may they not be said to 

 degrade on all sides, without being supposed to be 

 transformed ? — But as Rennie does not understand 

 the system he affects to despise, what benefit can 

 accrue from refuting his fanciful arguments ? 



Barring the whole of the introduction with which 

 this excellent work is disgraced, we recommend the 

 Ornithological Dictionary of the acute and accu^ 

 rate Montagu, to the attentive perusal of the orni- 

 thological student. A few interesting remarks on 

 the habits and nidification of birds are inserted 

 into this edition, by the Editor, but, unhappily, 

 they are far from " original," as specified in the 

 title page, being almost wholly copied from a po- 



