20 



Levaillant was a close and accurate observer of 

 Nature, and his works, although entirety destitute 

 of system or arrangement, must ever hold a distin- 

 guished place on the shelf of the philosophic 

 Ornithologist. His descriptions may invariably be 

 relied on, and the figures, though somewhat want- 

 ing in finish, are always characteristic. It is unne- 

 cessary to make particular mention of Levaillant's 

 works, as all are equally essential to the Ornitho- 

 logist. 



Natural History of British Birds, by E. Dono- 

 van, F.L.S. 10 vols. 8vo. London. 1799—1816. 



This is a work of little merit, and wholly useless 

 to the Ornithologist. The descriptions are short 

 and inaccurate, and the plates stiff and gaudy. 



Ornithological Dictionary, or Synopsis of British 

 Birds. 2 vols. 8vo. and Supplement, London. 1802 

 —1813, by George Montagu, Esq. F.L.S. 



This was the first satisfactory work on British 

 birds that had yet appeared, the scientific details 

 being accurate in the extreme, and the descriptions 

 of habits and manners, and also the accounts of 

 tame birds in the author's possession, are highly 

 entertaining, and the student will do well to peruse 

 the work with attention. A second edition appeared 

 in 1831, edited by Professor Rennie, "with apian 

 of study, and many new articles and original ob- 

 servations. 1 ' Now that there are " many new 

 articles" we fully admit, but think it would be an 

 extremely difficult matter to find any " original 

 observations," from the pen of the worthy Professor. 

 As to paper, type, &c. this edition is certainly an 



