16 ornithologist's text-book. 



delicate a little bird as the gold-crested wren al- 

 ways gives great pleasure. Besides, the minutest 

 detail can never, in such cases, do any harm. I 

 have likewise added some foreign birds, several of 

 which have been but recently introduced in this 

 country by any bird dealers." 



We may remark, in conclusion, that we have 

 seldom met with any work on this delightful branch 

 of Natural Science which pleased us so well as 

 Bechstein's Cage Birds. It appears also to be well 

 translated — probably by Rennie — and is perfectly 

 indispensable to every one who wishes to preserve 

 birds in health for any length of time, in confine- 

 ment. 



History of the Earth and Animated Nature, by 

 Oliver Goldsmith, L.L.D. 1791. 



The first edition of this popular work was, we 

 believe, published in 1791 ; as, however, that 

 edited by Win. Turton, M.D. (6 vols. 8vo. 1816), 

 is the one in our possession, our remarks will apply 

 to this edition. It is well known to most of our 

 readers that our author was little fitted for writing 

 on Natural History, and that necessity alone urged 

 him to commence his arduous undertaking. The 

 Animated Nature is, accordingly, nothing but a 

 compilation, and even as a compiler Goldsmith had 

 but little success. The work is, however, written 

 in a pure and elegant style, and thus, like BurTon's 

 Histoire Naiurelle, it has attained considerable 

 popularity. It is never referred to by Naturalists, 

 and we would not recommend the young Ornitho- 

 logist to read it, much less study it, as it abounds 

 with errors in every page, which the Editor has 

 taken little or no pains to correct; nor, indeed, 

 would this be an easy matter, as the whole work 



