Murine's Translation of the Regne JlnimaL 447 



in the former, M. F. Cuvier remarks, that he would consider 

 the genus as merely forming a third division of arvicola : we 

 doubt if the existence of a single character of this nature, should 

 indicate even a specific distinction. 



The specimen under consideration is a young male, just 

 full grown ; in colour it displays a striking resemblance to the 

 Gerbillus canadensis; it was recently taken in Virginia, by 

 Mr. Nuttall, (the eminent botanist,) in the vicinity of Norfolk, 

 near the river shore, and was one of several he discovered 

 under the bark of a hollow tree, where they had built a fine 

 nest. 



M'MURTRIE'S TRANSLATION OF THE "REGNE ANIMAL." 



Sir, — That a translation should be undertaken and published 

 in the United States, of so elaborate a work as Cuvier^s Regne 

 Animal, at a time, too, when the English language, at its head 

 quarters, is acquiring another, from the united labours of Mr. 

 Griffith and his co-adjutors, argues a great deal for the apparent 

 advances we are making in the study of natural history. It was 

 a spirited undertaking on the part of the publishers, and deserves 

 success. I confess, I had supposed the limited number of per- 

 sons amongst us who might wish to possess an English transla- 

 tion of the Regne Animal, was far short of the encouragement 

 such a work requires : in this I find I w^as mistaken ; for whether 

 the translation has been executed well or ill, the appearance of 

 the work is sufficient evidence of the confidence of the publishers 

 in the demand for it. The remarks I am about to make, have 

 not been suggested by the habit of critical severity, nor by hos- 

 tile feelings to any one. I hope to show that it is the love of 

 science which guides my pen, as well as a desire to vindicate 

 the literary reputation of the country. It will be doing some- 

 thing towards that, if one American corrects the errors into 

 which another has fallen. 



I also wish to show the publishers of this country, how much 

 it is their interest, when they are about to publish translations 

 of foreign scientific works, to employ competent persons. It is 

 a wretched economy, both for publishers and purchasers, to have 

 any thing to do with translations, merely because they can be 

 procured at a cheap rate ; any man capable of giving a correct 



