46 



the United States ; but which, from present 

 appearances will probably ere long be com- 

 mon over the whole country. To the same 

 work we are indebted for the description, 

 by Mr. Cooper, of a singular and interesting 

 species of Fringilla, which had hitherto es- 

 caped the researches of our naturalists. The 

 synopsis of all the North American birds, 

 now publishing in the Annals by C. L. Bo- 

 naparte, will furnish an excellent manual to 

 the American ornithologist. 



Reptiles. Until within the two last years, 

 the examination of our reptiles has been 

 generally neglected. The confused and 

 contradictory statements in the systematic 

 works, and the difficulty of observing their 

 habits in their native haunts, have com- 

 bined to deter the inquirer. The article 

 entitled Description of several species of JVorlh 

 American Jlmphibia^ by Professor Green, in 

 the Journal of the Academy, contains the 

 first attempt by an American naturalist, to 

 describe and arrange some of our reptiles in 

 a systematic order. They were at that time 

 in a state of chaotic confusion, and Mr. Green 

 has conferred no trifling obligation upon 

 our herpetologists by his original and judi- 



