THE NOTE BOOK OF A NATURALIST. 
413 
given to every one that was worthy, — that is 
to say, to every one whose produce was of cre- 
ditable growth. Those only should go without 
prizes whose produce was not of creditable 
growth, because it would be no encouragement 
to the good if the bad were to be rewarded at all. 
A prize is a prize, however small, and none 
should be given for anything below an average 
tine growth. Let this one case be taken as a 
lesson for others. If only one-half the number 
could, from particularly adverse circumstances, 
grow cabbages, let the prizes be only propor- 
tionate ; but we feel quite assured that the more 
prizes there were the more shewers there would 
be. One great point must be attended to, and 
that is, allowing no one to take two prizes on one 
class. It is quite clear that the more there 
are shown, the more interesting the exhibition 
becomes ; but let cottagers, besides showing 
their productions for prizes, be allowed to put 
up as many with their names attached to them 
as they please, but not for competition. The 
present state of Cottage Gardening requires 
immediate attention, and the more that the 
higher classes look into the good that has been 
done, under every disadvantage, the more will 
they see the necessity of patronizing it judi- 
ciously, and of not diverting the attention of the 
owners from the raising and cultivating useful 
vegetables. 
THE NOTE BOOK OF A NATURALIST.* 
This volume is particularly acceptable in 
the present day, because there is an origin- 
ality in the treatment of a very familiar sub- 
ject. There is no vast attempt at method — 
indeed the title indicates nothing of the kind ; 
it is precisely what we should look for, a sort 
of hd captandum journal of all kinds of 
facts, packed up in all sorts of ways, and in 
all kinds of places. The author does not in- 
sist upon his readers learning the science to 
follow natural history, and his work is of a 
nature to entertain persons who know nothing 
of the matter. He says truly enough, " There 
are many practical and zealous florists, who 
are ignorant of even the elements of botany " 
(he might have said also many finished botan- 
ists who are ignorant of the first principles of 
practical floriculture) ; "and there are equally 
as many ardent followers of natural history, 
who derive both amusement and instruction 
from its pursuit, without cultivating it as a 
science. The knowledge of the various genera, 
their classification, their habits, the period of 
their appearance, is, whether applied to orni- 
thology or entomology, no slight task." He 
is quite right. We go still further ; we say, 
however much the science of botany or of 
* The Note Book of a Naturalist. By E. P. Thomp- 
son. London: Smith, Elder and Co.. 05, Cornhill. 
natural history may afford delight to those 
who are fond of it, a man may be profoundly 
ignorant of both, and yet greatly excel in the 
practical knowledge of the habits, character, 
and functions of plants and animals. Let us 
select a few passages from the author, by 
way of illustrating the fact, that a man may 
receive great delight from practical observa- 
tion of the subject of natural history, in ani- 
mals, as well as great delight in the culture of 
plants. He says — 
" A skilful naturalist has been able to per- 
ceive that in the body of the lowest caterpillar, 
which in the common opinion is one of the 
most degraded existences on earth, there are 
upwards of two thousand muscles, all of which 
can be brought into action with as much 
facility, at the will of that insect, and perform 
their several offices with as much accuracy, 
promptitude, and precision, as the most per- 
fect animal. It would be no easy matter to 
make some men believe that the most minute 
insect, whose whole life may be calculated for 
only the duration of a few hours, is, in all 
parts, for the functions it has to perform, as 
complete as the majestic elephant, which 
treads the forests of India for a century. 
Little do they suppose, that, even in its appear- 
ance under the greatest magnifying powers, 
it is as elegant in every respect, and as beau- 
tifully finished, as any of the larger animals. 
Unlike the paltry productions of man, all the 
minute parts of these works of God appear in 
greater perfection, and afford to us a greater 
degree of admiration, the more minutely and 
accurately they are examined. M. de Lisle 
saw, with a microscope, a very small insect, 
that in one second of time advanced three 
inches, taking five hundred and forty steps, 
and many of the discoveries of Leuwenheck 
were even still more wonderful than this." 
There is nothing here that a man may not 
contemplate with delight, without knowing 
the name of the creature he is examining. 
The Essay on Natural History, which pre- 
cedes the general matter, is much to the 
point, although there is some occasional bor- 
rowing from familiar authors. "We then have 
a chapter on the Physiognomy and Character 
of animals, another on the Migration of Birds. 
A chapter on the Robin, relating two or three 
incidents, for the book, as its title imports, 
is full of them, and connected with all sub- 
jects. The hybernation of animals, the pas- 
sion of animals, the animal world, and instinct 
of dogs, are subjects successively treated of, 
and illustrated by anecdotes and occurrences, 
related in plain and simple, but very intelligi- 
ble style. Among the miscellaneous matter, 
we find the following, which is curious : — 
" The delicate pink spots on turkeys' eggs 
will wash off when the egg is fresh and warm. 
