163 
Notices of Books. 
[[May 
to which both its richness and extent so justly entitle it. Various useful, and 
some splendid publications — all published under the fostering care of the East 
India Company have contributed to the elucidation of its different branches, 
and have rescued our country from the stigma of suffering the natural productions 
of so vast and interesting a portion of its dominions to lie buried in obscurity, 
while those of other regions, rarely visited by European travellers, are daily be- 
coming better known. Among such publications, those which have been devoted 
to its Zoology have occupied a conspicuous station ; but they have been hitherto 
confined to particular districts, and have been commonly restricted to certain 
classes or families of the Animal Kingdom. Such are the magnificent works of 
Or. Russell on the Serpents ot India, and on the Fishes of the Coromandel Coast ; 
and also the later and less splendid, but not less valuable, publication of Dr. 
Hamilton, on the Fishes of the Ganges, and Dr. Horsfield’s excellent Researches 
in Java. But a work comprehending the whole of Continental India, and of the 
Islands which are usually regarded as its appendages, and embracing at the same 
time all the more perfect departments of Animated Nature, is still a desideratum 
to science. To fill up this void, the present publication has been undertaken ; 
the materials for its execution, possessed by General Hardwicke, are, we may 
confidently assert, unequalled in extent. They consist— 
!‘ .°f Drawings made upon the spot, and chiefly from living specimens of 
animals, which General Hardwicke was enabled to procure by the labours of col- 
lectors employed for the purpose, and sent on excursions to Nepaul, &c. during a 
residence ot upwards ot forty years in various parts of the Indian Empire ; executed 
)y English and native Artists, constantly employed for this express purpose, under 
Ins own immediate superintendence. r 
V Seco yHy * of Descriptions and Notes made at the same time with the Drawings, 
and carefully compared with the originals. 
“ thirdly, of extensive collections of the Animals themselves, the specimens of 
which are tor the most part, deposited in the British Museum, the Museum of the 
Societies 16 ^ C ° mpany » and in those of the Li nnean and Zoological 
libPiMN th ?f . added ’ tbe Contributions of numerous friends who have 
b P pT“^ i i i i 6 £J. he8 , of the Collection, and those Materials which have 
tinental Museums ^ Edltor 8 personal inspection of various English and Con- 
di r'rT nft’i W} lI C t h i H Z bCen plHCed by General Hardwicke at the 
W P ? _ Mr ‘ Gra >» ot the British Museum, under whose superintendence the 
, . , ' Wlli appear, it is first proposed to make a selection of such Vertebrated and 
Molluscous Animals, more especially sucb as have never before been accuracy 
faguied, particular care being taken to avoid giving again any of the animals 
nch have been figured in the publications above enumerated.” 
annear-?r rp S W ° 1 ^ Uk ? this ’ and congratulate the scientific world on its 
publishing bv Dr with t the CqUally s P lendid botanical work now 
Fmputation of total dL ! V T- ’ h ° pe ’ redeem tbe name of India from the 
putation ot total disregard and indifference to the progress of science and that 
ther^r. t0 C °'° perate ' vith tbe eff °rts making in other fountidL, which hare hi- 
be, it ^“noTlTtS boweve Ff. ffecti l e tbis late attempt at exertion may 
ro m Lows of Indfin 7 ^ ' ° r . “ortffying, that almost all that Continental Eu- 
witli the elorv of Fra vrr )c assoc,ated the name of Duvaucel and 
like distinction than ?£ ntry Wh ° Se 80ns are not raore ambitious of war- 
I ? y are of the P ur er triumphs of science. 
patronaffLLLLnLrLi 1C Ai 5e, » tl3at botb . these ™rks are publishing under the 
shown a princely and mnn'fi asters ». ^ bo ir) tb > s , as in many other instances, have 
which, as well as th P 1? .‘1 spint worthy of the rulers of a great empire, 
of science, contrasts favorably ^ ^ in aU that COncerns the Progress 
with the character and proceedings of 
our 
Indian Governments, vve horn it t a k <» .i - ^ 
great and powerful m mil L . ‘ i be one of the sures t characteristics of a 
value of those labours i C ^ a .? y » where others can but perceive dimly, the 
human knowledge and in any degree to sweU th e great sum of 
provement, and, as’ a consequence" of "SueT r “ Ce S ““ &rther in tUe career of im ' 
