668 
REVIEWS. 
reason of this is, they are copied on stone from daguerreo- 
types or photographs, and whereas artistic elegance in 
composition is not sought after, in order to have a side view 
of all the animals, nothing is sacrificed to having accurate 
portraits. An artist, with a rather fanciful idea of animal 
beauty, having the “ ideal” deeply graven in his mind, strives 
to make a perfect animal, and often corrects defects which, 
for the benefit of agriculturists, should be always shown up, 
with a view to their correction. Apart from all such considera- 
tions, many of the illustrations in this volume are masterpieces, 
and, to award merit where it is due, establish the priority of 
the French as lithographers. We strongly recommend the 
use of photography and stone in all cases of the kind. 
Reports on the Shows of Animals for Consumption since their 
establishment in 1 844 up to the present clay. Published by 
order of the Minister of Agriculture. Paris, 1849-55. 
We have received six elegant volumes, comprising tables 
of animals showm, and plates of the best exhibited, at Lyons, 
Bordeaux, Lille, Nimes, Nantes, and Poissy. Some of the 
plates are exquisite as works of art. In the first book is a 
historical sketch of these show s, especially given, in the form 
of a long extract from M. Yvart’s speech before the com- 
mittee chosen to establish them. Our neighbours were 
seemingly first stirred by our Smithfield cattle-show r s, and 
have established law r s by which prizes are given to animals 
in France, according to the purposes required of them under 
many different and ever-varying circumstances. In the 
working, the French and English shows differ somew T hat; 
but they have one common object in view r , the improvement 
of our domestic breeds. Yvart is inspector of the veterinary 
schools, and a gentleman well acquainted with the agriculture 
of England and other countries, and learned in veterinary 
science. 
An Exploratory Journey on the French and Italian Sea Coast, fyc. 
A Report by M. Coste, Member of the Institute, &c., &c. 
In the work under notice, certain spots are described 
famed for fisheries, oyster-beds, &c. The artificial propaga- 
tion of fish, especially of salmon and trout, is a subject which 
