Natural History.^ Zoology. S09 
eafs of the martin; and they killed birds and small animals 
more for the pleasure of destroying them than for food. The 
proprietor endeavoured to multiply this bastard race, and to 
prevent their intermixing with the other domestic cats ; and his 
endeavours were completely successful. In the space of a few 
years he reared more than a hundred of these animals j and 
he made a very beautiful article of furriery of their skins. The 
specimen presented to the Society was of the third or fourth 
generation, and it retained all the characters of the first. The 
fur is as beautiful and as silky as that of the pine-martin, and 
it may, with some care, become an interesting object for com^ 
merce. 
26. SwalnsorCs Zoological Illustrations* — The Prospectus of 
this work, published some time ago, excited much expectation 
among those who were acquainted with the beautiful drawings 
of the author, and its appearance has justified their anxiety for 
its publication. Indeed, it- may be said to commence an asra in 
the delineation of some branches of Natural History. Those 
conversant with birds, are well aware how few of the most mag- 
nificent ornithological works have a character of nature in the 
figures. With the exception of Wolf and Mayer’s birds of Ger- 
many, Wilson’s American Ornithology, and some of La Vail- 
lanfs works, especially his Birds of Africa, we scarcely know 
a great work in which the true arrangement of the feathers has 
been sufficiently attended to ; and yet each genus, and even 
species of bird, has a very remarkable uniformity in the texture 
and disposition of the feathers. The drawing of the figures in 
the celebrated Planches Enluminees is, in general^ execrable. 
The discovery of taking impressions from drawings upon stone, 
has furnished a powerful instrument to naturalists, whose draw- 
ings in former times were mangled by the ignorance of engra- 
vers. Mr Swainson’s intimate acquaintance with the feathered 
tribes, renders his delineations perfect ornithological pictures ; 
and this new art enables him to communicate them to the public 
without the intervention of another person. The consequence is 
an air of life and nature about the figures in his work which at 
once strike the eye of the experienced ornithologist. His inti- 
mate and scientific acquaintance with shells and insects renders 
VOL. IV. NO. 7 . JANUARY 1821 . 
o 
