392 
REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, 
paramount in this line. In the humour and admirable tact displayed in his 
vignettes, we freely allow that Bewick leaves all his competitors at a goodly 
distance behind him ; but no competent and unprejudiced ornithologist will think 
of comparing the wood-cuts in Bewick’s work with those engraved by Thomp¬ 
son in Mr. Yarrell’s History. 
We have thought fit to say thus much respecting the illustrative portion of the 
work, because, hitherto, we have possessed no book of moderate size and price 
containing accurate delineations of British birds. The histories of the various 
species have been much better cared for, having been minutely attended to in 
several works which still continue to be quoted as valuable and standard authori¬ 
ties. It is not, however, to be supposed that, in thus paying our tribute of 
admiration to the talent displayed in the illustrations, we undervalue the 
accompanying letter-press. On the contrary, we have much reason to be pleased 
with the manner in which this part of the work is performed. When completed, 
these two volumes will, of course, contain a considerably larger number of species 
than any other author has been able to include f and as it is frequently im» 
practicable to furnish much novel matter regarding birds which have been so 
often described, Mr. Yarrell has judiciously collected whatever authentic 
detail has been published by other ornithologists, in his descriptions of species, 
doubtless adding any thing of interest or importance that may have fallen under 
his own observation. 
That we take a lively interest in the progress of this work, and anticipate the 
publication of future numbers with pleasure, we need hardly say. 
A History of British Quadrupeds. By Thomas Bell, F.R.S., F.L.S., Prof, 
of Zool. in King’s Coll., London. Illustrated by a wood-cut of each species, and 
numerous vignettes. London: John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row. Part xi. 
Aug. 1837. 
Having repeatedly reviewed Mr. Bell’s Quadrupeds in the most favourable 
manner, both in The Naturalist and elsewhere, we shall now only observe, that 
the work is at length completed, in one thick and handsome volume. The 
present part contains an index, preface, title-page, &c., and illustrates the ceta¬ 
ceous animals, which figure somewhat strangely in a volume entitled British 
Quadrupeds ; though we ought in fairness to add, that the title, in full, is, “ A 
History of British Quadrupeds^ including the Cetacea.” 
* In making this observation we ought perhaps to except Mr. MacGillivray’s work on British 
birds, which, being published cotemporaneouslj with that of Mr. Yarrell, will probably enjoy 
equal advantages in this respect. 
