96 
REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
conceived that, in advocating the claims of a favourite department of science, the 
author’s views will be in any way advanced by his falling foul of “ romances, 
rhymes, caricatures, and frivolities of all sorts.” It may be presumed that the 
great end of life is happiness, which is best attained by the due exercise of all 
the faculties, but more especially of the highest. Does Mr. M‘G. really believe 
the works of Milton, Walter Scott, Shakspeare, &c. &c., “frivolous?” Un¬ 
questionably many “ rhymes and romances” are “ frivolousbut if told that 
such is necessarily their character, surely the world of literature will unanimously 
declare against our author’s opinion. 
“ The mere collector of plants of all men seems to be least capable of com¬ 
prehending the harmonies of Nature.” All one-sided men are incapable of 
comprehending the harmonies of Nature to their full extent; and the mere 
collector ofvplants, birds, insects, or coins—exercising only a few of the inferior 
faculties—must stand very low in this respect. 
“ The assertion that the Dipper walks at the bottom of the water,” we are 
informed, “ is not made good by observation, nor countenanced by reason and the 
nature of things. The Dipper is by no means a walking bird: even on land I 
have never seen more than a few steps, which it accomplished by a kind of leaping 
motion.” Its singular habit of tumbling about in the water may have given rise 
to the erroneous though very general notion. The food of the Dipper is said by 
authors to consist of small fishes, roe, and water insects; but Mr. M’G., who 
has opened a great number of individuals, at all seasons, has never found any 
other substances in the stomach than Lymnece , Ancyli , Coleoptera , and grains 
of gravel. 
The volume before us, like its predecessor, is enriched with numerous interest¬ 
ing observations by Mr. Thomas Durham Weir, of Boghead, Linlithgowshire. 
Take the following as an example:— 
“In the hole of an old wall at the back lade of Livingston mill-dam, for a considerable 
time, 1 have observed one of their nests. The miller told me that a pair of them have built 
in it for thirty-one successive years, and that they generally had three broods in the season, 
and four birds in each of them. Although the nest was within a foot of the waterfall, which 
even sometimes passed over it, they nevertheless flew in and out with the greatest apparent 
ease.” He adds :—“ In a nest which was build in a mossy bank projecting over Boarbaugh- 
law Water, in May, 1835,1 attempted to get a pair of them, but did not succeed. The young 
were so voracious, that as soon as their parents appeared, they popped their heads two or 
three inches out of the nest. To prevent them from doing so, 1 tied a string round their 
legs, and fastened them to the back part of it, and then placed a hair gin in front. Of this 
mode of procedure they were, however, so suspicious, that even after it had been removed, 
rather than they would venture to give them food, they allowed them to perish with hunger. 
I have twice tried this experiment since, but with no better success.”—p. 61. 
“ It has been alleged,” observes the author (p. 64), “ that the Dipper, not 
having webbed feet, cannot swim; but this is not correct, for although it is unable 
