Reviews and Extracts. 
;i8 
tlie Andes, in which the author speaks of great numbers of these being caught in 
the neighbourhood of Coquijibo and Copiapo, generally by boys with dogs, and 
sold to traders, who bring them to Santiago A^nd Valparaiso, from whence they 
are exported. These are the chief of the extracts which throw any light upon 
the subject, and such is the history” (says Mr. Bennett,) “of our knowledge 
of this interesting animal, until the arrival of a living specimen which was 
brought to England by ihe late expedition to the north-west coast of America, 
under the command of Captain Becchy, and by him presented to the Zoological 
Society. The lengtli of the body in our specimen is about nine inches, and that of 
the tail nearly five* the proportions are close set, and the limbs comparatively 
short, the posterior being considerably longer than the anterior. The fur is long, 
thick, close, woolly, somewhat crisped, and entangled together; grey or ash- 
colourcd above, and paler beneath j the form of the head resembles that of the 
rabbit, the eyes are full, large, and black, and the ears broad, naked, rounded at 
the tips, and nearly as long as the head 5 the moustaches are plentiful, and very 
long, the longest being twice the length of the head, some of them black and the 
others white 5 four short toes, with a distinct rudiment of a thumb terminate the 
anterior feet, and the posterior are furnished with the same number, three of them 
long, the middle more produced than the two lateral ones, and the fourth external 
to the two others, very short, and placed far behind. On these toes the claws 
are short and nearly hidden by tufts of bristly hairs. The tail is about half the 
length of the body, of equal thickness throughout, and covered with long bushy 
hairs j it is usually kept turned up towards the back, but not reverted as in the 
squirrel The animal usually sits upon its haunches, and is even able to raise 
itself up upon its hinder feet. It feeds in a sitting posture, grasping its food and 
conveying it to its mouth by means of its fore paws. In its temper it is generally 
mild and tractable, but will not always suffer itself to be handled without resis¬ 
tance, and sometimes bites the hand which attempts to fondle it, when not in a hu¬ 
mour to be played with.” 
4. —British Entomology. By John Curtis, F.L.S. monthly 
numbers, 4s. 6cl coloured. 
We conceive this work to be one of the best publications on these subjects. The 
accuracy of the engravings in connection with the minute descriptions of each 
insect, renders it a valuable acquisition to those who are anxious to become ac¬ 
quainted with this branch of natural history. We know of none, when formed 
into a volume, that on a perusal would give more pleasing views to the mind of a 
young Entomologist than this. The citizen, wearied with the busy scenes of the 
day, might retire with a companion like this, and study the wonders of creation. 
W'hile the simple rustic would tread with heedless steps on the creatures and plants 
w’hich encompassed his path, the studious mind would dind in every step some¬ 
thing to pleasingly divert, and at the same time prove a relaxation from the 
arduous duties of the day. Perhaps nothing has been so little regarded by the 
generality of persons as the insect world, yet nothing exhibits greater wonders or 
calls for more enquiries. When thi.s is taken into the account, it greatly enhances 
the value of a work that throws such light upon what to thousands of persons 
has been comparatively hidden in obscurity. But this is not all by which it recom¬ 
mends itself to the public.—The exact representation of British plants, form 
another great and prominent feature in its favour, for by its assistance, the 
young* English Botanist may gain an acquaintance with almost all the plants 
indigenous to his native country ^ we intend, therefore, to be minute in our ex¬ 
tracts from so useful a work as the one before us. 
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