Scientific Reviews. 45 
germs of a love of nature, and of observation, in the breast of many 
a young person, at a very moderate price, and in the reach of the 
poorest of the reading public. We do not intend making here any 
observation on the original work. Forty years of constant sale, 
and many successive editions, have proved its popularity. It is in 
clothing Natural History in its most pleasing garments,—allowing 
it to speak in its own language,—establishing those interesting re- 
lations which exist between the severest sciences and our daily ob- 
servation,—and thus engrafting the study of Natural History, by 
enticing into the love of its first principles, and net in any immense 
additions to science, or in great originality of opinion, that the value 
of this work lies ;.and that renders it, like the history of Robinson 
Crusoe, capable of influencing the character of a nation. 
The edition, however, which is now presented to us, has the 
great advantage of being accompanied by notes from the hands of 
an eminent naturalist, Sir William Jardine. They are partly quo- 
tations, but principally original. The observations on ornitholog 
are, as might have been expected, particularly valuable. Sir Wil- 
liam mentions the possible introduction of that beautiful bird, the 
Tetrao urophasianus, brought from North America by Mr. Dou- 
glas, and lately figured by Mr. J. Wilson in his “ Illustrations,” 
an introduction which he seems to advocate. The little American 
partridge, Ortyx borealis, is, he says, now plentiful in some coun- 
ties. There are some interesting remarks on migration ; and he 
very properly corrects the author, in one place, for mentioning the 
tit-lark as singing on trees,—the bird Mr. White alluded to, was 
undoubtedly the tree-lark, Anthus arboreus. Upon the whole, 
this volume may be- placed with credit by the side of the Family 
Library, and Library of Entertaining Knowledge, to which it will 
form a most useful accessory. 

An Experimental Inquiry into the Laws which regulate the Phe- 
nomena of Organic and Animal Life. By G. C. Houuanp, 
M.D. &c. Maclachlan & Stewart, Edinburgh, 1829. 
‘“‘ ANIMAL HEAT is not in the direct ratio of the quantity of oxy- 
gen inhaled, but in the inverse ratio of the quantity of blood ex- 
posed to this principle.” Such is the expression of one of the 
leading views which this novel volume exposes. Founding upon 
experiments, for the most part original, a train of inductions which 
do credit to their author, Dr. Holland has struck out a new theory 
of animal heat, whose very origin would alone entitle it to cur re- 
spect. For, as the author, in a tone of deprecation, remarks, we 
are to investigate the results obtained by the experimentalist, “not 
because we should be disposed to doubt the observations of an indi- 
vidual engaged in experimental inquiries, but because the reason- 
