436 Scientific Reviews. 
The first volume of the Histoire Naturelle des Poissons, con- 
tains an historical view of the progress of ichthyology from its ori- 
gin to the present day, a general idea of the nature and organiza- 
tion of fish, and their methodical arrangement into natural families. 
The second volume begins the specification of these divisions, com- 
mencing with the perch tribe, and each volume is illustrated with 
a certain number of engravings. 
We extract from the author’s cbservations, on the nature of fish, 
the following beautiful comparison between them and birds. 
“¢ The aerial being discovers with facility an immense horizon : its subtile ear 
appreciates every sound, every intonation, which it re-produces with its voice. If 
its beak is hard, if its body is covered with a kind of down, to preserve it from 
the intense cold of the high regions which it visits, it finds in its legs all the per- 
fection of the most delicate touch. It enjoys all the sweets of conjugal and pa- 
ternal love, and it fulfils all its duties with courage. The parents defend each 
other, and also their offspring,—-a most surprizing art presides in the construction 
of their habitations. When the season is come they work together and with- 
out remission; while the mother hatches the eggs with an extraordinary pa- 
tience, the father, from an impetuous lover, becomes the most tender husband, 
and delights with his songs the melancholy of his mate. The bird even in cen- 
finement attaches itself to its master; it submits to him, and executes, by his or- 
der, the most neat and delicate actions; it hunts for him like the dog, and re- 
turns at his voice from the greatest height in the air; it imitates even his lan- 
guage, and it is with some degree of difficulty that we are compelled to refuse it 
a kind of reason. 
The inhabitant of the water dees not attach itself. It has no language, no af- 
fection ; it does not know what it is to be husband and father, or to make an 
abode for itself. In time of danger it hides itself under the rocks of the ocean, or 
rushes down into the depths of the sea; its life is monotonous ; its voracity leads to 
its sole employment, and it is only thereby that we are able to direct its motions by 
certain signs from abeve. Yet these beings who possess so few enjoyments, have 
been adorned by nature with all kinds cf beauty, variety in their forms, elegance 
in their proportions, diversity of colour: they have every thing adapted to attract 
the attention of man, and it seems that it was this attention that nature was de- 
sirous to excite. Reflecting the lustre of every metal and precious stone, refract- 
ing the colours of the rainbow, in bands, in spots, in undulating, angular, but 
always regular and symmetrical lines, and always in shades admirably arranged and 
contrasted 3 for what purpose have they received these gifts—they who hardly see 
one another in depths where light can scarcely penetrate, and who, could they 
gaze on one another, can scarcely be supposed to feel any kind of pleasure by re- 
lations thus established ?”? 
With reference to himself, Mr. Cuvier says his only wish is, 
that the work which he has undertaken may not be found unwor- 
thy of the illustrious writers whose labours he has continued, nor 
of the assistance and encouragement which he has received from so 
many friends of natural history ; and all his efforts will be devoted 
to render the work an epoch in science. In terminating our no- 
tice, we cannot but allow the excellent foundation of these hopes, 
and say that we contemplate its completion with all the enthusiasm 
of true lovers of natural history ; though, in casting a parting 
glance at the subjects of these numerous octaves,—while we dwell 
upon the use which the study of their organization and habits may 
have of throwing light on ebscure physiological doctrines,—how far 
