ears of the martin; and they killed birds and small animals more for the pleasure of destroying them than for food. The proprietor endeavoured to multiply this bastard race, and to prevent their intermixing with the other domestic cats; and his endeavours were completely successful. In the space of a few years he reared more than a hundred of these animals, and he made a very beautiful article of furriery of their skins. The specimen presented to the Society was of the third or fourth generation, and it retained all the characters of the first. The fur is as beautiful and as silky as that of the pine-martin, and it may, with some care, become an interesting object for com

merce.

26. Swainson's Zoological Illustrations.-The Prospectus of this work, published some time ago, excited much expectation among those who were acquainted with the beautiful drawings of the author, and its appearance has justified their anxiety for its publication. Indeed, it may be said to commence an æra in the delineation of some branches of Natural History. Those conversant with birds, are well aware how few of the most magnificent ornithological works have a character of nature in the figures. With the exception of Wolf and Mayer's birds of Germany, Wilson's American Ornithology, and some of La Vaillant's works, especially his Birds of Africa, we scarcely know a great work in which the true arrangement of the feathers has been sufficiently attended to; and yet each genus, and even species of bird, has a very remarkable uniformity in the texture and disposition of the feathers. The drawing of the figures in the celebrated Planches Enluminées is, in general, execrable. The discovery of taking impressions from drawings upon stone, has furnished a powerful instrument to naturalists, whose drawings in former times were mangled by the ignorance of engravers. Mr Swainson's intimate acquaintance with the feathered tribes, renders his delineations perfect ornithological pictures; and this new art enables him to communicate them to the public without the intervention of another person. The consequence is an air of life and nature about the figures in his work which at once strikes the eye of the experienced ornithologist. His intimate and scientific acquaintance with shells and insects rendeys VOL. IV. NO. 7. JANUARY 1821.

these departments of his work no less interesting; and we will venture to assert, that figures of such truth and elegance as are contained in the Illustrations have seldom issued from the British press. The descriptions are clear and comprehensive; and, though he follows the Linnean divisions as the grand outline of scientific arrangement, he is not so bigoted to the Great Master spirit, as to reject the obvious improvements and subdivisions introduced by the nice tact of modern naturalists. To these qualities, we may add, that Mr Swainson's long residence in various distant countries, give him advantages which few naturalists have turned to better account.

With these claims to public encouragement, we hope that he will be induced to continue a work which promises much for those departments of natural science. The work is so printed that each volume may be systematically arranged, when completed; or, should it extend to several volumes, each may be dedicated to a separate department of natural history.

27. Selby's Natural History of British Birds.-Prideaux John Selby, Esq. of Twizel House, member of the Wernerian Society, will, in a few weeks, publish at Edinburgh, the first fasciculus, in imperial folio, of a Natural History of British Birds. This gentleman, who is well known as a correct and indefatigable observer, possesses uncommon powers in the delineation of objects of natural history, and appears to rival in his etchings the most skilful artists in this department of natural history. We have seen the original drawings, and also the etchings, and feel convinced that Mr Selby's work will form the most splendid addition to the Zoology of Great Britain hitherto published. The figures possess a life and energy truly admirable: the feathers are delineated in a masterly style; and the legs and feet, parts so often indifferently represented in ornithological works, are drawn with great care and accuracy. In short, all the parts harmonise in so perfect a manner, as to present to the eye of taste pictures of uncommon beauty. The knowledge of natural history is now so widely spread, and its numberless charms are so generally felt by accomplished minds, that there cannot be a doubt of the success of such works as those of Selby and Swainson.

28. Natural History of Sumatra and Java.-There has lately arrived in London from Bencoolen, a large collection of the natural history of Sumatra, formed under the superintendance of that distinguished and enterprising officer Lieutenant-General Sir Stamford Raffles, and intended for the valuable Museum of the India Company. Last spring we had an opportunity of seeing the beautiful and interesting collection of the animals and minerals of Java, brought to England and deposited in the Company's museum by Dr Horsfield, who has much distinguished himself by his numerous and interesting researches in regard to the natural history of the islands of the Indian Ocean.

29. Affinity of the Genera Echidna, &c. with Amphibia.—It would appear from the anatomical investigations of Meckel, that the genera Myrmecophaga, Echidna, Ornithorynchus, and Bradypus, are very nearly allied to the genera of the class Amphibia.

80. Respiration of the Alimentary Canal.-Dr Pragge, in a late Number of Meckel's " Archiv für die Physiologie," has endeavoured to shew, that the Motus peristalticus is nothing else than the respiratory motion of the alimentary canal.

31. Serpents with Two Heads.-Aristotle, Elian, Aldrovandus, Licetus, Lanzoni, and many others, mention instances of serpents with double heads, so that it may be considered as a kind of structure not very uncommon in this tribe of animals. Redi, the celebrated anatomist, kept a two-headed snake for a considerable time, and afterwards dissected it. He found that it had two hearts, two tracheas, and two lungs: the two stomachs united into a common alimentary canal; and the liver and gallbladder were double. He further remarks, that the one head died seven hours later than the other. Very lately Dr Corradori at Ruto in Tuscany, informs us, that he saw a snake with two heads; and adds, it sometimes happened that the heads differed as to the use of their faculties; thus the one head would eat while the other was asleep.

32. Stony Concretions found in the Human Muscular System.-Tiedmann, in a late dissection, found numerous white earthy concretions in the body of a man fifty-eight years of age, who was a great brandy drinker, suffered much from the gout, and died of hydrothorax. These concretions, which were most abundant in the muscles of the extremities, were generally longish, rounded, and smooth, and from two to three lines in length. Concretions were also detected in the coats of some of the arteries. According to Gmelin, these concretions contained phosphate of lime, 73; carbonate of lime, 7; animal matter, 20; = 100.

33. Hermaphrodite Butterflies.-In the collection of insects belonging to Professor Germar, are the following hermaphrodites. 1. Papilio atalanta. The left side male, the right side female; the left pair of wings is smaller, and more deeply notched than the right. The left antenna shorter than the right.-2. Papilio antiopa; right side male, and left side female. The right antenna much shorter than the left.-3. Papilio Phœbe; left side male. Left antenna shorter than the right; and the left pair of wings smaller, but the colour and margin same as the right pair. Hinder part of the body same as in male.-4. Sphinx euphorbia; left side male, and smaller than the right or female side. The distribution of the colour is remarkable. The whole under side of the body is divided by a line, in the direction of its length; the male side is covered with a green powder, while the female side has a white antenna, rosered breast, and the abdomen marked with white denticulations. -5. Sphinx galli; left side male; the right antenna and the right pair of wings longer than those of the male side; but there is no difference of colour in the delineation of the two parts.

MINERALOGY.

34. Rock-crystals containing globules of Water formed, and forming, in decaying Granite in Elba.-The granite of Elba is sometimes traversed by fissures, and these fissures are frequently filled with a disintegrated granite, in which, we are told, are daily forming rock-crystals, nearly all of which contain bubbles

of water; and sometimes there appears a vegetable-like matter floating on the water.

35. Strontites and Precious Opal, &c. in the Faroe Islands. -Vargas Bedemar, who has lately spent a year in examining the geognostic structure of the Faroe Islands, discovered strontites, in secondary trap; also opal, most frequently the precious kind, and but rarely the common or semi-opal; and he mentions having found adularia, heliotrope, and black flint, also in the trap rocks.

36. Boue's Geology of Scotland.-We have great pleasure in recommending this work to the particular attention of geologists. It is by far the best general account of the geognostic structure of Scotland hitherto published, and does infinite credit to the industry and learning of Dr Boué. We feel confident, that this young and enterprising observer will contribute in an eminent degree to the progress of geology, and continue to reflect honour on that school where he commenced his auspicious career.

37. Mohs's Characteristic.-An English translation by Professor Mohs himself, of his Characteristic, or Characters of the Classes, Orders, Genera, and Species, of Minerals, has been lately published at Edinburgh. This classical work is but the forerunner of the System of Crystallography of this profound naturalist. The perusal of the Essay on the Crystallography and Natural History System of Mohs, in this Journal, will be found very useful to those who study the Characteristic.

38. Hausmann's New Mineralogical Work. - Professor Hausmann, we understand, is at present printing a large work, "On the Forms of the Inorganic Kingdom," of which the first part will appear next Easter, and the second the following summer. Having finished this interesting work, he will next prepare and put to press an account of his geognostical investigations in the Alps and in Italy.

39. Alpine Limestone same age as Oolite and Lias.—In a letter from Count Breünner, we are informed, that he, along with Messrs Buckland and Greenough, obtained, by actual examination, five excellent sections of the Alps, which enabled them