procure a supply of 300 gallons of water per minute for the The lecture was illustrated by maps and numerous

town.

drawings. (The Northern Whig, March 28. 1836.)

REVIEWS.

ART. I. Notices of Works in Natural History.

THE Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge: The Penny Cyclopædia, in Numbers 1d. each.

An advertisement, dated April 21. 1836, is included in the first number (339.) of the sixth volume, and supplies information that "the committee feel assured that somewhat more than a fourth of the whole Cyclopædia is now published; and that "they propose that the work shall be completed in eighteen volumes of the present size; and they pledge themselves that it shall not exceed twenty volumes:" and, farther, that, "in order to comply with the wishes of the bulk of the subscribers, it is the intention of the committee, upon the completion of the [subjects of the] letter B, to publish at the rate of three volumes annually," in monthly parts, 18d. each, four to a volume.

The following subjects in, or associable with, natural history are treated on in the numbers in part 40.: broken wind, Bromeliacea, Bronchitis, Bronchocele, Broussonètia, and Brósimus, in Nos. 329, 330.; Brùchus, 332.; Bryáxis, Bùbo, 334.; bud, 337.; Buffon, Bulímulus, Bùlinus or Bùlimus, 339.

Loudon, Charles, M.D., late one of the Royal Commissioners for Enquiring into the Employment of Children in Factories: The Equilibrium of Population and Sustenance demonstrated; showing, on Physiological and Statistical Grounds, the Means of obviating the Fears of the late Mr. Malthus and his Followers. 8vo, 13 pages. 1836. 1s. "It is proposed to show, physiologically, a mode by which, if necessary, a check, both moral and healthful, might be applied to population, founded simply on the laws of nature." This consists in using the capacity for a protracted period of lactation which is given in nature. "But it is not intended to inculcate the adoption of the principle under the actual circumstances of the country; . . . the resources of mankind for the production of food, in the Western World alone, are such as to meet every possible increase of population, for an indefinite number of ages to come."

Wiegmann, Arend, Friedericus Augustus, Dr.: Herpetologia Mexicana, seu Descriptio Amphibiorum Novæ Hispaniæ, quæ Itineribus Comitis de Sack, Ferdinandi Deppe, et Chr. Guil. Schiede, in Museum Zoologicum Berolinense pervenerunt. Pars I., Saurorum Species amplectens, adjecto Systematis Saurorum Prodromo, additisque multis in hunc Amphibiorum ordinem Observationibus. Accedunt Tabulæ Lithographicæ x., Novorum Generum Typos exhibentes. Berolini sumptibus C. G. Lüderitz, 1834; London, W. Wood, Tavistock Street.

"The families are well characterised according to the peculiarities of their outward form, and their osteological peculiarities. The author has added several observations to [on] the genera, and has described a great number of new genera and species from all parts of the world. The coloured plates surpass those of Wagler in accuracy, and give not only a true copy of the scaly covering of the animals, but so represent their habit and physiognomy, that they appear to be drawn after living specimens." (From a notice of the work in the Philosophical Magazine, May, 1836.)

In Nouveaux Mémoires de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou, tome 3., 1834, are descriptions by Dr. Eversmann of 14 species, and figures of 10 of them, which he had observed in various journeys in the Russian Empire: has Wiegmann cognisance of these? Wiegmann's work would be a treat to Dr. Riley: see VI. 262, 263.

Kenrick, W.: The American Silk-Grower's Guide; or, the Art of Raising the Mulberry and Silk on the System of Successive Crops in each Season. Small 8vo, 104 pages. Boston, U. S.; Barrett, and Russell and Co., 1835.

Not any London publisher of works is named as a publisher of this one; but it is not very unlikely that it may be acquired through O. Rich, Red Lion Square, London. The following list of particular subjects treated of may enable any one, desirous for information upon the general subject bespoken in the title, to suppose more definitely how far the work may

suit him.

History of silk its antiquity and commerce. History of the silkworm [this is very commonplace and meagre ]: climate, shelter, &c. Mulberry: its history and uses. Mulberries of the kinds black, red, Japan paper, white, shiningleaved, Tartarian, Dandolo [Count] or Morettiana, and the Chinese or Mòrus multicaúlis [to which one of the synonymes adduced is "Morus culcallata;" by which it is most

probable the Mòrus cucullàta is meant; and this last is propagated in British nurseries]. Cultivation. Soil and situation. Dwarf mulberry tree plantations. Gathering the leaves. Habitations, hurdles, &c. Division of labour. Mode of making silk in Turkey and Italy. Silkworms: amount of food, hatching, feeding, diseases, labour of attendance, and care of attention. Formation of cocoons. Cocoons for producing eggs. Stifling of pupas in the cocoon. Reeling. Second and successive crops of silk. Modern system of Count Dandolo and M. Bonafoux. Weight and produce of cocoons. Produce of silk, and profits on its manufacture. Silk establishments in America.

On the Anatomical and Optical Structure of the Crystalline Lenses of Animals; being the Continuation of the Paper published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1833, by Sir David Brewster;

Is the title of a treatise of which the reading was commenced at a meeting of the Royal Society, on Dec. 10. 1835, according to information in the Philosophical Magazine, May, 1836; where an abstract of the part that was read is given. Any one who may use this treatise in the study of the subject may, and it is not unlikely, find useful more or less correlative information in a treatise entitled "An Account of the Discoveries of Müller and others in the Organs of Vision of Insects and the Crustacea. By George Parsons, Esq.;" published in the Magazine of Natural History, IV. 124-154. 220-234. 363-372.

Catalogue of Fossil Fish in the Collections of Lord Cole and Sir Philip Grey Egerton, arranged alphabetically, with References to the Localities, Geological Positions, and published Descriptions of the Species: by Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton, F.R.S. F.G.S.

This is the title of a treatise published in the London and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine, the Number for May, 1836, which the author has presented, "in the hopes that it may prove of interest to the geological adept, as exhibiting in a tabular form the stratigraphical position of 227 species; to the student in fossil ichthyology, as affording a clew to the depositories of many new and rare specimens destined to appear in the forthcoming numbers of Dr. Agassiz's Recherches sur les Poissons Fossiles."

ART. I. Remarks on the Question of the Propriety of altering established Scientific Names in Natural History, should they be erroneous. By C. T. WOOD, Esq.

(Continued from p. 144., and concluded.)

WITH regard to generic names, it is not necessary that they should have any meaning at all; but, if they have a meaning, it must be consistent with truth. Some authors, as Lindley, have even given preference to unmeaning generic names, both in Latin and vernacular language, on the ground of the difficulty of fixing on some exclusive character. I think, however, that, if the generic name is founded on a striking peculiarity of the genus, it is of little consequence whether it be exclusively applicable or not. Thus, the names longspur and Plectrofanes apply with equal truth to the genus lark (Alaúda); but no one would reject them on this account.

*

Mr. Strickland continues (VIII. 38, 39.):-" If the species with which the naturalist is concerned amounted only to a few hundreds, or a few thousands, then, indeed, the supposed improvement of the nomenclature might be, in some measure, excusable; but, since the profuse fecundity of nature has overwhelmed her admirers with such myriads of forms, that their number alone constitutes the chief difficulty with which they have to contend, it is surely the height of folly to increase that difficulty by bestowing a multiplicity of names on the same object." The multiplicity of the objects with which nature has surrounded us would, in itself, serve as a sufficient reason,

* This name is generally written with a ph, as well as Phasianus, &c. For an exposition of the erroneousness of this, see No. xv. of the Analyst, vol. iv. p. 118. Silvia is likewise frequently erroneously written Sylvia; see Analyst.

VOL. IX. No. 63.

CC

even were there no other, why erroneous names should be altered; for if, as no unprejudiced person can deny, erroneous names retard the progress of the student, it is surely "the height of folly " to make the unavoidable difficulties in the path of science a plea for adding others of our own creation. And, besides, even granting, for an instant, that the substitution of correct names for those which are erroneous did add to the difficulties of science, would it be worthy of a rational being to reject the truth because error is more easy of acquirement? Were this principle followed throughout, what a state would the world be in! and it is owing to the number of persons who have held this convenient doctrine, that the human race is so much more backward than it would otherwise have been.

Mr. Strickland proceeds: "From the excess of this practice, the rectification of synonymes has become the most laborious part of the process of compiling systematic works on natural history; which are, also, thus vastly increased in size and price, and rendered more repulsive to the general reader." Mr. Strickland is quite right here: it is from the " excess of this practice that these evil results have followed; and, had the writer throughout distinguished between the effects of a practice in excess and in moderation, he would never have exposed himself as he has done. He saw the evil consequences resulting from the abuse of alteration, and hastily condemned it altogether. "If a principle is good," says one of our first naturalists," its advantages will be more and more apparent, the more it is followed out in detail." Few of Mr. Strickland's principles, however, would survive this test. If we condemn a thing because its excess is prejudicial, the most harmless and beneficial things would be denied us. Light, heat, food, study, would alike be condemned by him; for, he would argue, if you give a man the opportunity of eating and studying, 't is ten to one he will do both in excess; and so with alterations in nomenclature: if once you allow them, says he, there is no knowing where they will stop. Reflecting and unprejudiced men, however, are not to be taken in by such fallacious reasoning, but will, on all occasions, advocate steady and wholesome reform.

Mr. Strickland then proceeds to ask, whether it can be expected that "the whole republic of science will take the trouble of relabeling their cabinets, altering their catalogues, or making notes in their works of reference, because a writer fancies he can improve an established name?" Before this question can be answered, there are two points to be ascertained: first, is the established name objectionable? and,