oats and canary-seed to hard boiled egg and rice. The male survived the female some months, would take insects from the hand, and catch flies in the windows, but was excessively timid and shy of strangers. It particularly shewed more than usual abhorrence to any thing black, not suffering even those out of whose hand it would otherwise feed to approach its cage with a hat on, without violent efforts to avoid the displeasing object, by fluttering about in an extraordinary manner; and in this way it lost its life.' Its shrill and piercing song was so monotonous and incessant, as to be extremely disagreeable. The female uttered only a simple plaintive note. Dartford warblers were observed in the southern parts of Devonshire from the 8th of September, 1802, till the latter end of January of the following year. Mr. M. presumes that they may breed in this country as they do in Provence, since it is difficult to reconcile their migration northwards in winter with the other parts of their history. Additional reasons are here alleged in confirmation of the opinion, that the Alexandrian Plover of Linné, and the Kentish of Lewin, are only varieties of the ringed species. In a critical discussion, which we cannot stay to detail, the author endeavours to shew, (and, we think, satisfactorily,) that the black-headed Gull, the red-legged, the brown-headed, and the brown Gull of the second Supplement to Latham's General Synopsis, are one and the same species; and that the brown Tern has been confounded with it. Much of the obscurity on this subject appears to have arisen from overlooking the changes of plumage to which these birds are liable, and which the author has watched with uncommon assiduity. The specimen of Cepola rubescens, from which the description. and figure were taken, was caught in Salcomb bay, on the 25th of February, 1803. Another was taken on the 25th of March. The very rare Sparus niger, or toothed gilt-head, was taken alive in November 1799, in the inlet that runs up to King's bridge, on the south coast of Devon. The bimaculated Sucker has been frequently taken by deep dredging at Torcross, in Devonshire. Biographical Memoirs of several Norwich Botanists, in a letter to Alexander MacLeay, Esq. Sec. L.S. By James Edward Smith, M.D.&c.-These minutes, though much shorter than we could desire, are full of interest, and penned with affection and delicacy of feeling. It is justly conjectured that the taste for the cultivation of flowers, which still prevails in Norwich, was introduced from Flanders, along with the worsted manufacture, during the persecutions of Philip the Second. Such an inno cent cent luxury, and so pure a taste, were not unworthy of minds which had turned with disgust from the tyranny and foul corruption of their native country. Truth, virtuous liberty, and disinterested science, are congenial, and flourish under the influence of similar circumstances.' A few excellent practical botanists, mostly in the more humble walks of life, are mentioned with commendation: but their numbers have always been very inconsiderabie, compared with the florists, who still abound among the journeymen weavers, and other persons employed in the manufactures. Among the gentlemen botanists of this busy city, we find Sir Thomas Browne, who first observed Salsola fruticosa, on the Norfolk coast, the Rev. Henry Bryant, Mr. Hugh Rose, and Mr. Pitchford.--The rest of the letter we shall give in the writer's own words: I can never forget the kind assistance I received from this worthy man [Mr. Rose when, having always had a passion for plants, I became desirous, at the age of 18, of studying botany as a science. The only book I could then procure was Berkenhout, Hudson's Flora having become extremely scarce. I received Berkenhout on the 9th of January 1778, and on the 11th began, with infinite delight, to examine the Ulex Europaus, the only plant then in flower. I then first comprehended the nature of systematic arrangement and the Linnean principles, little aware that at that instant the world was losing the great genius who was to be my future guide, for Linnæus died in the night of January 11th 1778. With Berkenhout, and a parcel of wild flowers in my hands, I had often recourse to Mr. Rose during the ensuing summer. But, alas in the following year a gutta serena deprived him of his sight. This affliction, so peculiarly severe to a naturalist, he bore with exemplary patience; for though with the loss of his external visual organs he lost his darling amusement, none could ever derive more consolation than himself from looking within. During the few remaining years of Mr. Rose's life, his delight was to assist young people in their classical or botanical studies, and he was always attended by some one or other, eager to profit of his conversation. He had long formed the plan of a popular work on the uses of plants; and though unable to execute his intention altogether himself, he suggested the scheme to Mr. Charles Bryant, brother to the gentleman above mentioned, an excellent and industrious practical botanist. This was the origin of the Flora Dietetica, published in 1783. It was dedicated to Mr. Crowe, who had for some years, as well as several other gentlemen of Norwich, embraced with ardour the study of British botany. The Rev. Mr. Bryant was by this time settled at his living of Heydon; from whence he afterwards removed to Colby in Norfolk, where he died at an advanced age in 1799, having never experienced any diminution of his fondness for botanical pursuits. Mr. Hudson and Mr. Lightfoot were, as long as they lived, his constant correspondents. Mr. Charles Bryant died before his brother. Mr. Pitchford, therefore, was the only survivor of the original Linnæan school of Norwich. He had also been a frequent corres pondent pondent of the authors of the Flora Anglica and Flora Scotica. But though an admirer of Linnaeus, he was always peculiarly partial to Ray; and though ever so well acquainted with a plant by its Linnæan name, he could never rest while any obscurity enveloped it in the works of Ray. The Carices and Menthe more particularly engaged Mr. Pitchford's attention; and it must be confessed the study of them on his plan, of scrutinizing synonyms without access to any old English herbarium, was not soon to be exhausted. No wonder, therefore, that his conversation and epistolary correspondence on these subjects found no end, Nothing, however, could be more candid and amicable than his discussions. In the last interview I had with him, he was particularly strenuous with me to separate the Mentha hirsuta, with capitate flowers, from the verticillate, M. sativa. I think it but just to record the opinion of so indefatigable a practical observer, though my own remains unshaken. As some years have now elapsed since the Linnean Society published my paper on Mints, I take this opportunity of observing, that subsequent experience has strongly confirmed the solidity of the characters taken from the pubescence of the calyx and flower stalk, and I find botanists in general can now, easily enough, make out any mint that comes in their way. On this point, indeed, my late friend was sufficiently disposed to be partial to me, as he always was in every instance in which he could give me credit, or do me any service. A very few days after the above conversation, "he gave His blessed part to Heav'n, and slept in peace. A further account of the Bos Frontalis, by Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Esq.This species of cow, the Gyall of India, is peculiar to the eastern confines of the province of Chittagong, where it delights to run wild on the mountains, and browse in the deepest jungles. It is also reared as a domestic animal by the natives. in appearance, it somewhat resembles the wild buffalo. lives to the age of from fifteen to twenty years, and loses its sight as it grows old.-The ingenious method of catching the wild Gyalls by decoy balls, composed of a particular kind of earth, salt, and cotton, is here detailed at length. It Description of a large species of Rat, a native of the East Indies. By Captain Thomas Hardwicke, F.L.S.-The animal in question is the Mus Malabaricus of Shaw's Zoology: but, as it is not peculiar to the coast of Malabar, and is the largest known species of the genus, Capt. H. prefers the specific denomination of giganteus. The female here described and figured weighed two pounds eleven ounces and a half its total length, 261 inches. The male is larger, and weighs upwards of three. pounds. It is very mischievous and predacious. The bite of this animal is considered dangerous, and an instance of its effects came under my notice while at the military station of Futtehgurgh, : Futtehgurgh, in the Dooab, where an European in the India Company's artillery died under a confirmed hydrophobia in about twelve days, after having been bitten by a rat. This opinion I rest upon the judgment of the medical gentleman who attended the unfortunate man subsequently to the accident.' Extracts from the Minute-Book of the Linnean Society. Mr. Lambert presented some specimens of the Agrostis linearis of Koenig, Retzius, and Wildenow, the Durva of the Hindoos, and celebrated by the late Sir William Jones for the beauty of its flowers, and its sweetness as pasture. On comparing it with similar specimens in the Banksian Herbarium, Mr. L. found it to be Panicum Dactylon, Lin. As it grows only sparingly and imperfectly in Cornwall, he conjectures that it is not originally a native of England. Mr. Templeton mentions that Loxia falcirostra, Lath. was shot near Belfast in the month of January 1802; that it was a female, and perfectly resembled the figure in Dixon's voyage to the north-west coast of America. Sir Joseph Banks has presented to the Society the whole of his very valuable collection of insects. Read a letter from the President, stating a curious observation relative to the musical intervals in the notes of the Cuckoo, communicated by an eminent professor at Norwich. This gentleman has invariably found the Cuckoo to begin early in the season with the interval of a minor third. The bird then proceeds to a major third, next to a fourth, then a fifth; after which his voice breaks, without his ever attaining a minor sixth.' Mr. Sowerby presented a sketch of the head of a new species of Cachelot, stranded in the county of Elgin. The whole animal was sixteen feet long. Mr. S. proposes that it may be named Physeter bidens. A continuation of the catalogue of the Library of the Society, and a list of the donors of books, close this interesting volume. The whole is embellished with eighteen plates, illustrative of various objects described. ART. ART. II. Componimenti Lirici de' più illustri poeti d'Italia scelti da ART. III. Commentary intorno all' Istoria della Poesia Italiana, ne quali si ragiona d'ogni genere e specie di quella, scritti da Gio. Máris Crescimbeni. Ripublicati da T. J. Mathias. 3 Vols. Crown 8vo. 11. 48. Boards. Becket. ART. IV. Storia della Poesia Italiana, scritta da Girolamo Tiraboschi, tratta dalla sua grand' opera intitolata Storia Generale della Letteratura Italiana. Ripublicata da T. J. Mathias. 3 Vols. Crown 8vo. In Four Parts. 11. 11s. 6 Boards. Becket. ART. V. Bacco in Toscana. Ditirambo di Francesco Redi; con note brevi scelte dell' autore. Crown 8vo. pp. 124. 5s. Boards. Becket. ART. VI. L'Arte Poetica Italiana, in cinque canti, da Benedetto Menzini. Crown 8vo. pp. 150. 5s. Boards. Becket. ART. VII. La Rivoluzione Francese, visione alla Dantesca in quattro canti, da Vincenzo Monti; l'anno 1793, in occasione della morte di Ugo Bass-ville. Crown 8vo. Pp. 104. 5s. Boards. Becket. THE friends of polite literature need not to be informed with * what enthusiasm and success Mr. Mathias has cultivated, the study of the Italian language. We some time ago gave a short notice of his republication of Crescimbeni's history of the Arcadian Academy, as a specimen of the neat and handsome volumes which he has edited with so much diligence of revision, and elegance of taste. We shall now briefly advert, to others of the series, in the order in which they stand in the preceding titles. I. Of all the departments of Italian poetry, none is more voluminous than that which, by a loose application of the term, has been denomitated lyric. Besides Daute, Petrarch, Tasso, and Ariosto, who all occasionally essayed their talents in this species of composition, multitudes, less known to fame, have limited their efforts to canzons, sonnets, and kindred forms of poetical effusion. These latter forms, however, such as the ode, hymn, canzonet, cantata, madrigal, &c. are not included in the present collection. For the sake of consistency, we could have wished, either that the title had been more qualified, or that the specimens had been of a more diversified complexion. The Canzones, which are about one hundred in number, and which occupy nearly two volumes and a half, are extracted from the writings of Dante, Cino, Petrarch, Lorenzo de Medicì, See Rev. for January last. Poliziano, |