A history of British quadrupeds, including the Cetacea / By Thomas Bell ... Illustrated by nearly 200 woodcuts.

  • Bell, Thomas, 1792-1880.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of British quadrupeds, including the Cetacea / By Thomas Bell ... Illustrated by nearly 200 woodcuts. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    knowledge of the more scientific part of his subject, is full of interesting information, and exhibits the learning and taste of an elegant scholar. The History of British Animals by Dr. Fleming consists of the essential characters, and a succinct history of the genera and species of the vertebrate, mollus- cous, and radiate divisions :—the scope of the work is com- prehensive, and its execution reflects great credit upon the zeal and research of the author. But the book for which the British Zoologist has been laid under the greatest obligation is the Manual of British Vertebrate Animals, by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns, which, for the clearness of its details, and the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the generic and spe- cific distinctions, has never been surpassed in any similar | work, The Author would be unjust were he not to ac- knowledge how much he has been aided by this excellent compendium, which ought to be the constant companion of every one engaged in the investigation of the vertebrate ani- mals of this country ; and it is much to be desired that this excellent naturalist, or some one equally fitted for the task, would continue the plan into the invertebrate classes. Much, however, doubtless remains to be done in the investigation of British Mammalia. Many species may even yet have escaped the observation of Naturalists ; and of those which are known, many points of the history of their habits are still only ob- scurely understood. The smaller animals of some parts of Ireland have been but little studied; and the coasts of that part of our dominions, as well as those of the North of Scot- land, may yet be investigated with much reasonable expec- tation of adding to our information respecting the Seals and Cetacea,—two groups which are at present more imperfectly known than any others. The points to which the Author would especially direct the attention of those whose local circumstances enable them to enter upon this interesting investigation are, the determination of the species or varieties of the Seals, and their various habits, and especially the pre-