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The Governor-General expressed "his entire and unqualified approbation" of Mr. Burnes's conduct, and declared his intention of entering into immediate negociations for opening the waters of the Indus to British commerce.

This river, it would seem, is navigable to a distance of nearly 1000 miles from the sea, and has seldom less than 15 feet of water, even in the dryest seasons. The chief danger seems to be at its mouth; when the tides ebb and flow with considerable violence at the time of the full moon. Our traveller, therefore, recommends that the steam boats intended to sail upon its bosom should be built without keels, to diminish the risk of grounding. Mooltan (the capital of the Molli of Alexander, at least so says our author) might thus be reached in 20 days, instead of 40, which is the time now required; and a new field thereby opened for the increase of British industry, in climes where the very name of Englishman is even now almost unknown.

The actual territories of the Maharaja comprise the whole of the Punjab: and so entirely, says Mr. Burnes, has he altered the constitution of the Seik nation, that he has succeeded in converting into an absolute monarchy that which was originally a pure republic. -But his power can hardly be expected to last beyond his own reign.

"He has a disciplined army of infantry, with a due proportion of cavalry and artillery. The system is unpopular, and the Seik Sirdars view with distrust the innovation and the innovators. The French officers, when deprived of their patron, would find it necessary to stand aloof, from motives of personal safety; and if they left the country the wreck of their labours would perish in the general tumult." Vol. iii. p. 296.

We must here bid adieu to Lieut. Burnes for the present; in a following number we will conclude our notice by a short sketch of the first and second volumes, containing the narrative of his journey into Bokhara.

The History of Evesham, its Benedictine Monastery, Conventual Church, existing Edifices, Municipal Institutions, Pa Parliamentary Occurrences, Civil and Military Events. By George May. May, Evesham; and Whittaker and Co. London, 1834.

This work has been on our reviewing list for some weeks, but literary matter, long in our possession, which would admit of no further procrastination, has so fully occupied our pages, that we have been hitherto unable to direct the necessary attention either to this publication or to others of no less local interest.

Literary eminence is not attained by a coup-de-main-it is the result only of assiduous and untiring application, of severe study, of a correct taste, of apt discrimination, of a sound judgment, of an inventive imagination, and of a mind totally abstracted from the petty scenes and annoyances of life. In the race of literary fame, numerous as are the competitors, how few reach the desired goal! If all aspirants for lettered distinction, however, do not attain the point of eminence for which they strive-there are many who are satisfied with such knowledge as may render them useful and to be useful is no slight distinction either in letters or in the arts. Of this description of writers is the author of "The History of Evesham." He has evidently, at considerable pains and with much unwearied assiduity, sought and obtained for his subject all the information practicable, from the most authentic sources, and has very skilfully woven his materials into an interesting local history.

It will scarcely be credited, but such is the fact, that no history, not even a guide of the meanest description, of this interesting portion of the county of Worcester, has been published within the last fourteen years. For want of such publications, how much local intelligence of interest to the antiquary and inquisitive examiner is hidden from observation. It is true that in most counties there are historical records on a large scale, but from their bulkiness and price they are usually out of the reach of the common reader. This "History" well and fully supplies the object required; it is sufficiently minute, without being prolix, embraces all necessary information, and in every point of view must be considered a valuable addition to the chronicles of that part of the county.

To make extracts from this work will scarcely be necessary. Those persons to whom the publication will be valuable, will not require a detached portion for their perusal, and to the uninterested reader it would be useless. It has been the writer's aim, he observes, to weave in one continuous chain an authenticated history of events pertaining to his subject and in this laudable attempt we must allow that he has fully succeeded.

Amongst the author's introductory observations, there is the following sentence, which we extract for its novelty :

"In continuation of his acknowledgments for the assistance he has received, the author takes occasion to observe, that, toward such chartered antiquaries, resident within the county, as he has had occasion to apply, he has no load of obligation to bear: with the exception of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., F. S. A., whose readiness in affording facility of reference to certain valuable works in his extensive library at Middle-Hill, the author would duly acknowledge."

This charge, we trust, has been made hastily, or under some unfavourable impression which the writer had unthinkingly imbibed. There are few gentlemen in this or any other enlightened county, we are willing to believe, who would wilfully throw obstacles in the way of an attempt to perpetuate a faithful record of the civil institutions and remarkable events of the county, in which, as residents, they must naturally feel a deep and solicitous interest. For ourselves, we are bound in honour to declare that in no single instance where inquiry was necessary to elucidate or adorn any subject, on making application to the proper quarter, did we ever meet with other than the most prompt, polite, and gentlemanly acquiescence-and not only acquiescence, but in many cases the most courteous and valuable personal assistance. If Mr. May, however, actually did meet with those obstructions in his researches, at which he hints, and we are of course bound to rely on his statement, he may rest assured that there was either some informality in his mode of proceeding, or some mistake in the supposed purport of his inquiry.

It must be confessed that this is not an elaborate work-its great claim to notice is its incontestible usefulness. Even in such a production, however, we would recommend to the diligent and able compiler, a careful revision of its pages, for we have detected errors in the construction of some of the sentences, which slightly mar their consecutive fitness. We are aware that it is only necessary to point out this defect to see it duly rectified in a second edition.

There are two well executed plates of the Evesham Parochial Churches and Abbey Tower, and of the Bell Tower of Evesham Abbey, from sketches made by the author, and engraved by J. C. Varrall. -The list of subscribers, which is appended to the work, we are gratified to observe, is numerous and respectable.

CRITICAL NOTICE-FOREIGN.

Collection Iconographique et Historique des Chenilles, ou Description et Figures des Chenilles d'Europe. Avec l'Histoire de leurs Métamorphoses, et des Applications a l'Agriculture. Par MM. Boisduval, Rambur, et Graslin. 8vo. Paris, 1832.

With the exception of the antiquated and curious work of Madame Merian,* we recollect the existence of no publication exhibiting even the pretensions to the character of a complete Monograph on the Caterpillars. Many of the British and continental writers upon insects have, we are well aware, cursorily adverted to, or partially and imperfectly illustrated, the subject. Not one of them, however, has yet been inspired by the noble ambition of grasping with a master-hand, this most instructive and important but neglected branch of entomological science, and treating it in the minute, luminous, and comprehensive manner of which it is alike susceptible and pre-eminently deserving.

Among the foreign publications upon the European Lepidoptera, those of Réaumur, Degeer, Ernst, Esper, and Roesel exhibit, here and there, figures of the caterpillars; but they are, for the most part, unfavourable specimens of the iconographic art, even at the period of their execution, -generally coarse, and sometimes contemptible. By another artist, the lamented Hubner, a numerous collection of the caterpillars of Europe has, indeed, been published. The text, however, is wanting; and, while many of the figures are excellent, others, from their inaccuracy, are completely worthless. This sad failure may probably be traced to the fact of Hubner having sometimes drawn his figures from inflated specimens, or servilely copied them from the faulty productions of preceding authors.

Donovan and Curtis, in their respective works on British Entomology, have frequently appended to the figures of the Lepidoptera, correct and even splendid drawings of the Caterpillar. In proof of this assertion, we confidently refer the reader to that engraving of the third volume of the Natural History of British Insects, in which the various states of the beautiful Papilio Antiopa, are depicted; and to the first, in the fourth of British Entomology, exhibiting representations of the Acherontia Atropos and its magnificent caterpillar. But the volumes of Donovan unfortutunately contain not a tenth part of even the British Lepidoptera; and the exquisite work of Mr. Curtis is a book of genera only, not of species. Again, the minute and generally correct descriptions of the Caterpillars, which exist in the productions of Hawortht, Stephens, and Rennie, are not illustrated by engravings.

Impressed with a conviction of the necessity and importance of a work which may enable the student of entomology to recognize the numerous species of caterpillar everywhere met with, and instruct the agriculturist

* Erucarum Ortus, Alimentum et Paradoxa Metamorphosis, &c. Per Mariam Sibillam Merian. Amstelædami, 4to. No date.

+ Lepidoptera Britannica, 8vo. Londini, 1803-1828; Illustrations of British Entomology, 8vo. London, 1828; -Conspectus of the Butterflies and Moths found in Britain, 12mo. London, 1832. Mr. Stephens has availed himself, with admirable effect, of his profound knowledge of the Caterpillars, in the construction and arrangement of the genera, and discrimination of obscurely marked species of Lepidopterous insects. The term Caterpillar, we may observe, is exclusively restricted to the larva of the Lepidoptera.

in the preservation of his property from the ravages of the more destructive and rapacious kinds, the authors of the present interesting Collection of European Caterpillars, have long been accumulating materials for their arduous enterprize. Not only have they procured from different parts of Europe, original drawings, of extreme accuracy; but they have employed an accomplished artist to make sketches of the caterpillars received or collected, by themselves, in a living state. Such an undertaking is obviously encompassed by many difficulties, which are not encountered in the execution of a work on the perfect Lepidoptera: for a collection of the caterpillars is generally little more than an assemblage of mis-shapen bodies and desiccated skins, retaining little or no vestige of their original form and character.

Divers methods have been employed to remedy this evil; yet none of them has, at present, been productive of any satisfactory result. Some Naturalists, after having squeezed out the intestines and sub-cutaneous tissue through the posterior extremity of the caterpillar, inflate the remaining skin with air. Such a process, however, has the effect of imparting to the specimen an unnatural figure. The rings of the body become distended, and more prominent than in a state of nature. The colours are not preserved: those which were originally green, assume a dead leaf hue; and the hairy species lose their covering. In the preservation of these latter, another method is sometimes had recourse to: the abdomen is opened, and stuffed with cotton, in the ordinary way of preserving birds and quadrupeds. This mode is attended with less deformity, and loss or variation of colour, than the preceding. Again, it has been attempted to preserve caterpillars, like the Annelides, in spirits of wine. In this way, if the colours fade, the animal still, in some degree, retains its pristine form and distinctive characters. Lastly, some persons employ the art of modelling in wax. This, by far the most eligible process, is, however, only applicable to the smooth caterpillars. It may also, be remarked, that wax is promptly discoloured by the action of light; and that the models which were originally deep-green, assume, after a certain time, a pale-green hue. Such, unfortunately, are the difficulties and discouragements with which a collection and delineation of the caterpillars are encompassed: while the Lepidoptera, if preserved with ordinary care, retain their characters, and their colouring in all its pristine freshness, during a long succession of years.

That these difficulties, however, are not insuperable, an examination of the exquisite and admirable collection by which the preceding observations have been elicited, will suffice to prove.

It was long a question with the authors whether they should, in the execution of their work, publish the description of the whole of the Caterpillars, belonging to one tribe or family of the Lepidoptera, in unbroken succession, or exhibit them in small interrupted series. After much deliberation, they, at length, decided, with evident propriety, upon the adoption of the latter plan: since, as all the figures are copied from nature, it would have been obviously impossible for them, even with the stock of materials already accumulated, to present the whole of the Caterpillars of one tribe, amounting, in some instances, to upwards of two hundred species, in regular succession.

In conformity with this arrangement, the work is published by plates, and not by series: care, however, has been taken that each plate shall exhibit only species of the same genus or tribe; and that the plates illustrative of each tribe, shall be separately numbered. Thus, we have Sphingide, pl. I, II, III, Pseudo-Bombycidæ I, II, and so forth: and, as one entire leaf is devoted to the description of each subject of each

plate, and as the text is not paged, the whole may be readily arranged at the conclusion of the work, according to the peculiar views of the possessor, or in the order of any entomological system which he may have been led to adopt.

Each caterpillar is figured at the adult age, with the plant upon which it feeds; but its appearance at different ages will, as often as practicable, be described in the text. The most remarkable varieties of each species are also represented; and a drawing, of the nympha or chrysalis, added. In the accompanying text, the process and period of metamorphosis of each species is, moreover, indicated; and the time of its existence in the chrysalid state.

In the plates of those Caterpillars which spin a cocoon, the figure of this curious and admirable production of "insect architecture" is frequently introduced; as often, at least, as it exhibits any striking peculiarity of form or character. Thus, if the cocoon of the Dicranura (Cerura) vinula have been represented, those of D. furcula and erminea will be omitted: and to the drawing of the cocoon of Bombyx (Lasiocampa) quercus, it will be unnecessary to subjoin that of the corresponding state of B. lanestris and catax; since all the cocoons display the same figure as those of their congeners. The same principle is generally followed in the delineation of the chrysalis.

With the figures of the numerous Caterpillars, which are polyphagous, or feed upon many different plants, that plant upon which the animal is most commonly found, will be selected for delineation. Thus the caterpillar of the Bombyx quercus is represented on the leaves of a briar; and that of the Orgya fascelina upon the Spartium scoparium.

In the prospectus of this most interesting and valuable work, it was stated by the authors, that one number (livraison) containing three plates, and the letter-press descriptive of them, would appear every month. The number of distinct species of European Caterpillars, requiring delineation, would, they calculated, be about nine hundred: and as they proposed to give, upon the average, five species of caterpillar in each plate, the whole work would be completed, according to the ordinary rules of arithmetic, in sixty numbers, and in five years from its commencement. But the professions of literary men, like the promises of newlyfledged statesmen and embryo senators, should be invariably received with suspicion: as they are too commonly fallacious in exact proportion to the loudness and confidence with which they are advanced. In the present instance, the justice of this censure is conspicuously exemplified : after a lapse of almost three years, we have received twenty-eight numbers of the Iconographic Collection of European Caterpillars; and, in the first twelve numbers, seventy-six species, instead of one hundred and eighty, have only been delineated. At this rate of progress, the work will obviously require, for its completion, at least fifteen years, and one hundred and forty-four such numbers as these, which are now lying before us. The price of each number is three francs in Paris.

Having thus succinctly exposed the origin, pretensions, and plan of this remarkable publication, we have now only to speak of the execution of the plates, and of the accompanying descriptions. The former, like the Scottish Cryptogamic Plants of Greville, the British Insects of Curtis, and the European Birds of Gould, are unrivalled in their peculiar department. The drawing is correct; the character of the subject admirably preserved; the colouring delicate, rich, but true to nature. The animal, in many instances, looks as if it were starting from the paper, and actually feeding or crawling before our eyes. The delineations of the accompanying plants, although less highly-finished and elaborate, are almost

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