animals　of　the　lowest　type；　by　little　touches　of　pathos　and　humour；
  that　living　and　personal　interest；　to　bestow　which　is　generally　the
  special　function　of　the　poet：　　not　that　Waterton　and　Jesse　are　not
  excellent　in　this　respect；　and　authors　who　should　be　in　every　boy's
  library：　　but　they　are　rather　anecdotists　than　systematic　or
  scientific　inquirers；　while　Mr。　Gosse；　in　his　〃Naturalist　on　the
  Shores　of　Devon；〃　his　〃Tour　in　Jamaica；〃　his　〃Tenby；〃　and　his
  〃Canadian　Naturalist；〃　has　done　for　those　three　places　what　White
  did　for　Selborne；　with　all　the　improved　appliances　of　a　science
  which　has　widened　and　deepened　tenfold　since　White's　time。　　Mr。
  Gosse's　〃Manual　of　the　Marine　Zoology　of　the　British　Isles〃　is；　for
  classification；　by　far　the　completest　handbook　extant。　　He　has
  contrived　in　it　to　compress　more　sound　knowledge　of　vast　classes　of
  the　animal　kingdom　than　I　ever　saw　before　in　so　small　a　space。　（35）
  Miss　Anne　Pratt's　〃Things　of　the　Sea…coast〃　is　excellent；　and　still
  better　is　Professor　Harvey's　〃Sea…side　Book；〃　of　which　it　is
  impossible　to　speak　too　highly；　and　most　pleasant　it　is　to　see　a
  man　of　genius　and　learning　thus　gathering　the　bloom　of　his　varied
  knowledge；　to　put　it　into　a　form　equally　suited　to　a　child　and　a
  SAVANT。　　Seldom；　perhaps；　has　there　been　a　little　book　in　which　so
  vast　a　quantity　of　facts　have　been　told　so　gracefully；　simply；
  without　a　taint　of　pedantry　or　cumbrousness　…　an　excellence　which
  is　the　sure　and　only　mark　of　a　perfect　mastery　of　the　subject。　　Mr。
  G。　H。　Lewes's　〃Sea…shore　Studies〃　are　also　very　valuable；　hardly
  perhaps　a　book　for　beginners；　but　from　his　admirable　power　of
  description；　whether　of　animals　or　of　scenes；　is　interesting　for
  all　classes　of　readers。
  Two　little　〃Popular〃　Histories　…　one　of　British　Zoophytes；　the
  other　of　British　Sea…weeds；　by　Dr。　Landsborough　（since　dead　of
  cholera；　at　Saltcoats；　the　scene　of　his　energetic　and　pious
  ministry）　…　are　very　excellent；　and　are　furnished；　too；　with　well…
  drawn　and　coloured　plates；　for　the　comfort　of　those　to　whom　a
  scientific　nomenclature　（as　liable　as　any　other　human　thing　to　be
  faulty　and　obscure）　conveys　but　a　vague　conception　of　the　objects。
  These　may　serve　well　for　the　beginner；　as　introductions　to
  Professor　Harvey's　large　work　on　British　Algae；　and　to　the　new
  edition　of　Professor　Johnston's　invaluable　〃British　Zoophytes；〃
  Miss　Gifford's　〃Marine　Botanist；〃　third　edition；　and　Dr。　Cocks's
  〃Sea…weed　Collector's　Guide；〃　have　also　been　recommended　by　a　high
  authority。
  For　general　Zoology　the　best　books　for　beginners　are；　perhaps；　as　a
  general　introduction；　the　Rev。　J。　A。　L。　Wood's　〃Popular　Zoology；〃
  full　of　excellent　plates；　and　for　systematic　Zoology；　Mr。　Gosse's
  four　little　books；　on　Mammals；　Birds；　Reptiles；　and　Fishes；
  published　with　many　plates；　by　the　Christian　Knowledge　Society；　at
  a　marvellously　cheap　rate。　　For　miscroscopic　animalcules；　Miss
  Agnes　Catlow's　〃Drops　of　Water〃　will　teach　the　young　more　than　they
  will　ever　remember；　and　serve　as　a　good　introduction　to　those
  teeming　abysses　of　the　unseen　world；　which　must　be　afterwards
  traversed　under　the　guidance　of　Hassall　and　Ehrenberg。
  For　Ornithology；　there　is　no　book；　after　all；　like　dear　old　Bewick；
  PASSE　though　he　may　be　in　a　scientific　point　of　view。　　There　is　a
  good　little　British　ornithology；　too；　published　in　Sir　W。　Jardine's
  〃Naturalist's　Library；〃　and　another　by　Mr。　Gosse。　　And　Mr。　Knox's
  〃Ornithological　Rambles　in　Sussex；〃　with　Mr。　St。　John's　〃Highland
  Sports；〃　and　〃Tour　in　Sutherlandshire；〃　are　the　monographs　of
  naturalists；　gentlemen；　and　sportsmen；　which　remind　one　at　every
  page　（and　what　higher　praise　can　one　give？）　of　White's　〃History　of
  Selborne。〃　　These　last；　with　Mr。　Gosse's　〃Canadian　Naturalist；〃　and
  his　little　book　〃The　Ocean；〃　not　forgetting　Darwin's　delightful
  〃Voyage　of　the　Beagle　and　Adventure；〃　ought　to　be　in　the　hands　of
  every　lad　who　is　likely　to　travel　to　our　colonies。
  For　general　Geology；　Professor　Ansted's　Introduction　is　excellent；
  while；　as　a　specimen　of　the　way　in　which　a　single　district　may　be
  thoroughly　worked　out；　and　the　universal　method　of　induction　learnt
  from　a　narrow　field　of　objects；　what　book　can；　or　perhaps　ever
  will；　compare　with　Mr。　Hugh　Miller's　〃Old　Red　Sandstone〃？
  For　this　last　reason；　I　especially　recommend　to　the　young　the　Rev。
  C。　A。　Johns's　〃Week　at　the　Lizard；〃　as　teaching　a　young　person　how
  much　there　is　to　be　seen　and　known　within　a　few　square　miles　of
  these　British　Isles。　　But；　indeed；　all　Mr。　Johns's　books　are　good
  （as　they　are　bound　to　be；　considering　his　most　accurate　and　varied
  knowledge）；　especially　his　〃Flowers　of　the　Field；〃　the　best　cheap
  introduction　to　systematic　botany　which　has　yet　appeared。　　Trained；
  and　all　but　self…trained；　like　Mr。　Hugh　Miller；　in　a　remote　and
  narrow　field　of　observation；　Mr。　Johns　has　developed　himself　into
  one　of　our　most　acute　and　persevering　botanists；　and　has　added　many
  a　new　treasure　to　the　Flora　of　these　isles；　and　one　person；　at
  least；　owes　him　a　deep　debt　of　gratitude　for　first　lessons　in
  scientific　accuracy　and　patience；　…　lessons　taught；　not　dully　and
  dryly　at　the　book　and　desk；　but　livingly　and　genially；　in
  adventurous　rambles　over　the　bleak　cliffs　and　ferny　woods　of　the
  wild　Atlantic　shore；　…
  〃Where　the　old　fable　of　the　guarded　mount
  Looks　toward　Namancos　and　Bayona's　hold。〃
  Mr。　Henfrey's　〃Rudiments　of　Botany〃　might　accompany　Mr。　Johns's
  books。　　Mr。　Babington's　〃Manual　of　British　Botany〃　is　also　most
  compact　and　highly　finished；　and　seems　the　best　work　which　I　know
  of　from　which　a　student　somewhat　advanced　in　English　botany　can
  verify　species；　while　for　ferns；　Moore's　〃Handbook〃　is　probably　the
  best　for　beginners。
  For　Entomology；　which；　after　all；　is　the　study　most　fit　for　boys
  （as　Botany　is　for　girls）　who　have　no　opportunity　for　visiting　the
  sea…shore；　Catlow's　〃Popular　British　Entomology；〃　having　coloured
  plates　（a　delight　to　young　people）；　and　saying　something　of　all　the
  orders；　is；　probably；　still　a　good　work　for　beginners。
  Mr。　Stainton's　〃Entomologist's　Annual　for　1855〃　contains　valuable
  hints　of　that　gentleman's　on　taking　and　arranging　moths　and
  butterflies；　as　well　as　of　Mr。　Wollaston's　on　performing　the　same
  kind　office　for　that　far　more　numerous；　and　not　less　beautiful
  class；　the　beetles。　　There　is　also　an　admirable　〃Manual　of　British
  Butterflies　and　Moths；〃　by　Mr。　Stainton；　in　course　of　publication；
  but；　perhaps；　the　most　interesting　of　all　entomological　books　which
  I　have　seen　（and　for　introducing　me　to　which　I　must　express　my
  hearty　thanks　to　Mr。　Stainton）；　is　〃Practical　Hints　respecting
  Moths　and　Butterflies；　forming　a　Calendar　of　Entomological
  Operations；〃　（36）　by　Richard　Shield；　a　simple　London　working…man。
  I　would　gladly　devote　more　space　than　I　can　here　spare　to　a　review
  of　this　little　book；　so　perfectly　does　it　corroborate　every　word
  which　I　have　said　already　as　to　the　moral　and　intellectual　value　of
  such　studies。　　Richard　Shield；　making　himself　a　first…rate
  〃lepidopterist；〃　while　working　with　his　hands　for　a　pound　a　week；
  is　the　antitype　of　Mr。　Peach；　the　coast…guardsman；　among　his
  Cornish　tide…rocks。　　But　more　than　this；　there　is　about　Shield's
  book　a　tone　as　of　Izaak　Walton　himself；　which　is　very　delightful；
  tender；　poetical；　and　religious；　yet　full　of　quiet　quaintness　and
  humour；　showing　in　every　page　how　the　love　for　Natural　History　is
  in　him　only　one　expression　of　a　love　for　all　things　beautiful；　and
  pure；　and　right。　　If　any　readers　of　these　pages　fancy　that　I　over…
  praise　the　book；　let　them　buy　it；　and　judge　for　themselves。　　They
  will　thus　help　the　good　man　toward　pursuing　his　studies　with　larger
  and　better　appliances；　and　will　be　（as　I　expect）　surprised　to　find
  how　much　there　is　to　be　seen　and　done；　even　by　a　working…man；
  within　a　day's　walk　of　smoky　Babylon　itself；　and　how　easily　a　man
  might；　if　he　would；　wash　his　soul　clean　for　a　while　from　all　the
  turmoil　and　intrigue；　the　vanity　and　vexation　of　spirit　of　that
  〃too…populous　wilderness；〃　by　going　out　to　be　alone　a　while　with
  God　in　heaven；　and　with　that　earth　which　He　has　given　to　the
  children　of　men；　not　merely　for　the　material　wants　of　their　bodies；
  but　as　a　witness　and　a　sacrament　that　in　Him　they　live　and　move；
  and　have　their　being；　〃not　by　bread　alone；　but　by　EVERY　word　that
  proceedeth　out　of　the　mouth　of　God。〃
  Thus　I　wrote　some　twenty　years　ago；　when　the　study　of　Natural
  History　was　confined　mainly　to　several　scientific　men；　or　mere
  collectors　of　shells；　insects；　and　dried　plants。
  Since　then；　I　am　glad　to　say；　it　has　become　a　popular　and　common
  pursuit；　owing；　I　doubt　not；　to　the　impulse　given　to　it　by　the　many
  authors　whose　works　I　then　recommended。　　I　recommend　them　still；
  though　a　swarm　of　other　manuals　and　popula