rangement of these birds at present, as indeed there is with most of the Trochilide; the rapid progress of discovery constantly developing new forms and affinities, and modifying the views of naturalists respecting them, so that the old genera have to be broken up and divided, and new ones formed all this renders it extremely difficult for a student in this branch of ornithology to see his way at all clearly through the labyrinth of long names which he is necessitated to enter. He marks a beautiful species, and wishes to know all that has been said about it by various authorities: he studies its aspect and characteristics carefully, and fancies he has fixed in his mind its exact position in the scientific classification he then leaves it to pursue his investigations, and lo! presently, he lights upon the same bird in another generic group, or sub-family, with a different name; or perhaps he finds the same name, of which he had taken a mental stereotype, attached to a quite different bird. This is, perhaps, unavoidable in a branch of natural science in relation to which fresh facts are so rapidly accumulating. We do not complain of it, but simply say, it is very puzzling to the neophyte, who, however, must not be discouraged by his difficulties and mistakes. A little diligence and perseverence will enable him to overcome the first, and to turn the last into lessons for his future instruction. But this is a digression into which we have been led by a pursuit of the scattered members of this genus Thaumatius, through Les Emeraudes and Ornismya of Lesson; Basilinna of Boié; Polytmus of Gray; and specific distinctions out of number by everybody who has written upon Humming Birds. We believe we are right, in speaking under the head of this genus, of Loddige's Trochilus Millerii, whose Brazilian name, Picaflor de la Cordilliera, indicates the localities where it has been found, viz., the elevated valleys of the Andes, where it resides among storms of hail, rain, and thunder, and in places where the naturalist would least expect to find a species of Trochilus. Here we have, as Martin observes, "an example of a Humming Bird which pursues its prey on the wing along the mountain water-courses, not so much by day, as at that time when "Evening draws o'er all her gradual dusky veil;" and herein are we borne out in our previous observations as to the crepuscular habits of many species to whom insects, rising from the water and the bordering herbage in evening, are as attractive as they are to the swallows of our island. "It was at FOOD OF HUMMING BIRDS. 165 one time thought that all Humming Birds fed only on the sweet juices of flowers, but this theory has long been exploded; and it has been fully demonstrated that insect food is necessary to their lengthened existence, and it is chiefly in search of this that their bills are thrust into the nectaries of the flowers over which they hover so continuously, making, with the quick vibration of their wings, that buzzing or humming sound which has gained for them their common appellation. In some species, the long retractile tongue, which lies snugly coiled up within the bill, corkscrew fashion, until the prey is discovered, when it can be projected considerably beyond its horny sheath, is armed on the outer sides of the extreme points, or forks, with sharp pliable spines, or barbs. It was part of the now exploded theory, that the conjoint hollow tubes, of which this tongue is composed, formed channels through which the liquid nourishment was sucked up. We cannot wonder that the poets. have fallen into this error, of believing that the tiny hummers, so much like insects in their general size and manner of flight, lived altogether upon honey, the more especially as it seems likely that they may partly do so. Nor must we look upon the beautiful description given of them by James Montgomery as embodying a fallacy : "From flower to flower, where wild bees flew and sung, As countless, small, and musical as they, Showers of bright Humming Birds came down and plied Whose richest blooms grow pale beneath the blaze Our readers' memory will, no doubt, supply them with a pendant to this glowing picture in the lines by Rogers, beginning 66 Through cotton groves and fields of yellow maze." We are warned by our fast diminishing space that we must hurry to a conclusion, although we have as yet noticed but twenty-two out of the fifty-six genera represented in Mr. Gould's monograph, and have said but little about the general habits and structure of this beautiful family of birds. We trust, however, that our article, imperfect as it is, may answer the intended purpose, of calling attention to the works named at the head of it, and of exciting in the breasts of our readers a desire to know more about these feathered gems, so wonderfully numerous, and diverse, and richly adorned. For the more youthful inquirers, and even for adults, whose attention has not yet been directed to the subject, we can recommend nothing better than the wonderfully cheap and well-illustrated volume which stands last on the list; it is simply and clearly written; is lively and anecdotal; has cuts of the different parts of the Humming Birds small anatomy; and coloured plates of sixteen of the most remarkable species; and will be none the less valued for having also a short memoir of Mr. Gould, at the conclusion of whose magnificent monograph, we may perhaps write another article on this subject, as the materials and data will then be before us for giving a complete view of the whole family under their proper generic arrangement, with some of the most interesting particulars connected with the natural history of each species. It would neither be in accordance with the character of the Review for which we write, nor with our own inclinations, were we to close this article without some allusion to the devotional associations of the subject. Birds, joyous birds, are at all times, and in all places, beautiful and full of interest. Well has it been said that they constitute" the poetry of animated nature." Be their plumage ever so plain, their forms ever so diminutive, they are objects both of love and admiration. The poet never wearies of singing their praises, in strains that are the more pleasing, the more nearly they accord with those of the feathered minstrels; the painter sees in their delicate, yet rounded shapes, and graceful motions, and harmoniously blended, or strongly contrasted hues, the very perfection of form, and motion, and colour, and loves to transfer them to his canvass; the naturalist watches their proceedings with a curious eye, and in taking note of their peculiar habits and characteristic traits, acquires at the same time scientific knowledge, and something of that wisdom that passeth understanding; for who can rightly" consider the fowls of the air" without learning lessons of dependence upon that ever watchful Providence, which "suffereth not even a sparrow to fall to the ground unnoticed." Look upon them, ye desponding and faithless ones! Not only in the bright sunshine of summer, but in the season of storms and dreariness, they are active and cheerful; "they sow not, neither do they reap and gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them: are ye not much better than they?" Of infinitely more consequence in the eyes of the Almighty WALTON AND LUTHER. 66 167 as he Creator, infinitely dearer in the view of the loving Saviour, is your immortal soul, than all the birds which fill the universe with song, and enliven and beautify creation. Never, we believe, was there a truly pious heart that did not thank and praise God for the birds. Bishop Jeremy Taylor, we may remember, compared the soaring lark to an angel, passed sometimes through the air about his ministries here below." The music of the nightingale bore up the thoughts of the good Izaac Walton to the throne of eternal glory. "What must be the music there," he said, " when we, bad men, have such music on earth?" And the great-souled Luther, how he loved to watch the birds of his native country; he established quite an intimacy with them, and talked to them and of them, as familiar friends. "Look at that little fellow now," said he, "going to roost; he has chosen his shelter, and is quietly rocking himself to sleep without a care for to-morrow's lodging, calmly holding by his little twig, and leaving God to think for him." How often, when wearied with the cares of life, have we wished that we could rise like a bird upon outstretched pinions, echoing in our hearts the desire of the Psalmist"Oh that I had the wings of a dove; then would I flee away and be at rest. One of the most cheering of the Scripture promises to a distressed and afflicted Christian, is that which refers to the bird's watchful care over its young-" The Lord shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust." And again, in reference to the beauty of a bird's plumage, we may call to mind another consolatory promise of God's-" Though ye have lien among the pots,"though ye have suffered the greatest degradation, and become the very scorn of man; yet shall ye hereafter "—if ye faithful" dwell with the redeemed, and be clothed in glorious raiment." For what saith the Scripture? "Ye shall be as the wings of a dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold." 66 be But we need scarcely multiply quotations of this sort, nor enforce our meaning by any more lengthened observations upon birds in general. The members of the family to which our article has immediate reference, are not gifted with vocal powers, and therefore they cannot cheer and uplift the soul of man by their melody; but, oh! how they must enliven and glorify many of the wildest and most desolate places of this earth-the deep primeval forest, the pestilential swamp, the mountain gorge, rifted and scorched by the action of volcanic fire, the dark morass, and the pathless wilderness; these are the scenes amid which the Humming Bird is found, and we may well imagine with what delight the lonely wayfarer must look upon so truly delicate and beautiful an object, and how the gleam and flash of those gorgeous plumes must be to him like a new revelation of divine power and sustaining love. "The foot-weary traveller, journeying long, The forests far-stretching, and prairies among; Must the heart of the desolate wayfarer turn, As he resteth awhile 'neath the wide-spreading tree. In a realm, of whose glories no mortal may tell : The joys that we cherish, the dreams, and the hopes ART. VIII.-The History of England, from the Accession of James the Second. By THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY. Vols. III. and IV. London: Longmans. 1855. MR. MACAULAY would have done a better thing for the people of England, for future times, and for himself, if he had contracted what he had to say about the eight first years of William III. into less than half the space he has allotted to it. It is all very well for people to read the account patiently through once, when the two volumes are first published, and after elaborate puffs have prepared the public mind for something extraordinary. But if the history is continued on the same scale, it will form one of the most |