P. S. The lawyers have a saying, ignorantia neminem excusat; which, I believe, means, that ignorance is the best excuse for going to law!

To the Editor of Recreations in Agriculture, &c.

SIR,

I AM one of a numerous clafs of persons to whom your work will be peculiarly useful. Our time being principally occupied by the avocations of society, we have not leisure for entering deeply into literary pursuits; yet are so far in the habit of reading, as to find in our books a certain and never-fading source of entertainment for the short intervals of time that are not devoted to businefs or company. A consequence of this is, that we frequently meet with passages in authors which greatly excite our curiosity, though we must content ourselves with remaining unsatisfied, either on account of the smallness of our libraries, or the want of leisure to turn over volumes, if we happen to have them, in search of the desired information. Now, as the natural peculiarities of animals, plants, and minerals, form one of the principal classes of objects in which we find ourselves thus at a loss, I am in hopes that we shall obtain great relief from the perusal of your numbers as they come out; for they will, if I rightly understand your plan, point out such circumstances in Natural-history as, being interesting in themselves, we shall read with avidity, and retain in our memory; whereas the usual mode of going over a system of clafsification [I, however, beg to be understood that I approve very much

of the prevailing system when properly managed. I would have you to annex the technical descriptions and names, by way of identifying objects, in the same way as the longitude and latitude should accompany a geographical account of a place], involved in technical terms, is a drudgery to which none can submit but those who make the study of natural-history an occupation of itself, rather than a source of desirable information subservient to other purposes.

These remarks have been suggested by the following pafsage in Cesar. In reading a book which was written. about eighteen hundred years ago by an accurate and intelligent man, we are naturally led to observe, with some attention, the changes that have taken place during that period in the countries of which it treats; accordingly the animals here described, amongst other things, excite a considerable degree of interest. When we attend to the geographical descriptions of this author, we are convinced of his accuracy in general, and are thereby led to give more credit to what is said respecting these creatures than perhaps we otherwise would; yet he may have been deceived by idle stories of the country people. At all events it will be very gratifying to your readers, if either you, or any of your correspondents, will furnish them with any authentic information on this subject that your extensive reading may have supplied.

After mentioning the Hercynean forest, a wood of an immense extent in the interior of Germany, he proceeds as follows (de Bello Gallico, lib. vi. c. 22, &c.) [N. B. The original text is omitted, as the reader, it is supposed, will be satisfied with the justnefs of the translation.]

"It is certain that there are many kinds of animals, natives of that place, which are not to be found elsewhere. The following are amongst those which differ most from others, and appear worthy of being recorded.

"There is a beeve (bos) of the form of a deer: from the middle of its forehead, betwixt the ears, springs a single horn, taller and more upright than any of the horns with which we are acquainted; and wide branches spread out at the top of it something like palm leaves. The appearance of the male and that of the female are alike; as also the shape and size of the horns.

"There are also creatures called alceses (alces). In shape and in the colour of the skin they very much resemble goats; but rather exceed them in size; they have no horns, and their legs are without joints. They do not lie down to take their rest; neither if, through any casual distress, they lay themselves on the ground, can they again raise themselves or stand up. Trees serve them for beds; to these they apply their bodies, and rest themselves by leaning against them. The hunters, having remarked by the tracks of their feet the places which they frequent, either dig out the trees at the roots, or cut them across to such a degree that they only remain in appearance standing. Thus when they come to lean as usual, the wounded trees give way with the weight of their bodies, and they fall to the ground.

"There is a third sort, which is called the urus. It is in size rather lefs than the elephant; in appearance, colour, and shape, it is like a bull. It is both very strong and fleet, and it spares neither man nor beast when it meets with him. The country people destroy

them by catching them in pit-falls. The youth render themselves hardy by this sort of labour, and exercise themselves in this mode of hunting; and those who have killed the greatest number acquire great praise, the horns being produced in public as a proof. They cannot be tamed or domesticated, even though taken when very young. The size, shape, and appearance of the horns differ greatly from those of our cattle; the people scek eagerly after them, and, encircling the mouths with silver, use them for drinking cups at their great festivals."

1

This last has been probably merely a breed of common cattle, and may have been domesticated and intermixed with the others, notwithstanding what is said to the contrary; for ignorant people do not always try every means of making animals subservient to their own purposes; an instance of which we have in Mr. Park's travels, lately published; wherein we are informed, that the Africans laughed at him as an impostor when he told them that he had seen elephants used as beasts of burden.

I believe there are many certain proofs of different kinds of animals having existed which are not now to be found in the world; of these, I presume, you will take due notice in the course of your work. In the mean time any intelligence you can give us respecting the above will be obliging

A. A. L.

In answer to the above, the Editor shall only say, that there is reason to suspect that Cæsar, like many other travellers, has taken his description of these animals from the report of the natives. The two first,

there is great reason to suspect, are merely ideal animals, as they have not, that we have heard of, been ever since seen. The story of the legs without joints, &c. is to this hour reported of the elephant, and firmly believed by the vulgar in this country. As to the urus, the animal still exists in the province of Lithuania; and, though the description be somewhat exaggerated, it is doubtless the largest of the bos tribe that is known in Europe. It can be easily tamed. Many horns of this species have been found at different times in the bogs of Ireland and Scotland of very large dimensions; which affords sufficient evidence that it has, in former times, been a native of these islands, though it has been here long extinct.

To the Editor of Recreations in Agriculture, &c.

MR. EDITOR,

I Do not disapprove your caution respecting the admifsion of poetry into your miscellany. Perhaps it is right that you should adopt strong measures to guard against trifling verses being poured in upon you; but I beg leave to suggest that it might perhaps be agreeable to many of your readers, if you would admit sparingly a selection of some of the best little poems that have been published, though not so generally known as they deserve to be. This might conveniently enough fill up a spare corner of your miscellany, at times afford an agreeable recreation to many of your readers, and would give some idea to those who wish to send you original poetical