was on
the point of finally quitting England in order to become a settler in New
Zealand. But though thus separated by the entire diameter of the globe,
"steam will soon convey to him a copy of this," says Mr Waterton--and
verily he has demolished the unlucky Swainson without ruth or mercy.
Whether this "wholesale dealer in unsound zoology," as Mr Waterton calls
him, ever can have seen a cayman, except at a safe distance, appears
somewhat dubious; and his story of this reptile hiding its prey in a hole
till semi-putrid, though it would convey a high idea of the respect
entertained by his brother caymans for the rights of property, must be
incredible to any one who has ever inspected the jaws of the animals which
(as Mr Waterton observes) "are completely formed for snatch and swallow."
We fear, moreover, that the character which general experience has
assigned to these huge reptiles, whether called crocodiles, caymans, or
alligators, is much more in accordance with the anecdote related by
Governor Ynciarte of a man carried off into the river by one of these
monsters from the alameda, or public walk, of Angostura, than with
Swainson's description of a timid creature, liable to be knocked on the
head by an idle boy with a hatchet, the defenceless state of which excited
his compassion. If, therefore, Mr Swainson does not come forward, either
to substantiate these novel statements, or to retract them, the scientific
world is likely to come to the conclusion drawn by Mr Waterton, that,
"when he wrote his account of this reptile, he was either totally
unacquainted with its habits and economy, or that he wilfully perverted
them, in order to be revenged on me" for the letter above mentioned.

From the circumstances under which the present volume was put forth, one
or two letters are included which do not appear to have been originally
intended for publication--and these are not the least characteristic parts
of the work--as that to Mr Hog of Newliston in advocacy of the persecuted
Scotch rooks, and one to Mr Loudon himself on the methods of clearing a
garden from vermin, in which there is much practical sense. It is not good
for weasels or hedgehogs, any more than for man, to be alone in this
world. "You say 'you will send to a gardener in the country for a weasel.'
You must send for two, male and female. A bachelor weasel, or a spinster
weasel, would not tarry four-and-twenty hours in your garden. Either of
them would go a sweet