CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Ornithology. — We have been favoured with a view of a large collection of stuffed birds of New Zealand, made during the past two years by Mr. A. W Lea. The collection consists of between seventy and eighty different varieties, some of them being most rare, and a few of exquisite beauty. All are preserved with great care and ski'l, and must have required great labour to obtain. Mr. Lea is at present packing them for shipment to England, the collection being intended to grace the Worcester museum. The services of such a skilled Ornithologist, and of as many as would help him, would not he ill-bestowed in forming a similar collection as the nucleus of a museum in this place. — Lyttelton Times, Feb. 7. Change of Ministry.— Mr. Joseph Brittan has resigned his office of Provincial Secretary, and his seat in the Executive Council. He is succeeded in both positions by Mr. Richard Packer, whose appointment dates from Monday last. Mr. 11. J. Tailored has also resigned his seat in the Executive Council, bnt hi* place has not been filled up. No other resignations or appointments have taken place as yet. — Ibid, Feb. 11. The New Zealand Qiiauttsult Revikw.— We have been prevented from noticing this work before now, first because our attention was occupied with other things, and, secondly, because we have had some hesitation in proceeding to the criticism of a work which pi ofesses to perform the highest style of criticism itself. We mu««t confess that wt should wish the sub-title 'Magazine of general and Local Literature' were moic cumpletely justified in the body of the work. Iftre contents of the peiiodieal are to be weighty essays, and the text of each some book or publication, they must be hard to be found and of indifferent interest in that shape if the} r deal with local matters. Our wild buast ha* his den in a land wheie there is no prey to be found. B'lt if he ventures into the hunting grounds of the ravenous Quarteily or Edinburgh and presumes to meddle with the authors whom they mark for their pre3', we anticipate no triumph to our young cub in his rivalry. In truth, a Review should hold the highest place in our periodical literature, for criticisms upon great writers \t ill not be tolerated unless they come with some superiority of stj le and language. The article on Tennyson in the first number of the Review before us is a sample ot this. The general reader will not permit himself to be persuaded by the Reviewei that Tennyson has graces or faults, for he will not be persuaded that the Reviewer is the better man of the two. Much as we are pleased on the pprusal of this first attempt, and creditable as we deem it to New Zealand, we cannot fail to remark that it wants the vigour and sparkle of our wonted oracles, and, if so, we wo aid rather that it was not a Review pioper, but that it adopted somewhat the style of a Magazine. A wider selection of contributors and of articles, and, we think, a laiger circle of readers would be the result of «uch a change. So much foi the style and manner of the woik As for the matter, the first ai tide, that on the Russian War, is the best in the book ; and the fourth, t' at on Education, shows the writer to be most at home in his subject, but the article is spoiled, in our judgment, by the effort to be abstract. The other articles, except that on Tennyson, are semi-his-torical, and have more or less interest from the facts which they nan ate. One or two little inconsistencies we may be allowed to point to. They are in themselves of very tiifling importance, only indicating the want of an editor's caie. The writer on Tennyson speaks of 'I\laud' with supreme contempt, but his confederate writers, in the first and fifth articles, quote that poem with evident unction. Again, the writer of the 'Euthanasia,' (an article, by the way, which bears evident marks of a Canterbury pen) dwells freely upon the merits of Canterbury in its ecclesiastical and educational features ; while a 'Short Notice' strongly condemns, in no measured terms, the attempt sometimes made to exalt Canterbury over other settlements, especially in these particulars. These are trifling errors, and cannot detract from the general merits of the book. Most of the articles appear to be by clerical writers, and they deal a good deal with ecclesiastical and cognate subjects. The book as a whole, also, has an evident thoughtful and religious tone, throughout. Knowing, as we do, the many difficulties which must beset the publication of the work (and the mechanical difficulties are the haidest for the originator of such a work to overcome), we must call it a very creditable production, and we heartily wish it success. — Ibid.

The Heathcote Rrvxit.— This stream is a* present in constant use as a highway. At the Ferry and the Quay, cargoes are constantly arriving and despatched, and great bustle prevails on all hands. Lingard's wharf, near the first bridge towards Christchureh, is well occupied as a place ot reception of metal for the road, and several carts and drays are woiking in connection with it. Higher up the river towards the Quay, a new jetty and store are in course of building, wh.ch are intended to be employed, we understand, chiefly in the timber trade in connection with the s:hooner Ocean Queen, lor the conveyance from Akaroa and the bays. A large sihooner, the Lucy James, 32 tons, lately arrived irom Auckland, wan taken up as far as the Quay, and has there discharged the laigestload ot timber that has ever been taken at once to that spot. Timber, we are told, i>> easily disposed of at fair prices. In the matter of outward cargoes, wool is the largest article of export ; there are also small quantities of wheat. Drays from the stations are constantly coming down to both shipping places in the river, and boats are arri\ing and departing as frequently as the wind and tide will permit them. The difficulties which stood in the way of shipping in previous years have not been so much felt this season, the boating power being largely increased and the storage room being considerably enlarged. There are also no heavy shipments of agricultural pioduce to compete for shipment with the wool, as was previously the case. The road ilso is in good order, and so far all things are going smoothly. We notice two large shipments irom the river during the last week. The Eclair, schooner, cairx 1 round on Sunday morning last, and went alongside the Oliver Lang the lollowing day to discharge a cargo of wool valued at nearly £1000. At the same time the Lucy James was leady for depaiture from tne Ferry, having 60 bales of wool on board, which, with other cargo, wheat, &c, reached to the value of £ 1 100. These two vessels have lately arrived in the settlement, and are carrying freights of considerably greater amount than any of the regular craft do. We regret to hear that a difficulty arose as to pilotage of these vessels in the river, a difficult coutse for a stranger. Men from the other boats were found to take them up, but we understand that, finding the vessel* in question were loading for return, they refused unanimously to take them down again. We mußt call this unwise conduct on tne part of the boatmen in question, if true. Jusj; at this time, when severe competition may be expected, it is surely foolish to adppt a, line of

conduct calculated to annoy atirf disgust shippers ami the public. Such acts as these will leave no opening' for regret at the destruction of the boating interest by the proposed coasting steam service, if euch a thing should e^er come to pass. We think our friends, the '.oatmen, if they are wise in their generation, will tfo> all they can to accommodate one another and the public so that we may leel the need of alteration as little as possible. At the same time, it strikes us that the pilotage in this river need not be left to such chances. Art additional hand in the harbour master's crew in port would be dimply sufficient to discha?J?p thrs n HutiVq, better than they are done on the voluntary system, and' at much smaller unurge to the vebsels rrquiring aid, while this charge would almost or quite meet the ad ' ditional expense, and ihesenw-es oi the additinnaHiand' would often be required on emergencies in tfte sei'vieer itself. We throw out this hint for considei auort iit the proper quarter. Such cargoes ns we h«ve reported 1 above are not to be carelessly risked, and when our trade' intreases, we must, of course, expect losses to occur among them it no improvement is attempted. — LytteU ton litiies, Feb. 21.

The Weather. -The rain which Lyttleton has hern so unxiously looking for has visited us at lnst.during the past week ; to the great inc<>n\enienee, no doubt, of those engaged in farming operations or in the carriage of produce. Last Friday and Saturday and two or three days since have given us in this town such a sup--ply of water that it Fs unlikely that we shall run short again before the winter. The good effects of the rain are apparent in the gardens, where the later potatoes and other vegetables, existing, till lately, without any promise of growing, are now taking a start which promises to compensate us in the autumn for the deficiency under which we have suffered during the summer. — Lyttelton Times, Feb. 28.

The Superintendence.— ln anticipation of a general election, at some uncertain period during the current year, we understand that a requisition is in course of preparation to the present Superintendent, to allow himself to be put in nomination for re. election on the expiry of his present term of office. It is pretty generally known, however, that the Ftate of his Honor's he-il th is unfortunately such as to render him unwilling, if not unable to undergo the fatigues ot official life for a much longer period, and that he has, in piivate, repeatedly and positively stated his determination not to seek again the honorable post which he will have held for the appointed term. We understand that three candidates, acting upon the knowledge of Mr. Fitzgerald's intentions, have already appeared in the field to yrge their claims to fill the contemplated vacancy ; and we should not be surprised to find some other yet undeveloped aspirants come forward. — Lyttelton Times t Feb. 25.

The Provincial Council. — The session of the Council which was to have commenced on the sth March next, is further prorogued, we believe, till the 2nd of April. Of the reasons for this adjournment we are not aware, but they are doubtless referable to the difficulty of winding up matters for the Inst session of the present Council, in connection with the late change in the Executi\ e. — Ibid.

Arrival of a Thoroughbred Enttrb 'House. — By the Dart we have an importation ot the most usefull kind in the shape ot the thoroughbred entire "Sleight-of-hand," purchased in Sydney by Mr. G. W. Lee, of Kaiapoi, and brought to this pro\ince to serve during future seasons. "Sleight-of-hand" was bred in EngUnd by Sir Tatton Sykes, and was foaled in 1848 ; he is, thtrefore. now, eight years old. Sire, "Sleight-of-hand ;" dam by "Cornus," out ot sister to "Speaker," by "Camilus," &c. He is own brother to "Van Araburgh," which ran second to " Coronation" tot the Derby, in 1841 ; and his sire won the Liverpool Tradesman's Cup in 1840. The Stud book and Racing Calendar contain the particulars relating to pedigree and achievements. This horse has never been backed or broken, having been bred by Sir Tatton Sykes especially for stud purposes. He was landed in Sydney only in May, 1806, and gained an unusual shaie of attention horn breeders ; he was purchased there by Mr. Lee horn Mr. Tait for £400. He is a most desirable horse forthis country, being of immense power and perfect symmetiy. He stands 16 hands high, and is of a rich dark brown colour, with jec black points and without white. We anticipate that the judgment as well as spirit which Mr. Lee has displayed in this enterprise will be fully appreciated by the public, and that ,he wilL find his speculation profitable to him. — Ibid.