192 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



rewrite and much enlarge the book ; and he has added several 

 plates to his series of original and vigorous pen-and-ink sketches 

 pictures that will be much appreciated by those familiar with bird-life 

 in the open. There is no better book of its kind, and to Scottish 

 naturalists it will be especially acceptable since it deals with the 

 bird-life of the Cheviots, the moorlands of the Border, and the 

 adjacent seaboard. In its new form it will be welcome even to 

 those who possess the original edition. 



We have only one fault to find with the author, namely, that he 

 has not brought his chapters on migration up to the level of 

 modern knowledge, and hence some of his statements are now 

 known not to hold good. The book forms a handsome and well- 

 printed volume of 458 pages, and the reproductions of the plates 

 are excellent. 



EUROPEAN ANIMALS : THEIR GEOLOGICAL HISTORY AND 

 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. By R. F. Scharff, Ph.D., B.Sc. 

 London: Archibald Constable and Co., Ltd., 1907. 75. 6d. net. 



This book has strong claims on British naturalists, since a con- 

 siderable portion of it is devoted to the history of the animals of 

 our islands past and present a subject of the greatest importance 

 to all who are genuinely interested in our insular fauna. Scottish 

 naturalists will find a chapter devoted to the animal life of their 

 country, which is compared with that of both England and Ireland ; 

 and its associations with Iceland on the one hand and Scandinavia 

 on the other are fully discussed. Other chapters, in like manner, 

 deal with the distribution of animals in other European countries. 

 Many very intricate and difficult problems naturally present them- 

 selves for solution in dealing with such subjects, and these are 

 treated fully and fairly ; and although we do not always agree 

 with the deductions which Dr. Scharff draws from the facts pre- 

 sented, yet his conclusions are always worthy of careful considera- 

 tion. The book is replete with useful facts gleaned from many 

 sources, and dealing with all classes of animals ; those species which 

 bear evidence of great importance are depicted along with their 

 geographical distribution on a series of maps. The book is one which 

 should certainly be in the hands of all British zoologists, not only 

 on account of the elaborate manner in which it treats of the history 

 of our fauna, but also as a book of reference dealing with the past 

 and present distribution of European animals generally. It is a 

 well got up volume, and is remarkably reasonable in price. 



