1895. SOME NEW BOOKS. 349 



immediately after his return to the coast he again set out on his last 

 expedition, which was a second visit to the Webi Shabeleh, intending 

 to cross this and explore the Galla regions to the south. But the late 

 Prince Ruspoli had just fought his way through that country, and 

 had, as Captain Swayne expresses it, " been singularly unfortunate in 

 the impression left behind." Captain Swayne had, therefore, either 

 to fight his way into the district, or not go in at all, and he chose the 

 latter alternative. Under the circumstances, there can be no doubt 

 that his forbearance has helped to remove the bitter feeling of the 

 Galla of that district against Europeans, and will thus facilitate the 

 future exploration of the country. 



After the conclusion of the narrative portion of the volume, 

 Captain Swayne adds a chapter on the fauna of Somaliland, and three 

 appendices, giving instructions on the equipment of expeditions, notes 

 on the physical geography and on the trade of the country. The 

 account of the fauna is an expansion of the author's paper on the 

 Antelopes of Somaliland, published in the Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society, and forms one of the most valuable chapters in the book, 

 containing interesting notes on the habits of the animals. Unlike the 

 accounts of many sportsmen, it is well up-to-date in nomenclature ; 

 sometimes it is almost too much so, for the adoption of Madoqua 

 without references or explanation maybe puzzling to those who know 

 only Ncotragiis, and not having seen Thomas's paper, are not acquainted 

 with the reason for the change. In addition to remarks on the habits 

 of the animals, the author gives some account of the methods in which 

 they are hunted by the natives ; among these, the description of the 

 system by which the Midgan capture the ostrich is the rnost 

 interesting. The value of this chapter is increased by the numerous 

 illustrations ; but these are of the conventional type, and of less 

 originality than the sketches of animals at home, which are scattered 

 through the book. These are of unequal value, but the majority are 

 excellent. The figures of animals which illustrate books of travel are 

 usually based on overstuffed museum specimens. Some of Captain 

 Swayne's sketches are rather scratchy and less finished than if they 

 had been executed by a professional artist at home. But they are 

 of far greater value, for they give a good idea of the animals in action. 

 Owing to the courtesy of the publishers, two of them are reproduced 

 here (Figg. 2 and 3) ; one shows a herd of water-buck (Kobiis 

 ellipsiprymnus), and the other some Gazella soemmeringi at play. Both 

 of these truthfully portray the appearance and gait of the living 

 animals, and show that Captain Swayne has the eye of a true artist. 



The full-page photographic reproductions are also very useful, 

 for they give a better idea of the character of the sandy scrub-covered 

 plains of East Africa than any illustrations previously published in 

 England. The only things we know which can compare with them 

 are those issued by Pauhtschke. One of them (Fig. i) has also been 

 kindly lent by the publishers, and shows the sandy, turfless ground, the 

 umbrella-shaped acacias, and the sharp, bayonet-shaped Sanseveira 

 (which is unfortunately described as an aloe throughout the book), 

 characteristic of this type of country. The illustrations are so admir- 

 able that they often help one to detect errors in the text, for the 

 sections dealing with animals which are not included in the category 

 of sporting game, and with the plants, are not equal to the rest of the 

 book. Thus the rock-rabbits, to which the author refers, are shown by 

 the illustration on p. 256 to be Hyrax. He also identifies some trees in 

 the Webi Shabeleh as Casuavina, although the occurrence of that genus 

 there is most improbable. He gives an illustration of a rhinoceros at 



