XXIV 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



It is interesting to note, from the psycho- 

 logical point of view, that he begins with 

 stories of snakes. One might suppose that 

 the author and especially the publisher 

 as a matter of diplomacy would have 

 selected some other topic. Not every per- 

 son is attracted by snakes. One of the 

 most interesting chapters is entitled "The 

 River of Doubt," of which the reader has 

 read in many newspapers and magazines. 



The publishers have done their part well. 



Texas Nature Observations and Reminis- 

 cences. By R. Menger, M. D., San An- 

 tonio, Texas : Guessaz & Ferlet Company. 

 Dr. Rudolph Menger of San Antonio is 

 well-known to our readers as a contributor 

 to this magazine. He is an enthusiastic nat- 

 ralist, taking an intense interest in a wide 

 range of nature objects. He is a good ex- 

 ample of the rapidly disappearing all-round 



I DID MY WRITING IN HEADNET AND GAUNTLETS. 



From "Through the Brazilian Wilderness,'' by Theodore Roosevelt. 



The print is large and well leaded. The illus- 

 trations are clear, attractive and expressive. 

 We commend the book to our readers. It is 

 not a compilation. It is a real book. It says 

 something new. It is worth reading. 



Toadstools and Mushrooms of the Country- 

 side. By Edward Step, F. L. S., New 

 York : Frederick A. Stokes Company. 



This is a British handbook intended to help 

 the rambler to identify some of the larger 

 fungi. It will also be useful in this country, 

 as many fungi are common to both lands. 



Wild Fruits of the Country-side. By F. Ed- 

 ward Hulme, F. L. S., F. S. A., New 

 York : Frederick A. Stokes Company 

 An English handbook that will be read with 



delight by many American readers. A few 

 of the fruits described may not be found in 

 this country, and the description of some 

 others seems not quite to tally with ours, but 

 it is interesting to note what our brother nat- 

 uralists in England are doing. 



naturalist, a disappearance due to this age of 

 specialization. Locally he is held in high es- 

 timation as a practicing physician ; to natural- 

 ists he is known everywhere as a persistent 

 worker. The book is permeated by the spirit 

 of observation of insect and other animal life 

 in general and contains a vast amount of in- 

 teresting matter. It is, however, to be re- 

 gretted that some of the illustrations in 

 so valuable a book are not sharper and 

 clearer. The reader can but notice that 

 some of the mechanical make-up of the book 

 might be improved, but the spirit is worth 

 more than the letter, and the spirit is here. 

 Dr. Menger shows by text and illustration that 

 a human being, spending only a few decades 

 on this planet, should use his eyes in seeing 

 and in learning about at least some of the 

 myriad forms of animal and plant life with 

 which the planet teems. 



The poorest soul has at least one 

 window opening upon the beyond-the- 

 limited. Most are richer in windows 

 than they know. — Dr. George M. 

 Gould. 



