6o ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HLSTORY 



illustrations, many of which are from photographs of nature studies 

 in the ^Lmchester Museum, are on the whole excellent. According 

 to the preface the work is " written in the first instance for those who 

 wish to learn or teach such a survey of the animal pageant as can 

 ally itself with observation and experiment ; and in the second place 

 for those who wish to organise their knowledge of animal life," and 

 to each of these classes no better guide to animal study could be 

 recommended. J. R. 



The Game Animals of Africa. By R. Lydekker. London : 

 Rowland Ward, Limited, 1908. Price 25s. net. 



The volume under notice affords much interesting matter and 

 useful information relating to the numerous and varied forms of the 

 larger mammals to be found in the vast continent of Africa — the 

 most fascinating of all the hunting grounds of the world. All these 

 species, and their various races, are adequately described, and their 

 geographical distribution, haunts, habits, etc., fully treated of. The 

 book is abundantly illustrated by 15 plates and 93 text figures, 

 which are a valuable adjunct to a work of this kind, and which from 

 their great excellence will be duly appreciated. It is the latest 

 and at the same time best and most concise treatise on the game 

 mammals of Africa that has ever appeared. 



The Indian Ducks and their Allies. By E. C. Stuart 

 Baker, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. With 30 coloured plates. Published 

 by the Bombay Natural History Society. London : R. H. Porter, 

 1908. Price 42s. net. 



The Bombay Natural History Society is well known for the 

 yeoman service it has rendered to the cause of Indian zoology; and 

 this, its latest product, is a valuable contribution to our knowledge 

 of the Indian members of an interesting order of birds. The in- 

 formation afforded concerning each of the 45 species treated of is 

 of a comprehensive and interesting nature, both from the standpoint 

 of the naturalist and the sportsman ; nothing appears to have escaped 

 the vigilance of the author, who has gleaned facts from widely 

 scattered sources ; while the 30 coloured plates are first-rate speci- 

 mens of modern bird pictures. The work, too, has been exceedingly 

 well planned ; the descriptions of the various stages of plumage are 

 excellent ; and he would, indeed, be a captious critic who could 

 find fault with the get-up of the volume, either externally or in- 

 ternally — it is beautifully bound in half-morocco and is handsomely 

 printed. A considerable number of the species included are more 

 or less familiar British birds, and it is both interesting and instructive 

 to become acquainted with them in their Indian haunts, and to learn 

 something about their habits in their eastern winter retreats. As last 

 words on this handsome volume, we desire to express the hope that 

 the Society will regard this book as the forerunner of a series devoted 



