iS93. NOTES AND COMMENTS. 33 1 



IS. 4d., which appeared early in the month. The Report traces the 

 nature and origin of the plague ; causes of the outbreak ; effect on 

 the pasture and on the stock; remedies; previous outbreaks, among 

 which the Philistines and other biblical stories are quoted ; natural 

 enemies of the voles ; conclusions and recommendations. Of course, 

 the obvious remedy, and one which is hinted at in the Report, is the 

 non-destruction of the birds and mammals that destroy the voles for 

 food; but it is almost useless to insist on the preservation of the 

 balance of life in Nature where the game-breeder and game-keeper 

 are concerned. The owls, buzzards, and kestrels, the stoats, 

 weasels, and foxes, are sacrificed to the game-god, and therefore the 

 sacrificers bring other (and greater) evils on their own heads and 

 on those of others. The Report is illustrated by figures of voles and 

 their natural enemies. 



A New Variety of the Pala. 



In the last number of the Ptvc. Zool. Soc, Mr. Thomas describes 

 a new variety of antelope differing from the ordinary Pala by its 

 much smaller horns and more slender skull recently obtained from 

 Nyassa-land. The especial interest attaching to this form is that 

 it occupies an "island" within the distributional area of the common 

 Pala. 



Costa Rica. 



An excellent map of Costa Rica will be found in " Geografia de 

 Costa Rica," by F. M. Barrantes (^Barcelona, 1892). This work, 

 which has been occasioned by the Exhibitions of Madrid and Chicago, 

 gives a sketch of the territory, its limits and coast-lines, mountain and 

 river systems, climate and productions. A list follows, of the birds, 

 taken from Zeledon's papers, reptiles and fishes, and mammals. This 

 last is a translation of Frantzins' paper, and occupies 72 pages. It is 

 followed by a series of chapters on population, government, and 

 religion, and then the book deals with the various provinces and 

 islands. There are a great number of full-page illustrations, repro- 

 ductions of photographs of town scenes chiefly, and one of the crater 

 of the volcano Poas, which is most interesting, being taken from the 

 edge, and showing the crater-lake. There is no index. 



The Origin of the Dingo. 



In a useful descriptive catalogue of the Mammals of Australia, 

 recently issued by the Australian Museum, Sydney, Mr. J. D. Ogilby 

 enters very fully into the disputed question of the origin of the Dingo, 

 or native dog. After quoting the chief recent authorities who have 

 written on the subject — more especially the late Professor McCoy — 



