468 NATURAL SCIENCE. June, 



Distribution of the Large Game of Bechuanaland, Ngamiland, and 

 the Kalahari." 



In the Livingstonian epoch, every book on Southern Central 

 Africa contained accounts either of new mammals or of the count- 

 less swarms in which species previously known had been met with. 

 Alas ! these days are over ; and Mr. Bryden's account of the 

 mammals of the districts he visited is, to a great extent, one continued 

 lament on their decadence or disappearance. Thus he speaks of 

 hartebeest surviving only on one protected farm, and records the 

 disappearance of the last brindled wildebeest from the districts he 

 visited ; while he confirms the general opinion as to the total extinc- 

 tion of the quagga. Perhaps the most interesting chapter in the 

 whole book is that relating to the giraffe, whose last haunts in 

 Southern Africa are the thirsty regions of the northern Kalahari and 

 Khama's country. The author dwells on the imperfect idea we 

 obtain of this magnificent ruminant from the dwarfed and pallid 

 specimens seen in menageries ; and urges on our museum authorities 

 how important it is that they should obtain the skin of an old chest- 

 nut bull before it is for ever too late. He mentions that in Khama's 

 country the giraffe is only safe during the lifetime of the present chief, 

 but urges that one of the English companies should, when the time 

 arrives, take up its protection. In its last native stronghold, in the 

 northern Kalahari, the author states that there is a prospect of water 

 being obtained (although he does not say how), and if this should be 

 the case, and protection afforded in Khama's country be withheld, 

 then good-bye to the giraffe in Southern Africa. Surely, under these 

 circumstances, our Zoological Society ought to spare no expense in 

 endeavouring to procure a pair of these animals ; and as money — if 

 only there be enough — will do most things, it ought to effect this. 

 We may add that Mr. Bryden is convinced that, in the Kalahari, the 

 giraffe, in common with several antelopes, never drinks. 



We have not space to refer to the author's observations on other 

 mammals and birds ; but we may point to him that if he considers it 

 necessary to add the scientific names of well-known animals — a 

 custom we consider perfectly superfluous in a popular work, and only 

 irritating to the reader — he might take care to use the proper ones. 

 Oryx capensis, for instance, is not the correct title for the gemsbok, 

 neither should the secretary-vulture be alluded to as Sagittarius 

 secretarins. Then, again, although we are aware that it is rash to say 

 among what strange associates any particular bird may not have been 

 placed by modern systematists (!), yet we scarcely think the state- 

 ment (p. 350) that jacunas " are usually placed by naturalists in the 

 family of Palamedeida^, or screamers, between the snipes and rails " 

 can be accepted as up to date. 



On the whole, however, the book is, for an amateur naturalist, 

 remarkably free from zoological blunders ; and while its pleasant style 

 and beautiful illustrations cannot fail to render it attractive to the 

 general reader, it contains many observations on the habits and dis- 

 tribution of South African animals which must gi^■e it a considerable 

 amount of value to the zoological student. R. L. 



The Nests and Eggs of British Birds, when and where to find them; 

 being a Handbook of the Oology of the British Islands. By Charles Dixon. 

 i2mo. Pp. xii. and 371. London: Chapman & Hall, 1893. Price 5s. 



Mr. Dixon is a prolific writer on British birds and their ways. Only 

 recently we had to notice a respectably-sized volume on the Game- 



