32 2 The Field Naturalist' s Qttarterly Nov. 



gathered together into one vokime, need not be reminded of their 

 charm. It will be sufficient for them to have their attention drawn to 

 the fact that they can now obtain the series in book form. Those who 

 have not read these sketches of Border life may be assured that there is 

 a treat in store for them when they do. Nothing but profuse quotation 

 would give an adequate idea of the touching, quaint, yet amusing 

 qualities and sayings of the last occupant of the "old House," but the 

 author has succeeded in drawing a very lifelike picture of the Scottish 

 lady of the old school. We like the two chapters devoted to the good 

 Jacobite lady and her servants even more than the more sporting ones 

 on the Salmon-Poacher, A Rural Coursing Match, A Motor Car on 

 Border Roads, A Shepherd's Fox-Hunt, Salmon-Netting in the Upper 

 Waters ; but all are most delightful reading for an armchair and the 

 fireside. 



Earth and Sky. By J. H. Stickney. London : Ginn & Co. 

 Price IS. 6d. 

 This little book is No. II. (we have not seen No I.) of the 'Study 

 and Story Nature Readers,' a second and third grade nature reader. 

 The object of the series is " to bring before children's minds their own 

 relation to the natural world in such a way as to appeal to the imagina- 

 tion and reflection." This is, of course, the only way to get a child 

 interested in nature or anything else. The writer expects considerable 

 intelligence from the teachers who use the book, but given this, the 

 result cannot but be good. An intelligent parent reading these lessons 

 to a child whose interest was aroused would teach in a way that would 

 not be forgotten. The matter is so put forward that the child must 

 inevitably ask questions — that is, the imagination and reflection are 

 stimulated and roused. 



The Early Life of the Young Cuckoo. By Percival Westell, 

 M.B.O.U. London: H. Drane & Co. Price is. 

 A wise man once said that of the making of books there was no end, 

 and after reading this one through twice in search of an adequate reason 

 for its issue in book form, we fell back on the above quotation as a con- 

 solatory prophecy meant for those who dread the early exhaustion of 

 British literary fuel. The first half is devoted by Mr Westell to telling 

 what his friend Mr Craig has said and done in reference to the young 

 cuckoo : the second half is largely a reiteration of the first. The facts 

 stated and observed are valuable, but they are few, and when put in 

 book form are quite out of perspective. They would have been in their 

 place in the columns of a naturalist society's illustrated transactions. 

 The four plates are from original photographs of great excellence and 

 value, to which unfortunately — particularly in the fourth — the repro- 

 ductions do not do justice. 



The Life of a Bean. By Mary Laing. London and Boston : D. C. 

 Heath & Co. Price 6d. 

 A most delightful reader for children of seven or eight years of age. 



