l 9°3 The Field Naturalises Library 257 



otlicr illustrations are from excellent cloud photographs, reproduced 

 from the pages of that well-known journal Knowledge, The meteor- 

 ologists in our field clubs should obtain this book. 



THE ROSS Bird-Stalklr. By Charles Dixon. London : Ross Ltd. 

 Price 6d. 

 This booklet, sent out by Messrs. Ross, is a report on the advantages, 

 possibilities, and uses of the Ross Prism Binocular, as applied to field 

 natural history. The writer, who is well known for his bird studies, 

 has formed a very high opinion of these indispensable aids to accurate 

 field observation, and we entirely agree with his remarks. The book 

 contains some beautiful reproductions of photographs of birds and 

 animals. Mr. Dixon concludes his report as follows: — "I bring this 

 short report of an exhaustive test of the Prism Binocular to a conclusion 

 by again confidently recommending the glass to all field naturalists who 

 have not yet given it a trial. It has more than fulfilled all that I was led 

 to expect from it. To me its many advantages and great superiority 

 over every other field-glass which I have had occasion to use during a 

 lifetime spent in natural history work, most of it in the open air, are 

 abundantly obvious. Of course, the size of the glass is quite a matter of 

 individual taste. My observations and tests were made with glasses of 

 a magnification of eight, ten, and twelve diameters, but any of the three 

 sizes will prove satisfactory. My own choice, however, leans to the 

 most powerful instrument — No. 12, the difference in size and weight 

 being but trifling and more than compensated for by the additional 

 power. No. 8, however, is a very handy glass, especially for a lady's use, 

 and is incomparably superior in every way to field-glasses several times 

 its size and weight." 



Country Rambles. By Percival Westell. London : H. J. Drane. 

 Price 10s. 6d. 

 This new book from Mr. Westell's pen is practically his field 

 naturalist diary for a year, and as such naturally contains much that is 

 of interest to himself mainly. That is always the drawback to publish- 

 ing a diary, it does not read as if written for the public eye, and much is 

 recorded that appears somewhat insignificant when in print. But as a 

 diary it is good and painstaking, and will provide field naturalists with a 

 means of comparing their own district with that dealt with by Mr. 

 Westell as regards the advent of flowers and birds. By far the best part 

 of the book as a book is the illustrations, which are very numerous, of 

 great variety of subjects, — some of which have apparently nothing to do 

 with the text, — but all from good photographs. Some of these pictures 

 are really excellent, and it is a pleasure to turn over the pages and look 

 at them. Mr. Westell might have added a little more information about 

 these illustrations for the benefit of those who would learn. Mr. F. G. 

 Aflalo contributes an introduction to the book, in which he says : " It is 

 above all the writer's enthusiasm that we may envy him, and that reflects 

 itself in his pages to an extent that is contagious. With immense 

 vol. 11. — no. 7. R 



