v°'-y"-l Reviezvs. 



1Q07 



59 



is sure to become famous with y^oung folk, and from the number 

 of its bird notes appeals largely to the ornithologist. 



Members of the A.O.U. will be mindful that the author was 

 the first honorary secretary of the Union, and materially 

 assisted in piloting it successfully through the first years of its 

 existence. Now is the opportunity to return the compliment. 

 Moreover, the book is a unique one, resembling no other ever 

 written. Simplicity, whether of life, line, or composition, is 

 always the most charming. Herein lies the charm of Mr. I.e 

 Souef's writings — simplicity — plain, unvarnished descriptions of 

 nature, whether animate or inaminate, as she appeared to him, 

 and because he so loves Nature, she has apparently revealed to 

 him many of her secrets which, when put into words, read more 

 like stirring fiction than items of sober yet fascinating truth. 



The work is compiled in the form of field excursions — (i) 

 " Gembrook, Victoria " ; (2) " The Western District, Victoria " ; 

 (3) "Mallacoota Inlet"; (4) " Riverina District, N.S.W. " ; (5) 

 " Furneaux Group of Islands, Bass Strait " ; (6) " Hunter Group 

 and Albatross Island, Bass Strait " ; (7, 8} " Queensland " ; (9) 

 " Western Australia." These chapters incidentally contain 

 popular natural history notes of every description pertaining to 

 Australian bush — rocks, trees, birds, beasts, fishes, &c. — and are 

 liberally illustrated by the camera, at which Mr. Le Souef is an 

 adept. Some of the pictures are exceedingly artistic, notably — 

 "Gembrook Road," "Iguana Climbing Tree " (Mattingley), "Red- 

 capped Dottrel's Nest," " Nest of Pied Oyster-catcher," " Echo 

 Creek, Tasmania," &c. But, undoubtedly, the most remarkable 

 bird pictures are those depicting rookeries respectively of 

 Albatrosses, Gannets, and Sooty Terns (Cornwall), while the 

 author is also fortunate in having three-colour reproductions of 

 two of his cousin's (Mrs. Ellis Rowan) famous pictures- — namely, 

 " Brown Tree Snake and Orchid " and " Green Ants' Nest and 

 Queensland Berries." 



From a publisher's point of view the work is neatly got up, 

 bound in imitation crocodile leather (cloth) boards. Had the 

 paper been of a slightly better quality, or even similar to that 

 used as " specimen pages " previously issued by the publishers, 

 Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, the excellent half-tone 

 blocks would have appeared to greater advantage, also the letter- 

 press. Nevertheless, the price at 7s. 6d. is surprisingly reason- 

 able for such a work. 



Had space permitted some of Mr. Le Souef's nature incidents 

 would have been quoted. The following, however, will prove, 

 amongst other things, that he is a lover of snakes — a neglected 

 field of much interest : — 



" On one occasion, when camping in ;i small bark luit, 1 was asked 

 by my companion if I thought there were any snakes about, as during 

 the night something had passed over his legs. I scouted the idea ; but 



