SOME NEW BOOKS. 
EAST AFRICAN SPORT. 
Sport in East Central Africa, being an account of Hunting Trips in Portu- 
guese and other districts of East Central Africa. By F. VAugHan 
Kirpy. 8vo, pp. xvi. + 340, with 4 plates. London: Rowland 
Ward, Limited, 1899. Price 8s. 6d. 
Mr. Kirby is already known to the sporting world as the author of “In 
Haunts of Wild Game”; and the interesting experiences narrated in the latter 
work naturally lead the reader to expect as many exciting adventures in the 
new venture. In this matter it may confidently be said that expectation will 
not be disappointed ; the adventures which befell the intrepid author in his 
pursuit of lions, elephants, hippopotami, and rhinoceros being little short of 
marvellous, although all bearing the mark of truth. The greater part of the 
country traversed by Mr. Kirby lies in the provinces of British Central Africa 
and Portuguese East Africa, and those who follow in his footsteps will doubt- 
less benefit much by the descriptions given of the different routes. It would, 
however, have been a decided advantage if the publishers could have seen 
their way to issue an explanatory map, but the price at which the book is sold 
probably rendered this impossible. In his first work the author showed a 
tendency to write unduly long and complex sentences ; and we are glad to 
notice an improvement in this respect in the present volume, although in some 
cases a still further curtailment, both as regards length of sentences and 
general redundancy of expression, would be desirable. 
Much of the volume is taken up by the ordinary routine of marching and 
camp-life ; but in the second half the real sporting adventures are so thickly 
crowded that almost every page is of thrilling interest. In this part of the 
Dark Continent at any rate, unless the rinderpest has subsequently done its 
fell work of destruction, the game is evidently not yet on the verge of 
extermination. 
But Mr. Kirby is something more than the ordinary sportsman, and dis- 
plays a keen interest in Natural History. This is exemplified by the well 
written appendix, in which all the larger species of mammals met with during 
the trip are recorded, with notes on their distribution and habits. In one 
respect the author displays a curious ignorance, this being his failure to grasp 
the meaning of the term “type” in Zoology. For instance, on page 338, he 
falls foul of the editor of the “‘ Royal Natural History ” for calling the original 
white-legged variety of Burchell’s zebra the typical form, on account of its not 
being the one met with commonly at the present day! Of course the editor 
of the “Royal Natural History” is perfectly right, and his would-be critic, 
hopelessly wrong. 
To those interested in a comparatively little known portion of Africa, Mr. 
Kirby’s volume may be cordially commended, and we may at the same time 
call attention to the very valuable series of works on African sport and natural 
history now in course of publication by Mr. Rowland Ward. 
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