BOOK REVIEWS 



The Frog Book. By Mary C. Dickerson. New York; Doubleday. 

 1906. Pp. 253, illustrated. $3.50. 



**The Frog Book" describes and pictures the North Arrierican Salienta 

 [Anura] "with a study of the habits and life-histories of those of the north- 

 eastern States." As stated in the introduction, **It is hoped that the book 

 not only will introduce the elementary nature student to the fascinations of 

 pond life, but that it will suggest to the more advanced student serious work 

 on classification, life-histories, and habits of North American Salienta." 



Fifty-six species and five varieties are described, making the work quite 

 complete. There are more than three hundred illustrations, including colored 

 plates and half-tone engravings, picturing all the species described. These 

 are nearly all from photographs from life and are uniformly excellent. The 

 interest of the scientific student will perhaps centre chiefly about these illus- 

 trations. 



Considerable space is given to a general biological discussion of the group, 

 and the balance of the book consists of detailed discussions of the appearance 

 and habits of the various species. It is written throughout in a popular vein, 

 the various stages of frog life being correlated with wild flowers, birds and so 

 on in a way that will surely arouse the interest of the layman. The thirty 

 odd pages given to the American toad is perhaps the most interesting as well 

 as the most suggestive section of the book. 



But the work is more than interesting, it is quite accurate and very usable. 

 Two keys are given, a natural one to families, and an artificial one to species, 

 based on external characters. This latter key is both simple and accurate. 

 The author shows a generally conservative attitude in classification, but in at 

 least one genus, i.e., Bufo, her position is open to question. 



The life-histories are a disappointment from the viewpoint of the scientist. 

 It would seem that 'the **ten years of observation and study" to which the 

 author confesses should have furnished more accurate data on such funda- 

 mental points as breeding seasons, number of eggs laid, quantity and kinds 

 of food, etc. One can only hope with the author that the paucity of infor- 

 mation on these points will stimulate the scientific student to serious work. 



The success of the volume as a popular hand-book is assured, and it is 

 undoubtedly the best number published in this series. 



Clark University. Chas. E. DisnEY. 



