November 1, 1895.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



257 



of the deltas of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers, and 

 explored the wild forest region at the base of the 

 Himalayas, while his " Bengal Atlas" is a classical work. 

 But it was as a student of geographical works that Rennell 

 excelled. He brought clear reasoning and high critical 

 powers to bear upon many questions of importance, and 

 elucidated them all by his wide knowledge and indefatigable 

 research. We do not doubt that men like D'Anville, and 

 Ritter, and liennell (who had a wider experience than 

 either) play a very important part in advancing geography, 

 merely by discussing and systematizing the facts obtained 

 by others. How great and beneficial Eennell's influence 

 upon geography has been can be seen in Mr. Markham's 

 careful and sympathetic sketch of his life and work. 



A Text-Book of Zoo -geography. By Frank E. Beddard, 



plucky act on the part of Mr. Battye and his companion 

 to land on this unexplored island with but five weeks' 

 provisions, when the httle yacht which had brought them 

 there was forced by the ice and the want of a harbour to 

 leave its coasts. How natives were eventually found, the 

 island explored, its birds and flowers carefully chronicled, 

 and its formation examined, is admirably told in the book 

 before us. If Mr. Battye is a little too colloquial in his 

 expressions, his descriptions are graphic, and the spirit 

 and earnest zeal of the man lend enchantment to his words. 

 His love of birds is manifest on every page of the book, and 

 beyond this he is an accurate and careful recorder, and a 

 good all-round field-naturalist. Moreover, Mr. Battye can 

 draw well, and his book contains a great number of his 

 sketches, and also some fine drawings by Messrs. Whymper, 



\ UnNTER OF DrcES. From " loe-Bauiid on Kolgiiev." 



M.A., F.E.S. (Cambridge ; University Press.) In this 

 admirable addition to the series of Cambridge Natural 

 Science Manuals, Mr. Beddard describes the general facts of 

 the distribution of animals, explains the zoological regions, 

 states the causes which influence the distribution, and 

 discusses some theoretical considerations connected with it. 

 A more accurate, clear, and concise exposition of the facts 

 of zoo-geography could hardly be desired. All who wish 

 to obtain a scientific knowledge of the distribution of the 

 world's fauna could not do better than begin with Mr. 

 Beddard's book. 



Ire-Boundon Kolguer. By Aubyn Trevor-Battye, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S. Illustrated. (Constable.) Up to the time of Mr. 

 Battye's visit, little was known of the island of Kolguev. 

 It was supposed to be inhabited, but even that was con- 

 sidered to be doubtful, while nothing was known of its 

 geological formation, its fauna, or its flora. It was a 



Nettleship and Thornton from his originals. By courtesy 

 of the publishers we reproduce one of the best, illustrating 

 an interesting episode which the author describes in the 

 following words : — " Again the ducks settled down on the 

 water, just on the other side of a small flattish floe. We 

 moved along till we were opposite this, and once more 

 watched. And now, close to the edge of the floe, a seal's 

 head twice appeared. The creature raised itself above the 

 water and looked about, reminding one exactly of a weasel 

 sniSing the air for a mouse when the hunt is momentarily 

 checked. Again the head disappeared. Half a minute 

 more and up rose the ducks for the third time. They rose 

 all but one. There was a flapping of wings on the surface 

 for a moment, and then a duck went below. It seemed as 

 though the bird had been caught by the feet. I never saw 



the creature land with its capture The drama 



was ended." Mr. Battye and his companion lived during 



