112 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[May 1, 1900. 



rather to have raised the question \rhether this animal can ever 

 close its mouth when in the normal position. In refusing credence 

 to the stories of Thresher Sharks attacking Whales, the author may 

 have more justification on liis side. In reference to minor errors, 

 it may be added that the late Sir William Flower, and not Mr. 

 Ijvdekker, is responsible for the statement that the Greenland 

 Whale has only twelve ribs. It may also be mentioned that the 

 names Pontoporia. Xeomeris and Ziphius. used by Mr. Beddard, 

 are all preoccupied. 



"British Dragon -Flies." By W. J. Lucas. E..\. (L. Upcott 

 Gill.) 31s. 6d. Mr. Lucas has accomplished a very useful piece 

 of work. Xot only has he brought together into one volume in- 

 formation which hitherto was only to be found scattered through 

 the journals of scientific societies and periodicals concerned with 

 natural history, but he has by means of his handsome book drawn 

 attention to a group of the Xeuroptera which has been neglected 

 in this country. Many reasons have conspired to bring about this 

 neglect. The poiiular, though unfounded, dread of dragon-flies has 

 had something to do with it. The comparative scarcity of the 

 Odonata (the name under which the dragon-flies are known to the 

 entomologist I is another cause tending to bring about the same 

 result, while the obscure manner in which the early stages of these 

 insects are passed has not helped their piopularity with the or- 

 dinary collector. But dragon-flies will repay a careful study. The 

 complete cycle of changes constituting their life-history is somewhat 

 prolonged, it is true, but these animals are fascinating always, and 

 indirectly of great use in the world. They are carnivorous and 

 show no compunctions as to cannibalism. Of their beauty it is 

 unnecessary to say anything : few people have failed to notice their 

 graceful movements, rapid flight, and marvellous play of colours. 

 Widespread as is the belief in their stinging powers, and accen- 

 tuated as this superstition is as evidenced by their common name 

 of "Horse-stingers," yet in reality they have no sting, and the 

 very worst they can do is to inflict a slight bite which is almost 

 painless. The insects peculiar habit of curling the tip of its 

 abdomen seems to be entirely responsible for the dread in which 

 the rustic holds it. The volume is provided with twenty-seven 

 beautifully coloured plates. The drawings of the larger species 

 are given of the natural size, those of the smaller varieties being 

 suitably magnified. 



" Malay Magic ; being an Introduction to the Folk-lore and 

 Popular Religion of the Malav Peninsula." By W. W. Skeat. 

 With a Preface by C. 0. Blagden. 1900. (Macinillan.) 21s. net. 

 It has been objected to the study of " Folk-lore " that it deals with 

 fancies and myths rather than with serious " facts, ' and that it is 

 therefore unworthy the attention of sober-minded men. But it 

 may be hoped that such objections are now entertained only by 

 the few ; the majority admitting that from a psychological point 

 of view such studies cannot but lay claim to a large share of 

 interest, while occasionally they may be of great practical import- 

 ance. As stated in the preface. " there can be no doubt that an 

 understanding of the ideas and modes of thought of an alien people 

 in a relatively low stage of civilisation facilitates very considerably 

 the task of governing them." Every Anglo-Indian can recall 

 instances where gross mistakes have been made by Government 

 officials from want of touch with the feelings and jjrejudices of the 

 I)eople under their charge ; and since the greater portion of the 

 Slalay Peninsula is now under British control, this alone affords 

 a sufficient raison d'etre for the work before us. 



The author apjiears to have carried out a very laborious task with 

 conscientiousness and thoroughness, and has at the same time 

 succeeded in producing a highly entertaining and in.structive 

 volume. Among the various subjects treated of, we find legends 

 connected with the creation of man and the world, magical rites 

 and magicians, spirits and demons, the various ceremonies con- 

 nected with the chief ei)ochs of human existence, together with 

 dances, sjioits. games, theiitrical exhibitions, an 1 war and weapons. 

 A series of photographic reproductions illustrate some of the more 

 interesting of the objects and ceremonies described. 



On this occasion we may confine our attention to a few of the 

 myths connected with animals. Xaturally. the elephant and the 

 tiger loom large in Malay myth ; and legends of ghost-elephants 

 ('■ gajah kramat ") and ghost-tigers C rimau kramat ") take the place 

 of the " wehr-wolf " of Eurojjean tradition. " Far away in the 

 jungle." rims the myth. " the tiger-folk (no less than the elei^hants) 

 have a town of their own. where they live in houses, and act in 

 every resjject like human beings. In the town referred to their 

 house-]Kist« are made of the heart of the tree-nettle, and their roofs 

 thatched with human hair, .... and there they live quietly 

 enough until one of their periodical attacks of fierceness comes on 

 and causes them to break bounds and range the forest for their 

 chosen prey." Elsewhere, we find the origin of the tiger's stripes 

 attributed to the chastisement inflicted on an unruly bov, who 



thereupon took the form of the great cat. The existence of the 

 ghost-tiger, who is supposed to be invulnerable and to have one foot 

 smaller than the rest, is a veritable reality to the Malays, who 

 know the myth to be true, and act accordingly. When a wounded 

 tiger escapes, it is believed to cure itself by eating a particular 

 plant ; and on the death of one of these marauders a special cere- 

 mony is held in honour of the body, which is propped up on all 

 fours as if still alive, with the mouth kept wide opien by means of 

 a stick supporting the upper jaw. The ceremony, says the author, 

 ■' was evidently regarded as a sort of " reception ' given by the 

 people of the village to a live and powerful war-chief, a champion 

 who had come to pay them a visit, the dancing and fencing which 

 takes place on such occasions being intended for his entertainment." 

 Many other equally interesting extracts might be made did space 

 permit, but we must refer the reader to the work itself, where he 

 will scarcely fail to find much matter alike for amusement and for 

 reflection. 



"The Railways of England." Fifth Edition. By W. M. Ack- 

 worth. (Murray.) Illustrated. 10s. 6d. We are pleased to see 

 a reprint of this useful work. Among the most wonderful inno- 

 vations of the nineteenth century must be included that great 

 spider's web of rails, spreading out in all directions over the land ; 

 and anyone who has not already attained a comprehensive acquain- 

 tance with our chief highways of eommimication will do well to 

 secure a copy of Mr. Ackworth's book. Here some idea of the 

 enormous strides effected by man's ingenuity since the year 1830. 

 when the first public railway was opened in Lanc;ushire, may be 

 formed. Even during the past decade it is surprising to note what 

 rapid transitions have taken place, rolling stock becoming to a 

 great extent antiquated in so brief a period. The present edition 

 has been put in touch with the latest developments, although the 

 main features remain the same as in the first edition published 

 ten years ago. All the leading railways are separately described, 

 and, wherever possible, illiLstrations accompany the text. The 

 picture of Waterloo Station as it appeared in 1848 forms an agree- 

 able contrast w ith the present imposing structure ; also the fac- 

 simile of a handbill announcing a four-days" journey to York in 

 1706 by means of a stage coach, and the same journey accompUshed 

 in three and a half hours in 1888 by railway, illustrate in a telling 

 fashion the advantages of modern modes of travelling. We may 

 add that the book is by no means technical in character, but, on 

 the contrary, it is written in a clear and luminous style. 



" Recent and Coming Eclipses." By Sir Norman Lockyer, 

 K.C.B., F.R.s. Second Edition. Containing an accotmt of the 

 observations made at Viziadrug. India, in 1898. and of the con- 

 ditions of the eclipses visible in 1900, 1901, and 1905. (London : 

 MacmiUan & Co., Limited.) 1900. Price 6s. net. The issue of 

 the second edition of Sir Xorman Lockyer's eclipse book is timely, 

 just before the observers start on their several expeditions to see the 

 eclipse of May 28th, 1900. In view of a third edition before the 

 Sumatra eclipse, we would like to relate the comment of a doctor in 

 India who read chapter II. on " Eclipse Work for Amateurs " before 

 the 1898 eclipse with interest, and, after it. with sorrow tempered by 

 indignation. "I shoidd like to make Sir X'orman Lockyer sit down to a 

 microscope and draw in two minutes the essential features of a patho- 

 logical specimen of liver unstained that he has never seen before. 

 Then he might understand the feelings of a doctor who was lured 

 into trying too many observations of the eclipse." Sir X'orman 

 Lockyer is certainly a past master in eclipse observation, but there 

 is a serious defect in all his books which is also painfully apparent 

 in this, that he himself seems to be both centre and circumference 

 of the only field of research about which he cares to write. The gibing 

 little rhyme written of him a third of a century ago. that he 

 ■' Thought himself owner 

 Of half the corona." 

 seems to express but a moiety of the truth to-day. The book is a record 

 of much good work, admirably plaimed and skilfully executed, nor is 

 there any oth-.r single astronomer who could present an equal record 

 of eclipse work from his own personal experience. But from the undue 

 concentration upon his own theories and research the book is dis- 

 tinctly inadequate as a history of recent eclipse work. His recognition 

 of other workers is extremely meagre. Thus in the eclipse of 1398 no 

 reference at all is made to the observing party at Talni, although 

 the spectra there obtained by Mr. Evershed were, in some respects 

 at least, unequalled by any obtained elsewhere. The book is got up 

 in the style which we are accustomed to connect with Sir Norman's 

 other publications ; the paper and print are good ; the illustrations 

 of a very inferior class. 



"Anatomical Diagrams for the Use of Art Students." By James M. 

 Dunlop, A.E.c.A. (George Bell & Sons.) An admirable and much 

 needed work- The principles of action from the artistic point of 

 view are expressed with absolute clearness. We commend it heartily 

 to art students. , 



