196 



X.-l TURE 



[June 27, 1895 



only a series of ver>" ordinar>- photographs, many of which 

 have evidently been done from mounted specimens, and, 

 what is more, from badly mounted ones. As to the text, 

 we fail to see the reason for interlarding it with a 

 provokingly numerous series of provincialisms, which, 

 although no doubt familiar enough to the dwellers in 

 East Norfolk, are certainly not household words in other 

 parts of Her Majesty's dominions. To Norfolk people 

 the names of " Herring-Spink," '" Reed- Pheasant," 

 " Spinex," and '" Draw- Water,' doubtless have a mean- 

 ing, but we should be somewhat surprised if all our 

 readers are aware that they respectively indicate the 

 gold-crest, bearded tit, chaffinch, and goldfinch. It is 

 true that in most cases the author does introduce a better- 

 known name in the course of his notices, but this is not 

 so with the "reed-pheasant." In omitting all scientific 

 names, we are by no means sure that Mr. Emerson is not 

 right, seeing that these arc constantly being changed, 

 while English names are permanent ; but then let us 

 have English names, and not Norfolk ones. 



In the introductory chapter the author says indirectly 

 that not much has been left out in regard to the habits of 

 British birds ; and we cannot help adding that if any im- 

 portant omissions do occur, he has done but little in the 

 way of supplying them. Writing of the wren, he observes 

 that " the tomtit, as the Hroadsmen call this pert, child- 

 like little bird, always brings an affectionate smile to your 

 face as you see his hopping, plump little body flitting over 

 the bank, or running along the branches of a leafless tree, 

 stopping every now and then to sing his loud-voiced 

 song ; for, though his is a little body, he has a mighty and 

 pleasant song." This example cited is only one of many 

 taken almost at random. The professed ornithologist 

 surely docs not want such descriptions, and if the book is 

 intended for the eyes of ladies and young people, why are 

 we treated on p. 2 1 1 ct seq. to a \ery unnecessar)' anecdote 

 concerning the amours of swans ? 



We will take it for granted that among the birds our 

 author has correctly determined the species he notices, 

 and has recorded all those found in the Broads ; but in 

 the case of the mammals he is far from e.xact. He 

 states, for instance, that there are two kinds of bats found 

 there, one of which is designated the common, and the 

 other the large bat. By the former is doubtless meant 

 the pipistrclle, but as to the species indicated by the 

 latter title we have no clue ; and surely there ought to be 

 more than two species of bats in Norfolk. Among the voles, 

 again, we have two species, respectively termed the " red 

 mouse" and the "marsh-mouse"; and, although the 

 former may be the bank-vole, we can scarcely recognise 

 the common field-vole under the latter inappropriate 

 title, if so be that it is intended for that species. The 

 Broadland rats (which the author places a long distance 

 after tlic mice and voles) are likewise left in a state of 

 hopeless confusion, and we quite fail to recognise what 

 arc the three kinds alluded to under the names of " big 

 rat with yellow chest," "large brown rat," and "little 

 red rat." 1 f the author thinks he has got hold of new 

 species, or the more fashionable sub-species, why did he 

 not submit his spccimi-ns to a specialist? But as it is, 

 his notes are useless to the scientific zoologist, and, we 

 should think, of no great interest to the ordinary observer 

 of nature. 



NO. 1339, vol.. 52] 



In the chapter on frogs and toads, the author excels 

 himself. Of these animals he recognises the following : 

 viz. the " garden-toad," " water-toad," " running toad," 

 " common frog," and " land-frog." To know what 

 creatures are meant might perhaps tax the acumen even 

 of Mr. Boulenger ; but the notes on their habits are too 

 naive. The garden-toad, we are informed, " makes a 

 form in the grass during the hot weather in which to 

 shelter himself ; and should you come upon him, he will 

 squat with his bright eyes fixed upon you all the time." 

 This merely records a fact known to every one ; but 

 what shall we say of the following concerning the run- 

 ning toad ? " The chief thing in connection with this 

 creature is the rockstafi" that a man can quiet the most 

 restive horse with the Ijone of a running toad, which, it 

 is said, will swim against the stream. Yacht designers 

 and others might well look into the matter." .Vpart from 

 the grammar, what a rockstaff is, we do not know, and 

 we are equally ignorant whether it is the toad or its bone 

 that can swim against stream. \ lack of information as re- 

 gards species and habits is also displayed when the author 

 comes to eels ; and he seems to be totally unaware that 

 some years ago the late Surgeon Day communicated an 

 important paper on the breeding of these fishes to the 

 Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Kicld Club. 



As to the literary style of the book, perhaps the less 

 said the better ; and although it may attain a popularity 

 among the numerous frequenters of the Norfolk Broads^ 

 it is to be feared that it cannot take a high rank among 

 zoological works. K. l.vniKKi R. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Object-Lessons in liotany. (Book ii., for Standards iii., 

 iv. and v.) Being a Teachers .Aid to a Systematic 

 Course of One Hundred Lessons for Boys and tiirls. 

 By Edward Snelgrove, B.A. (London : Janold and 

 Sons.) 



It is not perhaps very often that elementary scientific 

 books of the type to which the volume before us belongs, 

 either meets with, or indeed deserves, much success. It 

 is with the greater pleasure, then, that we feel that the 

 author is to be congratulated on having succeeded in 

 producing a really good series of lessons which will be 

 most useful, either in guiding teachers in arranging their 

 class work, or in enabling a student to acquire a know- 

 ledge of plants for himself. The series of lessons is 

 progressively arranged, beginning with the simpler forms 

 of leaves and stems, and passing on to the various types 

 of flowers and fruits. The really excellent feature of the 

 work is the method by which the student is led to 

 examine actual plants. The book would proliably be of 

 little service to anyone merely desirous of " getting up" 

 the subject without troubling to form any pradical 

 acquaintance with the objects ticalt with. The examples 

 selected as types are well chosen, and the student or 

 teacher) receives plenty of hints as to other forms which 

 he may usefully compare with them. .Mmost the only 

 fault we have io find with the book is, after all, only a 

 literary one; still, it seems a pity that the generic names 

 of the plants should have been conunenccd with a siiintl 

 letter, especially in the chapters on botanical names. 

 This, however, is a defect that can easily be remedied in 

 a future edition, which soon should be needed, for we can 

 cordially recommend the volume, both Io the elementary 

 teacher and student, as a thoroughly good one. 



