NAP ORE 
| DECEMBER 20, 1906 
a series of experiments with numerous modern 
smokeless powders, carried out in a 100-calibre 6-inch 
gun. 
- We still employ M.D. cordite in spite of the almost 
universal adoption by our European neighbours and 
the Americans of simple nitrocellulose powders, which 
they experience considerable trouble in keeping in a 
stable condition, and we may therefore assume that 
no great advance has been made since Noble’s ex- 
periments clearly indicated the right path to be 
followed in the production of a trustworthy smokeless 
powder which shall give minimum erosion, whilst 
possessing the essential quality of stability. 
Ih Ss Se Bs 
A HALF-DOZEN ILLUSTRATED 
BOOKS.‘ 
NATURE 
Pe the lover of natural history and country life 
whose tastes incline to the study of the higher 
animals, and who may also possess an appetite for a 
spice of philosophy, cannot find matter to his liking 
in at least one of this excellent half-dozen of popular 
books, he must indeed be hard to please. The first 
five are charming examples of the modern style of 
nature-study and popular natural history works, and 
the general excellence of the style of the text is only 
equalled (or shall we say surpassed?) by the exquisite 
illustrations. Since each volume has a special line 
of its own, we are fortunately spared the invidious 
task of deciding as to their comparative merits. 
The first volume in the list—the forerunner, ap- 
parently, of a series of volumes written on the same 
general lines—is a natural history of mammals, in 
which, while the group is taken in systematic order, 
the method of treatment is so popular (and at the 
same time so accurate) that it can scarcely fail to 
appeal to a very large series of readers, many of 
whom will be glad to find it unencumbered, as a 
rule, with scientific names. The great feature of Mr. 
Ingersoll’s book is, however, formed by the illustra- 
tions, many of which—more especially the coloured 
plates and the reproductions from photographs—are 
beyond praise. Among the best may be reckoned 
several of the twelve coloured plates drawn by the 
author’s daughter. Those of the fallow-deer and the 
jaguar are reproductions from German works, and in 
the case of these, as well as in that of the water- 
chevrotain on p. 342, which is copied from an encyclo- 
peedia article by Sir W. H. Flower, we fail to notice 
any acknowledgment of the source. Special attention 
may be directed to the photo. of the Himalayan tahr 
on p. 262, as showing the shaggy character of the 
coat, which is so completely lost in all museum 
specimens we have seen. On the other hand, it may 
be noticed that on p. 240 the author gives a figure of 
the head of an African buffalo to do duty for that of 
the Indian wild ox or gaur; while the cut of an 
urial’s head on p. 251 is a ludicrous caricature. 
In general the text is well up to date, including, for 
1 (1) “* The Life of Animals—the Mammals.” 
5; illustrated 
Pp. xi+ 
London: Macmillan 
By E. Ingersoll. 
55 (New York: The Macmillan Co. ; 
and Co., Ltd.) Price 8s. 6d. net. 
(2) “‘ Natare’s Carol-Singers.” 
London: Cassell and Co., Ltd.) 
(3) “ An Idler in the Wilds.” By T. Edwardes. Pp. viii+ 109 ; illustrated 
(London: John Murray.) Price 6s. net. 5 
(4) “I Go A-Walking through the Woods and o'er the Moor.” 
from the works of the late Rev. C. A. Jobnsand others. Pp. 79; illustrated. 
(Edinburgh and London: T. N. } is.) Price 2s. 6d. net. — 
(5) ‘‘ Brier Patch Philosophv.” By ‘Peter Rabbit.” 
W. J. Long Pp. xvii+296; illustrated. 
Os. net. 
(6) ‘£ Birds Shown to the Children.” 
J. A. Henderson. Pp. 112; illustrated. 
and C. E. Jack.) Price 2s. 6d. net 
NO. 1938, VOL. 75] 
By R 
Price 6s. 
Kearton. Pp. illustrated 
2515 
Compiled 
Interpreted by 
(London: Ginnand Co.) Price 
By M. K. C. Scott, described hy 
(London and Edinburgh: T. C. 
instance, an account of the pedigree of the elephant; 
but it is rather behindhand in the matter of giraffes, 
and likewise in classing all antelopes as members of 
a single subfamily. Moreover, in definitely asserting 
that the latter animals are recent immigrants into 
Africa, the author ignores the recent suggestion of 
Mr. Madison Grant to the Bovidze being an 
endemic Ethiopian group. As instances of error we 
may refer to an evident mistake in regard to the 
colour of Pembroke cattle (p. 240), and to the refer- 
ence the name ‘‘ ravine-deer’’ to the blackbucl< 
(p. 277). These are, however, but trifling slips, and 
scarcely detract from the general excellence of a most 
attractive volume. 
A Christmas bird-book from the pen and camera of 
Mr. Kearton is a standing dish to which all young 
bird-lovers look forward with delight, and we can 
as 
of 
Fic. 1.—Chiffchaff and Nest. 
From “‘ Nature's Carol-Singers.” 
assure them that they will not be disappointed at the 
fare their favourite author and artist has provided for 
the present season. This time Mr. Kearton has taken 
up his subject from a more definitely systematic point 
of view than usual, dealing ‘* in a concise and popular 
manner with the appearance, haunts, habits, nests, 
eggs, songs, and call-notes of the winged melodists 
that breed in various parts of the British Islands. I 
have endeavoured,’’ he continues, ‘‘ to describe them 
in such a way that the reader may be able to identify 
them for himself or herself in wood and field, gand 
where two species bear a similarity of appearance 
or song, to emphasise the points wherein they differ.”’ 
In this aim the author appears to have been success- 
ful, condensing the necessary technical descriptions 
