NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 493 
the finny tribe that they have attachments, whether in the form of conjugal 
feeling, paternal and maternal affections, or even of platonic friendship. 
Some botanical photographs were exhibited, and two interesting papers 
read, viz.:— On the Coffee-leaf Disease,” by Mr. D. Morris, and “ On the 
Origin of the (so-called) Scorpioid Cyme,” by the Rev. George Henslow. 
The abstruse character of the latter paper was rendered comprehensible 
by some ingeniously contrived apparatus elucidating the changes in spiral 
vegetation,—J. Munrig. 
NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 
The Amateur Poacher. By the Author of ‘ The Gamekeeper at 
Home,’ and ‘ Wild Life in a Southern County.’ Post 8vo. 
London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1879. 
Tue author of this book, who gives no clue to his identity 
beyond the initials “R. J.” at the foot of his preface, is already 
known to our readers by reputation, his two former books having 
been noticed in the pages of this journal. In the present volume 
he gives us an insight into some of the many devices which human 
ingenuity has contrived for capturing wild animals, more especially 
those which come under the denomination of “‘ game.” We are 
taught how to set a rabbit-snare, how to outwit a hare, how to 
secure a pheasant with the least trouble and least noise, how 
to take a pike with a wire, and other similar accomplishments, 
all of which usually come under the definition of “poaching.” 
These inventions, improved upon at various times and in 
various ways, must have originally been suggested by close 
observation of the habits of the animals whose destruction they 
were designed to compass ; and our author, not content with a 
mere description of each trap or snare, points out in most cases 
the peculiar trait in the animal’s character which has had to be 
counteracted by the superior intelligence of man in the struggle 
of instinct versus reason. He borrows no facts from other 
authors, but narrates the results of his personal observation as 
jotted down by him during his country rambles. Nor are his 
remarks confined to game: we find some pretty glimpses of bird- 
life. Here is an observation anent Yellowhammers :— 
“The female Yellowhammers, whose hues are not so brilliant as those 
of the male birds, seem as winter approaches to flock together, and roam 
