504 



NA TURE 



[September 22, 1904 



encouraged to look forward to a selection from Stokes's 

 scientific correspondence, which cannot fail to be of 

 the highest interest. 



All readers will combine in congratulating Prof. 

 Larmor and the Cambridge Press on the success of 

 this most acceptable volume. The portrait by Dicken- 

 son, of date 1874, is admirable; we trust that it may 

 be supplemented later on by a likeness of a more recent 

 date, recalling the aspect which is to many more 

 familiar. Horace L.'iMB. 



ARGENTINE LIVE STOCK. 

 Argentine Shoivs and Live Stock. By Prof. Robert 

 Wallace. Pp. 154. (Edinburgh : Oliver and Boyd, 

 1904.) Price 3^. 6d. net. 



THIS volume is the outcome of a si.\ months' tour 

 of agricultural investigation and inspection in 

 Argentina. While professing primarily to be an 

 account of the annual live stock show of the Rural 

 Society held at Palermo, it includes also notes on other 

 Argentine shows, as well as an interesting description 

 of the chief breeds of cattle, horses, and sheep bred 

 in that country. 



The European breeds of cattle represented at the 

 Palermo show were the shorthorn, the Hereford, and 

 the Aberdeen-.\ngus. Of these, the shorthorn cattle 

 were far the most in evidence. We are told that this 

 breed owes its success to its unrivalled capacity for 

 beef-production where the climate is genial and pasture 

 abundant, and to the fact that it has proved more 

 serviceable than other imported breeds for crossing 

 with the Criollo or native cattle, and so improving 

 their quality for purposes of fattening. Hereford and 

 Aberdeen-.-\ngus cattle are stated to thrive well amid 

 comparatively unfavourable surroundings, and, 

 although not bred to nearly the same extent as the 

 Shorthorns, occupy a definite place in the rural 

 economy of the Republic. The Aberdeen-Angus breed 

 has not gained general favour partly because, unlike 

 the other two breeds mentioned, it does not " nick " 

 well with the Criollo cattle. 



The horses at the Palermo show included all the 

 more prominent British breeds, the introduction of 

 which has been accompanied by considerable success. 

 It is instructive to note that the importation has in 

 many cases resulted in improvement, apparently owing 

 solely to change of soil and environment. This is 

 especially the case with certain strains of Hackney 

 'blood, while among cattle a similar tendency has 

 been noticed for the Hereford breed. 



Reference is made to the native Criollo horses, the 

 degenerate descendants, according to most writers, 

 of Barbs and Arabs introduced by the Spaniards at a 

 verv early period of the European occupation. 

 Genuine CrioUos — only now found in outlying provinces 

 — are characterised by their dun colour, by stripes on 

 the legs and shoulders, and by a dark dorsal band. 

 These Criollos are said to be hardy to a degree, to 

 possess great power of endurance, and, moreover, they 

 are difficult to handle. Doubtless natural selection 

 has been at work eliminating the unfit, with the result 

 that the survivors present all the traits that Darwin 

 NO.. 182 I, VOL. 70] 



and others associated with the ancestors of the common 

 horse. That in the Criollos the mane in no way differs 

 from the mane of Barbs and Arabs suggests that many 

 centuries must have elapsed since horses acquired a 

 long mane, from which it may be inferred that 

 Prjevalsky's horse is not an escaped domestic horse. 



It is worthy of note that so great is the vigour of 

 the Criollos that crosses with but little of the native 

 blood prove most useful, owing to their great stamina 

 and endurance. 



The section on horses is followed by one on the 

 sheep bred in Argentina. The account includes some 

 interesting information about the early history of the 

 Pampa and Criollo sheep, besides containing sugges- 

 tions for the improvement of the stock now existing 

 in the country. The Pampa is stated to be derived 

 from the Spanish long-wool, which was a hardy 

 animal, and, like the Dorset Horns of England, in 

 favourable circumstances bred twice a year. The 

 Criollo sheep is a " degenerate offshoot of the Spanish 

 Merino." The most numerous and best represented 

 sheep at the present time are the Lincoln and its various 

 crosses, though a good many other British breeds have 

 been imported with varying degrees of success. 



Chapters on dairying and on agricultural machinery 

 follow the description of the live stock. 



Ihe book is of value for the interesting descriptions 

 which it contains, and because it affords an idea of 

 the altogether remarkable resources of Argentina for 

 producing live stock. It is freely illustrated by photo- 

 graphs of prize animals taken at the show in Palermo. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



The Old Riddle and the Newest Answer. By John 

 Gerard, S.J., F.L.S. Pp. vi + 293. (London : Long- 

 mans, Green and Co., 1904.) Price 55. net. 

 We have derived much entertainment from Father 

 Gerard's lively chapters. They constitute an ably 

 constructed plea for agnosticism in science. Not 

 Huxley himself was so rigid in demanding exact 

 demonstration of the truth of every statement required 

 to be believed, as is this latest critic of the doctrine of 

 evolution. 



Science does not consist purely of mathematical 

 demonstration. Other methods and processes have a 

 perfectly legitimate place in scientific thought. Even 

 in pure logic a door is open to theory and hypothesis ; 

 nor are probability, analogy, or even conjecture ex- 

 cluded by those whose conception of the science and 

 art of reasoning is of the widest and wisest kind. We 

 have, of course, to refrain from treating an untested 

 hypothesis, however likely to be true, as an immutable 

 verity ; but no one in his senses will fail to recognise 

 that among the dicta of scientific writers there are 

 many degrees of probability, ranging from the 

 practically certain to the merely conjectural. Some of 

 the conclusions of science are as certain as the nature 

 of things will allow ; but it is a mistake to attribute 

 to those who lay stress on such certainty a claim of 

 equal respect for every position that to scientific men 

 appears probable. 



AH this is, of course, perfectly well known to Father 

 Gerard ; we can only say that in practice he appears 

 to disregard it. His book is marked throughout by 

 great charm of style and felicity of expression ; its 

 main defect is a too evident desire to " play to the 

 gallery." The chapters which contain a root-and- 



