NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 317 



now brought together under the above title. Whether they were 

 all worth reprinting is a question which we will not venture to 

 decide. From a utilitarian point of view they are certainly not 

 all of equal merit. Some, from the information which they 

 afford on out-of-the-way subjects, may be said to have a practical 

 value, but the majority of them, although pleasant reading 

 enough, can scarcely be said to advance the cause of Natural 

 History, while many of them {e.g., John Hunter's Chair, Kelics 

 in the Ashmolean Museum, Sir Walter Scott's Home, and the 

 Waxworks in Westminster Abbey) have no sort of connection 

 with the title of the volume. 



The amusement which the reader will derive from its perusal 

 is due to the originality of the author's style, to a felicitous mode 

 of describing his own experiences, to the quaintness of his illus- 

 trations, and, above all, to the inexhaustible vein of good humour 

 which flows throughout the book. An author who writes in this 

 strain can hardly fail to please, whatever may be the practical 

 value of his remarks. 



Amongst the best chapters in the book perhaps may be named 

 those on Collecting Salmon Eggs for Australia and New Zealand, 

 the Cruize of the ' Jackal,' on the Herring Commission of In- 

 quiry in 1877, and London Birdcatchers. An amusing account 

 also is given of Lord Bute's Beavers, with a description of the 

 author's visit to their home in the Isle of Bute. These animals, 

 originally four in number, were turned out in the autumn of 

 1874. The largest pair from France disagreed with the smaller 

 pair from America, growling and flying at them when they met. 

 On the death of one of the latter it was found to measure three 

 feet four inches in length ; the tail ten inches ; and the weight 

 about twenty pounds. Another, which subsequently died, measured 

 three feet three inches, and weighed twenty-two pounds and 

 a half. 



In January, 1875, Lord Bute obtained eight more Beavers 

 from Germany, which had been previously imported from America. 

 They passed through London, where they enjoyed a few days 

 rest at the Zoological Gardens, and then travelled via Glasgow 

 to the Isle of Bute, being fed on Indian corn, carrots, biscuits, 

 and willow branches, of which they seemed very fond. In Sep- 

 tember, 1877, they were visited by Mr. Bucklancl. So far as 

 could be ascertained there were then twelve, with one or more 



