102 
NATURE 
[ DECEMBER 3, 1896 
BOOKS ON MOUNTAINS." 
URING the last forty years we have had many 
books on Alpine climbing, as Mr. Baillie-Grohman 
observes, but not one on Alpine sport; for the late 
Charles Bonar wrote his delightful little volume on 
“Chamois Hunting” before the first Alpine Club was 
founded. That, however, dealt with a rather limited 
portion of the Alps, and was chiefly concerned with the 
chamois, though it also gave some account of stag shoot- 
ing. Mr. Baillie-Grohman takes a wider range, both of 
space and of subject. Still, even he writes mainly, as did 
Mr. Bonar, of the Bavarian and Tyrolese Alps ; indeed, 
the Graians are the only district that receives more than 
a casual notice. The reason for this is obvious ; in the 
Central and Western Alps the red deer is unknown, and 
the chamois, as a rule, is not common. The latter, 
indeed, might have followed the former ; for republican 
principles, as all the world knows, are not favourable to 
the preservation of game; but the Swiss authorities, 
whether actuated by sentiment or by an eye to the main 
chance, have taken steps—and with considerable success— 
to save this animal from extermination. But in the 
limestone range which lies north of the Inn, on the 
frontier of Bavaria and Austria, and in one or two parts 
in the main range of the Tyrol, there are large mountain 
Fic, 1.—‘lhe largest led Deer Antlers in existence. 
districts which are strictly preserved by their owners. 
One of these districts, as Mr. Baillie-Grohman says, 
might be called “the Dukeries,” for all its masters are 
at least of that rank; the finest “shoot” belonging to 
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Mr. Baillie-Grohman tells many 
nteresting anecdotes of the late Duke, one of the keenest 
of sportsmen, whose shooting party he was frequently 
invited to join, 
The book, of course, is written for sportsmen, and is to 
a considerable extent occupied with the author’s own 
experiences, his successes, and disappointments ; but he 
also gives many particulars of the chase in bygone 
1 “*Sport in the Alps in the Past and Present ; an Account of the Chase 
of the Chamois, Red Deer, Bouquetin, Roe Deer, Capercaillie, and Black 
Cock, with Personal Adventures and Historical Notes, and some Sporting 
Reminiscences of H.R.H. the late Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.” By W. 
A. Baillie-Grohman. With numerous illustrations and photographs from 
life. xrvol. Pp. xvi + 356. (London: A. and C. Black, 1896.) 
**Aus den Alpen.” Von Robert yon Lendenfeld. Illustriert von E. T. 
Compton und Paul Hey. 1. Band, Die West Alpen (pp. xii -+ 486); II. Band, 
Die Ost Alpen. Pp. xii + 512. (Wien: F. Tempshy, 1806.) 
““Chamonix and the Range of Mont Blanc.” A Guide. By Edward 
Whymper. With illustrations and maps. Pp. r92. (London: John 
Murray, 1896.) ‘i > 
“Climbs in the New Zealand Alps; being an Account of Travel and 
Discovery.” By E A. FitzGerald, F.R.G.S. With appendices, many illus- 
trations, anda map. Pp. xvi -+ 364. (London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1896.) 
“Mountaineering and Exploration in the Japanese Alps.” By the Rey. 
Walter Weston, M.A., F.RG.S. With maps and 35 illustrations. Pp. 
xvi + 346. (London: John Murray, 1896.) 
NO. 1414, VOL. 55] 
times, which are illustrated by reproductions of some 
quaint old pictures. But he incidentally brings in some 
matter interesting to the naturalist. Mr. Baillie-Grohman 
of course has much to say on the horns of the quarry— 
the chamois, the red deer, the roe deer, and the bouquetin— 
and he gives details of the growthand of other peculiarities, 
with illustrations of horns notable for size or for singular 
deformities. An exceptionally large pair are represented in 
the annexed illustration (Fig. 1), for the use of which we 
are indebted to the publishers. These appendages often 
exhibit slight differences depending on locality. According 
to the author, the horns of chamois from the crystalline 
districts of the Alps run a little smaller than those from 
the calcareous ; but besides this, slight differences in form 
are exhibited in places widely apart, and this is yet more 
strongly exemplified in the case of the chamois of the 
Alps and the izzard of the Pyrenees. The horns, also, of 
the Alpine stag considerably exceed in size those of the 
Scotch red deer. This subject is discussed at some 
length, Mr. Baillie-Grohman bringing forward evidence 
to show that the growth of the horns depends, among 
other circumstances, upon the food supply, and that the 
size of the antlers is affected in any one year by the 
nutriment of the stag during the period when these were 
growing. The Scotch antlers, he says, are comparatively 
small, because the food supply is insufficient and irregular ; 
“the survival of the fittest” is not properly 
secured, and the improvement of the breed 
is neglected. The continental sportsman 
cares most for the antlers, the British for 
the venison, or simply for the number of the 
slain, so that the quality of the stag is de- 
teriorating in the so-called forests of Scot- 
land. The chase, by the way, in the Alpine 
regions takes place in actual forests, and the 
quarry is stalked during the rutting season, 
when the stag betrays his situation by his 
roar, and is forgetful of danger while on 
amorous thoughts intent. The roe deer is 
abundant in the north-eastern Alps, and is a 
plucky little animal; but the bouquetin or 
steinbock is now restricted to the Graian 
Alps, though formerly it ranged over every 
part. It finally disappeared from the Pennines 
about the middle of the present century, and. 
would have been exterminated in the Graians 
by now had it not been taken under royal 
protection. This animal does not appear to: 
have fallen to the author's bullet. For the details of all 
these and other matters we must refer to the book itself. 
It is well printed and well illustrated, full of interesting 
details of the chase and anecdotes of sport ; it is redolent 
of the perfume of the forests and the clear air of the 
mountain peaks ; it is the work of a ready writer, and of a 
lover of the Alps. 
Dr. von Lendenfeld’s work might be called a version of 
“The Alps from end to end,” adapted to the ordinary 
traveller. It is neither a guide-book nor a systematic 
treatise, but it consists of a series of sections or short 
articles, describing all the most interesting and charac- 
teristic districts of that great mountain chain, from the 
shore of the Mediterranean to the neighbourhood of the 
Semmering Pass. There is no preface, so that we are 
not informed how far the book is the result of the author’s 
personal experience, and how far a compilation ; but if 
in any parts he has drawn upon the experiences of others,. 
the tale is told so as to make them seem his own. We 
can vouch from personal knowledge for the accuracy of 
some drawings of not very accessible places, such as the 
sketches of certain high peaks ; so that the artist, at any 
rate, must have beenon the spot. The stories of mountain. 
climbs, one or two of which are introduced into each 
article dealing with the chief Alpine centres, are suc- 
