Marcu 18, 1897] 
NATURE 
459) 
the sea ; for in this case the most enthusiastic glacialist 
can hardly summon an ice-sheet from the “vasty deep” 
to scrape shells from the sea-bottom, and deposit its 
collections at the foot of the New Zealand Alps. 
Mr. Harper had ample opportunities of studying the 
natural history of the country, and of these he has made 
good use. The birds, especially the wekas (a kind of 
rail) and the keas (a mountain parrot), are still very 
common in some valleys, and are amusing on account of 
their insatiate curiosity. But from others they have 
disappeared almost entirely. Man is their destroyer, 
though not directly ; for this has happened in districts 
which have hardly ever been visited. But the miner 
often keeps a cat, and, like the Londoner, is apt, 
when quitting an abode, to leave the animal 
behind ; so it has to feed itself, and becomes a bush- 
ranger. Weasels also have been introduced into the 
island ; so the birds of New Zealand, especially those 
which are poor flyers, are having a bad time. 
herd will view with satisfaction the disappearance of the 
kea, since it destroys sheep. Mr. Harper explains how 
the bird has acquired carnivorous habits. The shepherds 
hang up the skins of sheep to dry, and the kea is an em- 
bodiment of inquisitiveness, and tries its beak on every- 
thing. If the skin has not been carefully cleaned, it 
tastes the fat, and ““when once a kea tastes fat he is a 
ruined bird, and would sell his soul—if he had one—to 
get more.” Apparently it is wise enough to know the 
exact position of the most savoury morsel, for the bird 
settles on the sheep’s back, and bites down to the fat 
about the kidneys. But if some native birds are dis- 
appearing, black swans, an importation from Australia, 
have become abundant, and the rabbit, in certain districts, 
is getting to beas great a pest as in Australia. Let well 
alone, is a maxim often as sound in nature as it is in 
politics. But we must leave Mr. Harper's very interesting 
and abundantly illustrated volume. 
addition to our knowledge of the New Zealand Alps, 
and a well-told story of difficulties overcome and hard- | 
ships endured with no little pluck and determination. 
T. G. BONNEY. 
OUR BOOK SHELF. 
Lehrbuch der Erdkunde fiir hihere Schulen. 
Willi Ule. 
Von Dr. 
II. Teil: Fiir die mittleren und oberen 
Klassen. Mit 12 farbigen und 79 Schwarzdruck- 
abbildungen. Pp. viii + 404. (Leipzig: G. Freytag, 
1896.) 
THE author of this excellent little text-book has already 
made his mark in practical geographical work amongst the 
younger generation of German geographers. He marshals 
the facts and enforces the descriptions with a firm grasp 
of general principles which no mere theorist can attain. 
But he claims no novelty in method, and states that his 
book is out and out a child of Alfred Kirchhoff’s school. 
The perspective in which the world’s surface is viewed 
from the German standpoint of Dr. Ule is somewhat 
interesting, as the following analysis of the space devoted 
to the different departments shows :—German Empire, 19 
per cent.; Europe outside Germany, 31; Asia, 9; 
Africa, 7; North America, 3; South America, 3; Aus- 
tralasia and Oceania, 3; physical and general geography, 
25 per cent. The small space devoted to North America 
is remarkable, considering the vast importance of the 
NO. 1429, VOL. 55] 
The shep- | 
| cannot in any way be overrated. 
It is a valuable | 
United States for German trade and as a centre for 
emigrants. 
It would be too much to say that the revival of serious 
geographical study in this country has largely influenced 
the form of Dr. Ule’s book, but it is a fact that his 
method of treatment approaches that of the most recent 
English text-books in several particulars. The illus- 
trations are for the most part old friends, but the sketch 
maps introduced in the text are original and good. 
A Manual of Elementary Seamanship. By D. Wilson- 
Barker. Pp.xii +120. (London: Charles Griffin and 
Co., Ltd., 1896.) 
THIs book will be found most useful and handy to the 
young sailor; for throughout its pages the subject is 
treated in a thorough manner. 
The author does not limit himself to a description of 
| the more general type, but enters into details respecting 
| most parts of a ship, such as hull, rigging, sails, &c. ; and 
not only are sailing ships dealt with, but steamers are 
treated inthe same manner. Several Parts (ii. to iv.) are 
devoted to the art of rope splicing, knots, lead, log, 
rigging, anchors, sail-making, sails, and the handling of 
boats under sail; these, we may add, are also profusely 
illustrated, thus enabling the reader to more easily grasp 
some of the explanations given. 
A large figure is also inserted, showing the rigging and 
sails of a full-rigged ship. Part v., on the rule of the 
road and signalling, includes two excellent coloured 
plates of flags, and the semaphore, and Morse alphabets ; 
the last two, we are sorry to say, are as yet seldom 
used in the mercantile marine, although their importance 
The diagram also 
contains a scheme by which these can be easily 
remembered. 
A useful glossary of sea terms and phrases is also 
added. 
Researches upon the Antiquity of Man in the Delaware 
Valley and the Eastern United States. By Henry C. 
Mercer. Pp. 178. (Publications of the University of 
Pennsylvania, vol. vi. 1897.) 
In this monograph, Mr. Henry C. Mercer, curator of the 
museum of American and Prehistoric Archeology at the 
University of Pennsylvania, brings together the results of 
his investigations of an Indian stone blade quarry in the 
| Delaware Valley, a mortuary deposit of Indian skeletons 
in Maryland, certain shell heaps on the coast of Maine 
and at the Durham Cave, and a rock-shelter in the 
Delaware Valley. ; \ 
The caves explored failed to give conclusive evidence 
of pre-Indian or geologically ancient man. It is held 
that nothing has as yet been found anywhere in the 
Delaware Valley to corroborate the alleged antiquity of 
the chipped blades from Trenton. Support is given to 
Mr. W. H. Holmes’ contention that the flint specimens 
from the Trenton gravel are not true implements, but 
“wasters” or “rejects” cast away by modern Indians 
whose village sites occupied the surface above the gravel. 
Numerous illustrations of specimens from the caves 
explored accompany the monograph. 
Universal Electrical Directory (J. A. Berly’s). 
(London : Alabaster, Gatehouse, and Co., 
The 
Pp. 1114. 
1897.) 
Tus well-known Directory contains the names of the 
members of the electrical and kindred industries through- 
out the world. It is thus invaluable for finding the ad- 
dresses of electricians, manufacturers, and dealers. The 
total number of distinct names in the Directory is 22,658, 
of which 9933 belong to British individuals and firms. 
For simplicity and facility of reference the names are 
divided into four groups—namely : British, Continental, 
