64 
NATURE 
[May 26, 1870 
on that account one is not to be preferred above another. 
But there is a difference in flavour, and that which is 
preferred in that point will fetch the highest price and 
have the largest sale. Here, as in all other kinds of 
food, it is the flavour that makes the quality. It is 
the éouguet of wine and not the alcohol that constitutes 
its value. E. LANKESTER 
THE SNAKES OF AUSTRALIA 
The Snakes of Australia: an Mlustrated and Descrip- 
tive Catalogue of all the known Species. By Gerard 
Krefft, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., &c., &c., Curator and Secretary 
of the Australian Museum. Large 8vo. pp. 100, with 12 
lithographic plates. (Sydney, 1869. London: Triibner 
and Co.) 
HEN we consider how very small is the number of 
zoologists who take an interest in, or make a 
special study of, the animals of the class Reptilia, and how 
little attraction this branch of zoology appears likely to 
have for the public, we cannot but feel surprised when, 
now and then, one bolder than his fellow-labourers pre- 
pares a comprehensive account of some portion of these 
animals, and ventures to put it forth in the shape of a 
goodly volume, which must have cost the author a vast 
amount of unappreciated labour, and the publisher a 
round sum of money without a prospect of its speedy 
return. Thus, on examining the work which has just 
been published under the above title by the Curator of the 
Sydney Museum, we find that the investigations on which 
it is based have been carried out by fourteen zoologists 
only, of whom not more than one half belong to the pre- 
sent generation, whilst the other half have only described 
a species or two incidentally. 
The causes of this neglect of the study of reptiles are 
obvious. In Europe,a boy whom Nature has endowed 
with a taste for contemplating her works, begins to collect 
the objects most accessible in his neighbourhood, and 
most attractive by their variety of form or colour; he 
collects, and perhaps studies, birds and their eggs, beetles, 
butterflies, shells, or plants. What is more natural than 
that he should continue to devote himself to the same 
particular branch, if the duties of more mature years 
allow him to develop the fancy of his boyhood 
into scientific research? Consequently, ornithology, 
entomology, conchology, and botany are fopular pur- 
suits. 
There are but few who become connected with public 
collections, and who, from more expanded views or duty, 
enter into the study of animals which have but rarely 
formed part of private collections. A boy in England 
would soon get tired of his taste for natural history, if he 
had to develop it through the scanty means afforded by 
the small number of British reptiles; and Ireland, as 
far as we are aware, has not yet produced a single 
herpetologist (although, as Mr, Krefft informs us, that 
island is inhabited by snakes—a fact which is certainly 
new to us). 
On the other hand, we may predict that herpetology 
will become a more popular science in Australia, where 
reptilian life abounds. Snakes must be numerous there, 
for we are told that, “from six to ten specimens, belonging 
to different species, were captured some years ago under 
a single stone not many miles from the city of Sydney ;” 
that, “to go snake-hunting has been a pastime with 
school-boys for years,” and that “ the collecting-bag often 
forms part of the outfit of the wallaby-hunters, by whom 
the old sport of boyhood is not forgotten.” Snakes in 
Australia must also play quite as important a part in 
relation to mankind as in tropical countries ; for not less 
than two-thirds of the species, and fully nine-tenths of 
the individuals, are venomous. Ten years ago only some 
forty species of Australian snakes were known ; and it is 
chiefly due to the energy of Mr. Krefft, as collector and 
curator of the Australian Museum, that this number is 
now doubled. 
The work begins with a copious introduction, in 
which the natural history of snakes generally is treated 
in a popular manner; then follow technical descrip- 
tions of the eighty species known, and their geo- 
graphical distribution and habits are indicated, the 
volume being illustrated by twelve lithographic plates. 
The descriptions are chiefly reproductions of the original 
diagnoses given by the various authors ; and we do not 
notice any species which has not been described else- 
where. Thus, whilst we bear witness to the great progress 
in Australian herpetology due to Mr. Krefit’s labours, 
we must add that he has effected it previously to and 
independently of the publication of his book. But, like all 
conscientious compilations, it will be useful to the student, 
and will supply a real want among residents in Australia 
desirous of acquainting themselves with objects which 
daily come under their notice. 
Great credit is likewise due to Mr. Krefit for the 
caution used in working up his materials. European col- 
lections contain by far the greatest number of the typical 
specimens of the species described within the last century ; 
and men working at a distance from this principal source 
of information, and more or less dependent on descrip- 
tions, are only too much exposed to the risk of failing in 
the determination of species, applying old names to really 
new species, and describing old ones as new. No end of 
labour in rectifying these errors is caused to European 
naturalists by such premature publications. But Mr. 
Krefft has been for years in constant communication with 
his fellow-labourers in England and Germany, sending 
duplicate examples for identification ; and thus creating 
a well-determined collection, he has laid a solid basis 
for his own future researches and for the instruction of 
Australian students. We have heard an authority on the 
subject express the belief that there is not in the book a 
single species erroneously determined. 
The plates which accompany the volume are the work 
of two ladies, Miss Scott and Mrs, Edward Ford, who, 
considering the peculiar difficulty of drawing snakes, have 
accomplished their task extremely well. 
In conclusion, we must congratulate the trustees of the 
Sydney Museum on having found so able and zealous a 
curator as Mr. Krefft ; and express the hope that his book 
may lead to new discoveries sufficiently numerous to call 
for a second edition. It is a good sign that the scien- 
tific literature of our colonies already contains such books 
as the one under review. May the number soon be 
largely increased. 
A. GUNTHER 
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