34 



NA TURE 



[November 14. 1901 



As a case in point, the author takes the natterjack toad. 

 " There are three particular features about the natterjack 

 toad,' he writes, " which distinguish it from the commoner 

 variety. It has a yellow stripe down its back, its hind 

 feet are not webbed, and it has a peculiar running method 

 of progression. A really good illustration of this toad 

 would show these three distinctive features. A photo- 

 graph might easily be produced which would show none 

 of them — a side view, for instance, of the toad sitting 

 still— and such a photograph would probably be the one 

 taken by a photographer who had not troubled to make 

 himself acquainted with his subject." 



The author then proceeds to show the methods neces- 

 sary in order to procure the desired results. Elsewhere 

 he states that for photography of this description the 

 •only satisfactory way is to keep the animals whose 

 portraits are desired in confinement for some little time, 

 when they soon become sufficiently tame not to mind the 

 approach of the artist with his camera. It will, of course, 

 be obvious in this connection that the photographer must 

 either be a good practical naturalist himself, or that he 

 must consult someone duly c|ualified to point out the 

 characteristic features of the animals about to be taken. 



Not less important than the display of an animal'!, 

 distinctive structural peculiarities is the reproduction of 

 its characteristic attitudes. In this respect nature 

 fortunately comes to the artist's assistance. " Living 

 creatures," as the author truly observes, "adopt their 



characteristic attitudes more frequently than any others. 

 The photographer has, therefore, to learn which attitudes 

 his subjects most frequently adopt, and should endeavour 

 to perpetuate them in his store of negatives." 



A third essential is to pay the greatest attention to the 

 natural "accessories" of the animals photographed. In 

 many cases this is a matter of e.vtreme difficulty ; and 

 the artist is frequently sorely tempted to take his 

 subject when in a favourable pose amid incongruous 

 surroundings. Should this course have to be taken — and 

 in some cases it is almost unavoidable — the author 

 advises blocking out the animal and making a fresh 

 negative with a suitable background. 



Mr. English is careful to distinguish animal photo- 

 graphy of the above nature from what he terms 

 " stalking " photography, when the animal is approached 

 stealthily in its native haunts with the camera, or the 

 camera is concealed in a suitable position to await its 

 arrival. And he renders full justice to the e.\cellent 

 results which have been obtained by the Messrs. 

 Kearton in this branch of the subject. 



In the main the author deals with British animals, of 

 which he gives some exquisite pictures. Two of these, 

 by the courtesy of the publishers, we are enabled to 

 reproduce, so that our readers can judge for themselves 

 as to their merits. While it is no doubt of the highest 

 importance to have a large stock of life-like portraits of 

 our native animals, the number of photographers who 



NO. 1672, VOL. 65] 



labour in this field will probably ere long produce a 

 sufficiency. For scientific /.oology the portraits of rare 

 foreign animals are still more essential ; and in a future 

 edition it may be hoped that the author will sec his way 

 to urging his fellow-workers to take up this part of the 

 subject in real earnest. 



A large portion of the work is, of course, devoted to 

 the lechniquc of the subject ; but this we may well leave 

 to the consideration of practical photographers. 



The author has done good service in endeavouring to 

 impress on his fellow-workers the importance of producing 

 animal portraits which shall satisfy the requirements of 

 zoologists, and we sincerely trust that his efforts to pro- 

 mote improvement in these matters will not be in vain. 

 The book should be in the hands of every |)hotographer 

 as well as of every naturalist. K- L. 



NOTES. 



The Royal Society's medals have this year been adjudicated 

 by the president and council as follows : — The Copley Medal to 

 Prof. J. Willard Gibbs, For. Mem. R.S., for his contributions 

 to mathematical physics ; a Royal Medal to Prof. William 

 Edward Ayrton, F.R.S., for his contributions to electrical 

 science ; a Royal Medal to Dr. WiUiam Thomas Blanford, 

 F.R.S., for his work in connection with the geographical dis- 

 tribution of animals; the Davy Medal to 

 I'rof. George Downing Liveing, F.R.S., 

 I'lr his contributions to spectroscopy; and 

 I he Sylvester Medal to Prof. Henri Poincarc, 

 I or. Mem. R.S., for his many and important 

 contributions to mathematical science. His 

 M.ijesty the King has been graciously pleased 

 10 approve of the award of the Royal medals. 

 The medals will, as usual, be presented at the 

 inniversary meeting on St. Andrew's Day 

 Xovember 30). The Society will dine to- 

 j ther at the Whitehall Rooms on the 

 Lvc-ning of the same day. 



The following is a list of those who have 

 been recommended by the president and 

 council of the Royal Society for election 

 into the council for the year 1902 at the anniversary meeting on 

 November 30. The names of new members are printed in 

 italics: — President, Sir William Huggins, K.C.B. ; treasurer, 

 Mr. A. B. Kempe ; secretaries, Sir Michael Foster, K.C.B.,and 

 Dr. Joseph]Lari)ior ; foreign secretary. Dr. T. E. Thorpe, C.B. ; 

 other members of the council. Prof. H. E. Armstrong, Mr. W. 

 Bateson, Dr. IV. T. Blanford, Prof. F. 0. Bower, Mr. C. V. 

 Boys, Prof. IV. Burnside, Prof. W. W. Cheync, C.B., Prof. G. C. 

 Poster, Prof. W. M. Hicks, Mr. Frank McCUan, Prof. H. A. 

 Miers, Sir John Murray, A'.C.B., Prof. J. Emerson Reynolds, 

 Dr. R. H. Scott, Prof. C. S. Sherrington, and Mr. J. W. Swan. 

 On November 24 a medal will be presented to M. Berthelot, 

 in the large amphitheatre of the Sorbonne, to commemorate 

 his services to science. M. Berthelot's activity during more 

 than fifty years has been extraordinary, and there are no branches 

 of chemistry on which he has not made his mark. His last 

 publication is " Les Carbures d'hydrogenc," a work in three 

 stately volumes, comprising an account of his labours on these 

 compounds during the last half-century. To mention only some 

 of M. Berthelot's achievements, his researches on the synthesis 

 of the natural fats, his discovery of polyhydric alcohols, his work 

 on explosives, on the fi.xation of nitrogen by plants, his long 

 investigations in the domain of thermal chemistry, and the con- 

 tributions which he has made to the history of chemistry, 

 constitute a record of work which, it is not too much to say, 



