244 



NA TURE 



[January i6, 1902 



view, it may happen that events in China will upset it, 

 and that a connectinj^ link between Burma and Yunnan 

 by means of a railway may become a necessity. 



The second point to which we desire to draw atten- 

 tion is the chapter on Burma's forest wealth. It is 

 but natural that this is treated in a very full way, and 

 we recommend its perusal to those who have up to 

 date been hostile to forest conservancy in India and 

 Burma. More especially Dr. Nisbet describes in full 

 detail the great pains which are taken in ascertaining the 

 full extent of existing rights and privileges, and the 

 minuteness with which the requirements of the local 

 population are provided, before any forest tract is declared 

 a permanent State forest. 



On the whole Dr. Nisbet's work may be called a very 

 storehouse of information on Burma, to collect which 

 must have taken him many years. If we were to find 

 any faults with the work they would be that the author's 

 facile pen has led him into too great a length, and that 

 there are numerous repetitions in it. Still, those who 

 have leisure to read the two handsome volumes will be 

 richly rewarded for their trouble. They will find in 

 it, not only a minute description of an interesting people, 

 but also a record of the admirable manner in which 

 civilised methods of administration have been success- 

 fully introduced in this far-away country in a remarkably 

 short space of time. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



The Birds of South Africa. By A. C. Stark, completed 

 . by W. L. S clater. Vol. ii. Illustrated. Pp. xiv-l-324. 



(London : Porter, 1901.) Price 21J. net. 

 In a review of the first volume of this work (part of the 

 -'Fauna of .South Africa"), published in our columns 

 soon after its appearance, reference was made to the 

 tragic death of its author. Dr. Stark, in Ladysmith, at 

 the commencement of the siege. The first volume was 

 practically completed by the author before his death ; but 

 of its successor the manuscript was left (partly stored at 

 Durban and partly at Ladysmith) in a state which ren- 

 dered necessary a considerable amount of revision and 

 addition on the part of whoever undertook the task of 

 editing and preparing it for press. By desire of Dr. 

 Stark's executors this labour was entrusted to Mr. \V. L. 

 Sclater, the editor of the series to which the volume be- 

 longs, who is to be congratulated on having carried out 

 so successfully an undertaking of no ordinary difficulty. 

 For, as all those who have tried it are well aware, the 

 completion of another man's unfinished work is often a 

 more difficult task than to write a volume dc novo. .-\s 

 this volume may be regarded as in some respects a 

 memorial of the lamented author, his portrait is very 

 appropriately introduced as a frontispiece. 



Since the general plan of the work was somewhat fully 

 referred to in our previous notice, and as in this respect 

 the present volume agrees in all essential points with 

 its predecessor, nothing need be added on the present 

 occasion. This volume continues the description of the 

 perching-birds, taking up the thread at the shrikes, and 

 ending with the swallows and pittas, so that the African 

 representatives of five families are discussed. The 

 editor has been fortunate in again securing the services of 

 Mr. 11. C.rtinvold as artist; and, needless to say, the 

 illustrations are exquisitely drawn, and at the same time 

 true to nature. Attention may be especially directed to 

 the figure of puff-birds and their nest, which is based on 



NO. 1 68 I, VOL. 65] 



a photograph taken nearGrahamstown.and forms acharm- 

 ing bit of bird-life. One illustration alone — that of rock- 

 thrushes and their nest, on p. 182— has been reproduced 

 direct from a photograph. A comparison of this with the 

 above-mentioned picture by Mr. (ironvold leaves little 

 doubt where the superiority lies. In addition to the 

 text-figures this volume contains a map which should 

 prove of much value to the students of the South African 

 fauna. 



While congratulating Mr. Sclater on the completion 

 of this much of his arduous task, we may take the oppor- 

 tunity of mentioning that, with the help of Dr. Stark's 

 note-books and papers he hopes ere long to bring out 

 the two remaining volumes of the " Birds of South 

 Africa." R. L. 



Elementary Telephotography. By Ernest Marriage. 

 Pp. xxix -I- 117. (London: Iliffe and Sons, Ltd., 

 1901.) 



The telephotographic lens is becoming more generally 

 used every day, so that the publication of a good elemen- 

 tary treatise on the chief advantages of its employment 

 and on its successful manipulation will be received with 

 favour. The opening chapters describe, in simple and 

 clear language, backed up with excellent illustrations, 

 the optical arrangements of telephotograpliic lenses, the 

 different types of such lenses, the work for which they 

 are specially adapted, and the form of camera and 

 accessories that experience has shown to be the most 

 satisfactory. The author lays great stress on the im- 

 portance of rigidity in both the camera and support, so 

 the beginner should take special note of this fundamental 

 consideration. 



After a chapter on the general applications of tele- 

 photography, the author gives the beginner some ex- 

 cellent advice in separate chapters on the special 

 branches of the subject, namely, architecture, portraiture 

 and the telephotography of animals, illustrating the chief 

 points with reproductions from photographs. 



Last, but by no means least in importance, are two 

 chapters on exposure and development and useful tables. 

 In the former it is shown, among other things, that with a 

 little trouble the most difficult pan of the whole manipu- 

 lation, namely, "correct exposure ot the negative," may 

 be successfully overcome by a simple calculation, this 

 method being rendered more practicable and easy by the 

 use of the tables given in the latter chapter. 



It may be mentioned in conclusion that the book is 

 neatly printed on good stout paper and the illustrations 

 are well reproduced, so that with these extra points in its 

 favour it will form a useful addition to photographic 

 literature. 



The British Journal Photographic Almanac, 1902. 

 Edited by Thomas Bedding. Pp. 1560. (London : 

 Henry Greenwood and Co., 1901.) Price \s. 



Tin; forty-first yearly issue of this almanac is well up to 

 the standard of former years, and contains a mine of 

 useful information for both the amateur and the pro- 

 fessional photographer. 



Among thejjrincipal contents we notice an interesting, 

 and what should pro\e a useful, article on " Introductory 

 Notes on Tele-photography," by the editor, which brings 

 together the more important facts on the subject. This 

 is followed by a series of short contributions on practical 

 subjects by prominent photographers, by numerous 

 notes and suggestions of the year, and by an epitome of 

 the advances made in 1901. The almanac portion of the 

 volume and tables will be found as useful as ever, and the 

 reader will find the collection of photographic formula; 

 and recipes, list of photographic societies, and other 

 miscellaneous tables and information very complete. 



In addition to the boo pages of text, those devoted 



