36 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Letters on Sjiort in Eastern Bengal. By Frank B. Simson (Bengal 

 Civil Service Eetired). Eoyal 8vo, pp. 252, with ten illus- 

 trations. London : E. H, Porter. 1886. 



Since the publication of Mr. Sanderson's ' Thirteen Years 

 amongst the Wild Beasts of India ' in 1879, no better book on 

 Sport in India has appeared than that now before us. With a 

 longer experience even than that of his predecessor, Mr. Simson 

 is able not only to confirm from personal observation much that 

 was already known concerning the haunts and habits of the animals 

 which usually come under the denomination of " big game," but 

 in many cases to supplement the remarks of previous writers 

 with useful information. His special delight seems to have 

 been the chase of the Wild Boar, on which subject he writes 

 enthusiastically ; and it must be confessed that from a sports- 

 man's point of view he has left little to be said by any future 

 votary of this particular branch of sport who may contemplate 

 writing upon it. It is true that his book is addressed rather 

 to sportsmen than to naturalists, but it is equally true that 

 naturalists would know very little about the habits of many wild 

 animals were it not for the published observations of such men 

 as Mr. Simson — men who are constantly exploring fresh tracts 

 of country, primarily in search of sport, but indirectly helping 

 with their carefully kept journals to elucidate and help forward 

 the study of Zoology. To such writers especially do we look for 

 information on the geographical distribution of animals ; for 

 they have such excellent opportunities (if they will only take the 

 trouble) to furnish lists of the species met with in the districts 

 explored by them. In this way, and perhaps in this way only, 

 is it likely that we shall be able to solve some of the interesting 

 problems relating to what may be termed the sporadic distribution 

 of certain remarkable species. 



There are other points upon which the testimony of such 

 experienced observers as Mr. Simson is valuable ; such, for 

 instance, as the length of Tigers and the height of Elephants, 

 questions which are repeatedly cropping up, and to answer 



