434 New Natural History Books. 
The Bodley Head Natural History. Vol. 1, British Birds, Passeres, by 
E. D. Cuming, with illustrations by J. A. Shepherd. London: John 
Lane, pp. 120, 2s. net. This little book is on quite new lines, the various 
species of birds being illustrated by scores of Mr. Shepherd’s inimitable 
sketches, made on the wide margins, which represent hand-colouring as 
nearly as anything we have ever seen. The birds are shewn in remarkably 
characteristic attitudes, and in various stages of growth; the chapter on 
the robin, for example, being illustrated by no fewer than 29 sketches, 
as well as a coloured plate forming the frontispiece. We are glad to see 
the work of Yorkshire ornithologists referred to in the pages. As in so 
many books nowadays, the word ‘‘ occurrence’ seems to have given 
trouble to the compositors. 
Pygmies and Papuans. The Stone-Age to-day in Dutch New Guinea. 
By A. F. R. Wollaston, with appendices by W. R. Ogilvie Grant, A. C., 
Haddon and S. H. Ray. London: Smith, Elder and Co., pp. xxiv. + 345, 
15s. net. We regret there has been some delay in noticing this valuable 
work, but it contains such a mine of information that we decided to care- 
fully peruse it all, and many things have interrupted. It really is one of 
the most charming books we have read for some time. The book is the 
result of the jubilee celebrations of the British Ornithological Union, 
when over £9,000 was subscribed for the purpose of sending an expedition— 
largely ornithological—to Dutch New Guinea. Mr. Wollaston saw much 
that appealed to the antiquary and anthropologist as well as to the 
naturalist, and in his book he has given us many important facts which 
have a distinct bearing upon the past history of even our own ancestors 
in Britain. The descriptions of the weapons of these people, their burial 
customs, ceremonies, etc., etc., have a remarkable value to students of pre- 
historic archxology. The book is illustrative by a wealth of photographs, 
maps, etc., and will certainly take a foremost place among works of this 
kind. 
Hampstead Heath: Its Geology and Natural History, prepared under 
the auspices of the Hampstead Scientific Society. London: Fisher Unwin, 
238 p.p., ios. 6d. net. If the Hampstead Society has done nothing 
more than cause the present volume to appear, it more than justifies its 
existence. In the historical Heath it has at once a playground and a 
field for work. The Society has not followed some others in serving up 
diluted and second-hand commonplace natural history notes, but has 
produced a volume that will serve as a model for all time. They have 
also been exceedingly fortunate in securing the co-operation of many 
leading geologists and naturalists, the names of Maynard, Findon, Rudler, 
Hawke, Tansley, Goodchild, James Burton and others, being all that 
can be desired as a guarantee for thoroughness and accuracy. The Heath 
is referred to under the heads of Topography, Geology, Climate, Plant Life, 
Bird Life, Mammals, Fishes and Reptiles, Insect Life, Molluscs, and Pond 
Life. There is also a select list of books, and a good index. The Society 
has been fortunate in its publisher, who seems to have spared no pains to 
produce an attrractive and well printed volume. The frontispiece is a 
reproduction of a charming water-colour sketch of the Heath, by J. D. 
Kennedy, and there are various typical views from photographs, maps, 
etc. We should like to particularly commend the volume to any natural 
history society having a definite field for work, 
’ 
Of a somewhat similar type to the preceding, but an entirely ‘ one man 
show,’ is Wild Life in Wales, by George Bolam, London: Frank Palmer, 
pp. x. +405, tos. 6d. net. Many of us have recently had the pleasure of 
being personally acquainted with Mr. Bolam and his work, an excellent 
example of which, in his report on the birds of Hornsea Mere, appeared 
a little while ago in this journal. We were then convinced of the many- 
sidedness of his investigations; but for all that we little expected to find 
him producing, single-handed, a volume such as this, dealing with so many 
Naturalist, 
