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REVIEWS. 

 THE BEETLES OF THE HIMALAYAS. 



BY 



E. A. D'Abbeu. 

 Tublished hij TItacher SjjinJc S,- Co., Colcutta and Simla, Price Us. 2. 



A small volume of 70 pat(es, in which is set forth a semi-popular account 

 of the beetles with special reference to the more striking forms found in 

 Darjeeling. In preparing such a volume, intended mainly for schoolboys, 

 one would make the leading idea the provision of interesting nature 

 notes on the commoner beetles, with very carefully selected summaries 

 of habits on groups. In such small sjaace, so little can be given that all 

 turns on judicious selection. The volume fails from the point of view of 

 interest ; it will perhaps enable the collector to group his specimens, to 

 name some of them and to get a general idea of classification. Much space 

 is wasted in giving references to papers in scientific journals such as Ann. 

 Soc, Ent. Belye., and the like, which can be of no possible use to any one but 

 an advanced amateur or a professional entomologist. The volume is well 

 produced and illustrated by excellent line figures ; many of the commoner 

 species of the hills are easily recognisable and the author has an intimate 

 first-hand knowledge of his subject. Twelve pages are devoted to methods 

 of collecting, pinning, storing, etc., and this section is of special value. 



So far as we are aware this book is the first of its kind for India and the 

 only one, dealing with a group of insects, within reach of a schoolboy's 

 pocket. No other group but the beetles lends itself to this treatment in 

 India and Mr. D'Abreu is to be congratulated on his enterprise and devotion 

 to his subject. The volume will stimulate an interest in nature and should 

 be accessible to every schoolboy in the hills. 



H. M. L. 



BIG GAME SHOOTING IN UPPER BURMA. 



Sydney A. Cheistophee. 



Mr, Christopher commences with a series of introductory chapters. 



Attention is drawn to the inadequate amount of literature on shooting 

 in Burma. 



The first eight chapters are devoted to choice of rifles and guns, Shikar 

 costume, preliminary considerations, etc., the exhaustiveness of which prepare 

 the reader for a pleasingly full account of the Big Game of the Province. 

 But having once got into the book, on this point, one is disappointed. 

 Eleven chapters (nearly a third of the volume) describe the author's various 

 adventures in obtaining his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and oth tigers. 



There are three interesting chapters dealing with the little known 

 Ithinoceros sumatrensis. We cannot agree with Mr. Christopher in compa- 

 ring the tracks of a Rhino, with those of a small Elephant, and although 

 rare, the occurrence, '-'which he appears to doubt," in Lower Burma of 

 Rhinoceros sondaicits is well authenticated. 



We should like to have found fuller accounts of the other Big Game 

 usually thought of in connection with Shikar in Burma such as the Tsine, 

 Thamin, Burmese Sambhar, etc. — while Serow, Goral, Tapir and Clouded 

 Leopard are not mentioned at all. 



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