NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 73 



all here faithfully pourtrayed, with others, in their natural and 

 characteristic attitudes. 



This is not the place, for obvious reasons, wherein to criticise 

 the editor's annotations, but it may be of interest to mention a 

 few of the subjects alluded to by Izaak Walton which in this new 

 edition have elicited comment, explanation, or elucidation. 



The Marten, Maries sylvatica. 



There is a pretty allusion (vol. i. p. 47) to "the honest Eobin 

 that loves mankind both alive and dead," referring of course to 

 the old notion of the Kedbreast covering the dead with leaves 

 which has been noticed by Shakespeare in ' Cymbeline,' and by 

 John Webster in the lines — 



" Call for the Robin Redbreast and the Wren, 

 Since o'er shady groves they hover, 

 And with leaves and flowers do cover 

 The friendless bodies of unburied men." 



Auceps, in his enumeration of the several kinds of hawks 

 used by falconers (p. 50) includes " the Stelletto of Spain, the 

 Blood-red Rook from Turkey, the Waskite from Virginia." What 

 species are referred to by these names ? and where did Walton 

 find allusion to them ? Perhaps some of our readers can supply 

 this information. 



It is not surprising that he should describe a Whale as a fish 

 (pp. 59 and 69), seeing that many persons so regard it even at 

 the present day, in spite of all the science-teaching in schools. 



ZOOLOGIST, THIRD SERIES, VOL, XVIII.— FEB. 1894. G 



