236 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



which are of no ascertained use, but occasionally the general 

 plan of coloration apparently endangers the species displaying it. 

 To follow Mr. Beddard through the many interesting 

 problems which are discussed in his book would occupy more 

 space than we have at our disposal. It must suffice if we 

 indicate the scope of his work. After an introductory chapter, 

 in which he argues that the action of natural selection must be 

 strictly limited, and points out that the same plan of coloration 

 is found in distantly related animals, explaining the relation 

 between coloration and structure, he proceeds to discuss color- 

 ation as affected by environment, protective coloration, warning 

 coloration, protective mimicry, and sexual coloration. All these 

 subjects are fully considered, together with the views of the 

 recent specialists who have written upon them. In particular he 

 refers to the ingenious theories of Dr. Eisig on warning colours, 

 and Herr Stolzmann on sexual dimorphism, giving the pith of 

 their opinions in a way calculated to save much trouble to those 

 readers who may have no opportunity of referring to the 

 originals. Indeed, considering the enormous extent of the 

 literature of the subject, Mr. Beddard has done good service in 

 reducing to something less than 300 octavo pages an account of 

 the principal phenomena ofcanimal coloration. We have perused 

 his book with considerable interest, and can cordially recommend 

 it to our readers. 



Idle Days in Patagonia. By W. H. Hudson, Author of * The 

 Naturalist in La Plata.' 8vo, pp. 256. With illustrations. 

 London : Chapman & Hall. 



Althouh not so attractive a volume as ' The Naturalist in 

 La Plata,' which was not long since noticed in this Journal (Zool. 

 1892, p. 373), Mr. Hudson's new book has much to recommend 

 it. His chapter on the plains of Patagonia is an amplification of 

 and a commentary upon the description given by Darwin (in his 

 ' Voyage of the Beagle 1 ), upon whom these vast treeless wastes 

 made so great an impression, and his account of the charac- 

 teristic mammals and birds by which they are tenanted conjures 

 up a vivid picture of wild life in South America. There is an 

 excellent chapter upon " Sight in Savages," one of the most in- 

 teresting in the book, and another " Concerning Eyes," in which 



