314 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vor. XXXIV. 
* A New Group of Stone Implements from the Southern Shores of 
Lake Michigan " is the title of an attractively illustrated article by 
Dr. W. A. Phillips. Most of the implements are made from flakes; 
the trap cobblestones from which they were flaked do not readily 
lend themselves to the blocking out of blades from nuclei. p p. 
ZOÓLOGY. 
Beasts.— The author of Beasts belongs to that order of natural- 
ists who, to the dread of housewives and maids and to the delight of 
all healthy boys, fill their pockets, cupboards, and rooms with reptiles 
and rodents of every description. From the pages of Mr. Kennedy's 
book we gather that a young crocodile occupied one shelf of his 
bookcase, a python another, and a pair of white rats a third. In one 
corner of the room stood the kennel of an armadillo; a vivarium 
abounding with salamanders, frogs, and tortoises stood by the window ; 
and from somewhere emerged at night a potto, which became so 
hilarious that three several policemen roused the inmates of the 
house to warn them against burglars. The book is made up of short 
sketches of the interesting ways of all these creatures, and of many 
more, put together loosely, in a familiar style, the chief characteris- 
tics of which are sympathy for the whole range of the animal king- 
dom and a keen love of humor. 
It is when animals refuse to behave after the rules laid down for 
them in the books that they have the greatest interest for Mr. Ken- 
nedy. When a toad, instead of rolling its cast skin into a ball and 
swallowing it with gusto, as it ought, takes it down “slowly and 
disgustfully "; when a tadpole - covers itself with ridicule ” by trying 
to jump about before it has cast its long clumsy tail, — then it is that 
he thinks their actions worth chronicling. The curious awkwardness 
which some animals display in the capture of their food is the sub- 
ject of some amusing pages. Worms, in particular, prove a severe 
test to the intelligence and patience of many of the reptiles. The 
“crass stupidity ” of the lower reptiles prevents the author's interest 
in their habits from passing into affection. A white rat, however, 
1 Kennedy, Wardlaw. Beasts. Thumb-Nail Studies in Pets. London, The 
Macmillan Company, 1899. Illustrated with numerous drawings and photographs. 
152 pp. Price $1.50. 
