472 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland. By J. G. Millais, 

 F.Z.S. Vol. II. Longmans, Green & Co. 



Thic second volume of this great contribution to a knowledge 

 of our British fauna sustains all the interest and beauty of illus- 

 tration found in its predecessor. The description of the Carnivora 

 is now completed, and that of the Piodentia very largely con- 

 tributed, the Otter introducing the volume and the Water- Vole 

 completing it. Again we find the same happy compilation of 

 facts relating to our comparatively few mammals, and a similar 

 wealth of illustration, which is not only zoologically accurate, 

 but, as we might infer from the name of the author, is in the 

 best sense artistic. This feature, combined with the easy 

 method of its narrative, should procure the circulation of the 

 work beyond usual zoological circles; and the private library that 

 can possess the luxury of a good county history should certainly, 

 and will in time most probably, find Mr. Millais' s volumes on its 

 shelves. 



The generic and specific nomenclature used throughout is 

 what is generally recognised as "advanced" by its followers, 

 and often as the "work of museum naturalists" by those who 

 cling to a more conservative terminology. This, however, is a 

 question scarcely raised by the publication, for its strength rests 

 in its descriptive and bionomical elements, and for the critic who 

 would only discuss its classificatory terms the book has indeed 

 been written in vain. Besides which taxonomical nomenclature 

 is not a creed, nor is it based on dogmas ; it has not yet reached 

 finality, remains largely dependent on individual method and 

 opinion, and is simply an indispensable and confidential servant 

 to the study of zoology. In British natural history the trend in 

 opinion to-day is "back to nature," and he who writes in this 

 spirit, as Mr. Millais certainly does, writes best. The method 

 has its dangers, as the constant arrival of publications, hot from 

 the press, written by mistaken successors of Gilbert White, 

 abundantly testify ; but Darwinism has unwittingly created a 

 similar set of lame disciples, and how many a novelist has 

 thought that he was a reincarnation of Dickens ! 



There is so much in these pages that we cannot carp at the 

 little they do not contain, and the terms of our notice of the first 

 volume published last year remain, in our opinion, applicable in 

 every way to the present instalment, in which there is neither 

 discontinuity of method nor departure in charm of illustration. 



PRINTED BY WEST, NEWMAN AND CO., HATTON GARDEN, LONDON. 



