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NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Life-histories of African Game Animals. By Thbodokb Boose- 

 velt and Edmund Heller. In two volumes. London : 

 John Murray. 1915. £2 2s. net. 



This is by far the most important book on the subject of 

 bionomics generally, and the large African mammals in parti- 

 cular, that has appeared of late. It is well illustrated by photo- 

 graphs of animals living and dead, by the beautiful drawings 

 of Mr. Philip B. Goodwin, and by many maps ; and the treat- 

 ment of the subject is admirably clear and very readable, without 

 any of the odious journalistic touch which has crept so much into 

 zoology of late years. Although of the two authors each has 

 " reviewed, added to, and assented to the work of the other, and 

 their responsibility for the entire book is joint," the first drafts 

 of the life-history accounts of the species and the introductory 

 chapters on "Game Beserves " and on "Concealing Coloration " 

 were written by Colonel Boosevelt ; the other introductory 

 chapters on the " Derivation of the Fauna, Geologically and 

 Palseontologically " and on the "Flora of East and Middle 

 Africa and its Belation to the Fauna," and the technical 

 descriptions, including the nomenclature used, are especially 

 the work of Mr. Heller. It is here that working naturalists may 

 find some points that are not to their taste, such as the 

 separation of the Lion (an animal better and more anciently 

 distinguished as a species than any other) into subspecies 

 (though in the life-history portion it is stated that development 

 and colour of mane are individual), and the generic separation 

 of the White-tailed and Brindled Gnus. These, however, are 

 of comparatively little importance and do not affect the great 

 value of the major portion of the book in which the predominant 

 influence of the ex-President is apparent. Here the work goes 

 far beyond the subject of African game, and launches into dis- 

 cussions on more general topics, handled in a masterly manner 



