NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 135° 
with this phase of undigested information, and with this want of 
monographic treatment. Anthropology is a science which affords 
a special instance of how the accumulation, selection, and 
arrangement of facts can by competent and judicious authorities be 
made original contributions to the knowledge of our own species. 
The history of Fowling was a subject that could only be treated 
properly by an ornithologist, but was one that few ornithologists 
would consider came within their vocation. It was an opportu- 
nity for a ‘‘ book” in its real sense; and we are glad that Mr. 
Macpherson essayed the task, and nota light one. This collection 
of facts, with their orderly arrangement and subordination to the 
aim of the work, is more than equal to the collection of species 
and their subsequent taxonomic treatment; and our author in- 
forms us that his “plan has been to read through every ornitholo- 
gical work that I could find in the five or six languages which are all 
that I can possibly translate.’ Besides these, books of travel must 
and have been consulted, and we now possess a standard work 
which the reader can from time to time annotate himself with those 
stray records which do not come to all alike; for which purpose 
we are thankful for wide margins, good paper, and a book that 
will almost open flat—though perhaps this is too much to expect 
in modern binding. 
_ The introduction contains, under the title of “‘ The Literature 
of Fowling,” references to little-known works in English, Ger- 
man, French, Greek, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Russian, and 
Japanese literature; and also a dissertation on the principal im- 
plements used in the art of fowling. The systematic arrangement 
_ of the birds “‘is partly based upon that which my colleagues and 
I adopted in writing the Avian portion of the ‘Royal Natural 
History,’’’ commencing with the family Corvide. 
There seems a natural inclination on the part of most races 
of mankind to practise the snare of the fowler as a sport; and 
when commerce steps in and bribes the baser passions, the 
pursuit assumes a form of slaughter. Hven in India the 
White-breasted Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) is easily caught 
by the natives; at Vancouver Island the Indians successfully 
capture Brent Geese; in Australia the Black Swan (Cygnus 
atratus), when in moult, can be rowed down in a boat; the 
Japanese are expert decoyers ; Pheasants are snared all through- 
