358 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



may perhaps call the cases which the theory of mimicry is 

 unable to account for 1 false mimicry,' but in so doing we must 

 bear in mind the possibility that some at any rate of the 

 examples of so-called mimicry may, on further investigation, 

 prove to be nothing of the kind." 



We cannot follow the discussion of most of the cognate 

 theories on the subject, but readers will find the abstracts of 

 many of them given in an easily understandable manner. But 

 we are still only on the fringe of a demonstration ; " at present 

 our knowledge of the causes of variation and mutation is practi- 

 cally nil." In reading books and papers on what may be called 

 external or superficial evolution it is a marked feature that the 

 genus Homo seems to be let severely alone ; but why ? The 

 different colorations of mankind and the distinct racial cranial 

 developments ought to be included in the postulate of " the all- 

 sufficiency of natural selection," as well as the peculiarities of 

 insects, as a rule, and of other animals less frequently. We 

 neither venture to affirm nor deny the possibility of this demon- 

 stration, but it is necessary to advance the theories of mimicry 

 and protective resemblance into anthropological studies before we 

 have exhausted the argument or absolutely proved the thesis. 



The Wild Beasts of the World. By Frank Finn, B.A., 

 F.Z.S., &c. T. C. & E. C. Black. 



With part 17, recently published, this serial work is com- 

 pleted, and forms two handsome volumes. The publishers claim 

 that it is " a very beautiful book to look at, a fascinating book to 

 read, and a valuable book to possess." As a richly illustrated 

 work, with Mr. Finn's carefully compiled text, these claims may 

 be admitted, and as a popular introduction to a knowledge of 

 " the larger and nobler types " of terrestrial mammals it is in 

 advance of similar publications. The coloured illustrations may 

 perhaps as a whole be described as too brilliant in hue, but the 

 drawings on which they are founded are by Louis Sargent, C. E. 

 Swan, and Winifred Austen. If it can scarcely be described as 

 a treatise on zoology, it is certainly one of the best " nature 

 books" that we have seen ; while the text will bear comparison 

 with that of our standard popular "Natural Histories." 



