BOOK REVIEWS. 



169 



the flora, reptiles, birds and insects, zoology, climate, and health, as 

 well as three others dealing with the characteristics, superstitions, and 

 folklore of the natives. Several native animal stories are given in 

 full. There are also graphic descriptions of the scenery and rock gorges 

 in the Zambesi and Barne, which are illustrated by exceedingly clear 

 and artistic photographs. Moreover, the book is not only a valuable 

 work of reference, but it is written in a lively and interesting way. 



But although Mr. Maugham's book leaves a very clear impression 

 of Zambesia on the mind of the reader, it seems at least doubtful if 

 the picture is not of a much too roseate character. One would hardly 

 gather from this volume that the climate is thoroughly unhealthy for 

 Europeans. The prospects of any successful cultivation are very much 

 affected by this fact. Moreover, however greatly the methods of 

 Portuguese government may have miproved during the last ten years, 

 there is still an enormous difference in the administration of Portuguese 

 and of British territories. Very few^ British writers seem to understand 

 Portuguese, and the story of that extraordinary half-caste genius 

 " Gouveia " is very significant. It reveals what inevitably happens 

 when weakness prevails in the government of native possessions. 



As regards other points of less importance, it seems to be generally 

 adoiitted that the Zambesi is becommg more shallow every year. 



Mr. Maugham's explanations are not very easy to follow. It seems 

 rash to suggest that " Lake Nyasa may have sprung some terrific leak, 

 and that ... an immense foaming torrent goes thundering seaward, 

 and, for aught we know to the contrary, may be now delving out the 

 bed of some unknown, unsuspected, and unuamed river." 



The gradual silting up of the river bed, or else perhaps a diminution 

 in the rainfall over the catchment area of the Zambesi, would appear- 

 at first sight to be more plausible explanation than any of those 

 suggested by Mr. Maugham. 



The larvae of one of the " ticks," Ceratopogon, are, on p. 221, said 

 to be " laid in star-shaped clusters of Algae containing from 100 to 150 

 eggs." Insects' eggs are, of course, often found entangled in Algae, 

 which, we suppose, is what Mr. Maugham means. 



Lists of plants collected by the author and of birds and mammals 

 are given at the ends of the chapters, but are without localities. 



The author does not agree with Mr. Selous as to the disappearance 

 of the tsetse fly when buffalo and other big game have left a district, 

 which is a point of great importance to the future of Portuguese East 

 Africa. A very old friend appears again in the following: " A friend 

 of mine in South Africa . . . informed me that the mamba " (snake) 

 spat out the poison in a long jet, as though it had issued from a fine 

 yet powerful syringe." > 



"The Senior Botany." By F. Cavers, D.Sc, F.L.S. bvo., 

 464 pp. (University Tutorial Series, London, 1910.) 4s. 6d. 



This strikes us as being the best of the many elementary books on 

 botany we have seen. It deals very thoroughly with each subject, and 



