'58 



Reviews ajid Book Notices. 



There are two ' Botanical Sketches ' (of ' Richmondshire ' and ' Wensley- 

 <lale ' respectively), by F. x\rnold Lees. These are all that can be desired, 

 are written in a pleasant style, and, of course, are most reliable. The 

 description of the lady's slipper orchis is not accompanied by quite the 

 number of adj ectives that we should have expected from this enthusiast ! 

 An excellent illustration is given of the specimen gathered in 1907, which 

 we are kindly permitted to reproduce. These botanical notes, together 

 with the geological chapter already referred to, seem to comprise the 

 ^ natural history ' section of the volume. Mr. Bogg's own work is in his 

 familiar style. He has obviously well traversed the ground he describes ; 

 he has also consulted the literature dealing with the places he refers to, 

 and thus gives a pretty full account of the attractions of Richmondshire 

 and its borders. Now and then the ' yarns ' which are included in order 

 to give the work an interest, seem almost to have been ' dragged in ' ; but 

 they are pardonable. 



In their ' English Literature for Secondary Schools' Series, Messrs. 

 INIacMillan and Co. have recently published * Selections from White's 

 Natural History of Selborne,* under the Editorship of T. A. Brunton, 

 M.A., of the Manchester Grammar School (136 pp., cloth, i/-). The 

 iDOok contains thirty of \\Tiite's letters, which are illustrated by blocks from 

 photographs by T. A. Metcalfe and others. Such volumes as this should 

 •do much to increase an interest in Nature amongst the scholars in our 

 secondary schools. 



Richard Jefferies : His Life and Work, by Edward Thomas. 



Hutchinson & Co. 340 pp.^ 10/- net. 



Notwithstanding the fact that other writers have referred to Richard 

 Jefferies and his work, we think the present volume, by Mr. Thomas, 

 occupies a place quite apart from the others. It is most welcome. The 

 author is a sympathetic and appreciative follower of Jefferies, and seems 

 to have quite grasped Jelferies' feelings and sentiments. He has lived, 

 too, for over twenty years in that part of Wiltshire that Jefferies knew 

 so well ; and from the country people there has gathered much interesting 

 information relating to Jefferies and his family. From Mr. Thomas's 

 previous publications, notably ' The Book of the Open Air,' already re- 

 ferred to in these columns, he is evidently the right man as Jefferies' 

 biographer. He deals at some length with the ancestry, childhood, youth 

 and earlier life of his subject, and then in turn deals with his first novels, 

 first country essays, first country books, etc. There is an excellent biblio- 

 graphy, and the volume is illustrated by reproductions of portraits, a 

 facsimile letter, etc. To read Mr. Thomas's volume is a pleasure, and 

 results, if possible, in appreciating Jefferies' works even more. 



We have received No. 8 of Orkney and Shetland OId= Lore (The 

 King's Weigh House, Thomas Street, Grosvenor Square, London), an 

 admirable publication; which we recently referred to in these columns. 

 It deals with several matters of interest to antiquaries and folk-lorists. 

 To shew that the publication is by no means ' dry,' we give an extract 

 irom a paper on ' Orkney Dialect,' which we think our readers will be able 

 to follow : — Twa feuly aid Orkna billies tullzied aboot a peerie uddie 

 bit o' a plantacreu an' hed a laa plea ower 'id i' the Coort o' Session. The 

 ane 'at waa's soomoned gaed bae mistak till the tither's laaweer. Da 

 scoondrel waas ower ceeval an' telt da man 'at he waas wirkan for da 

 tither, bit wad gae 'im a letter intradeusan 'im tae anither honest (?) 

 aaweer 'at wad be blide tae tak ap 'is case. Da man set awa wi' da letter, 

 bit on 'is wey he tou't he wad hae a leuk at her jeust for a' the warl as 

 gin he'd been a aid wife. The letter waasna lang bit sheu v.-aas tae the 

 point, for sheu jeust said : ' Twa Orkna fat geese ; pluck thu the ane an' 

 I'se pluck the ither.' Bae me singan certy dat billy got siccan a gluff dat 

 he gaed straight tae the tither ane an' dey settled da ploy atween themsels 

 baith an' hed a foy ower id.' 



Naturalist 



