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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
this animal and the red deer — a statement the preciseness of which is ren- 
dered doubtful by the use in the original Saga of a conjunction of variable 
meaning, which leaves it uncertain whether the writer was referring to two 
animals, or using what he thought were two names for the same. The Wild 
Boar seems to have survived until well on in the seventeenth century. 
Besides these animals, which have become absolutely extinct in this country, 
Mr. Harting has a chapter on the so-called wild white cattle, generally sup- 
posed to represent the original wild cattle of these islands ( Bos primigenius). 
Like the Aurochs or European Bison, these cattle may fairly be regarded 
as extinct as wild animals, seeing that their only representatives are to be 
found preserved in certain parks in various parts of the country. 
The subjects here discussed are of great interest ; and Mr. Harting has 
spared no labour in endeavouring to do justice to them. Old deeds, books of 
all k nds, law reports, and the most miscellaneous sources have been ran- 
sacked by him in search of information upon these former denizens of our 
islands ; and the result is that he has brought together, in a most readable 
form, a mass of very curious information, old and recent, of special interest 
to the zoologist, but which may be perused with pleasure even by those who 
are not naturalists. 
THE CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY. 
T HE Committee of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge seem 
inclined to hold very broad views as to what may be called i Christian 
Knowledge.’ Their theory, no doubt, is that the cultivated Christian 
ought not to be behind other people in general knowledge, and in this we 
think they are quite right. We have already had occasion to notice one or 
two popular works on scientific subjects : such as Prof. Duncan’s little sea- 
side book, and the late Prof. Ansted’s elementary treatise on Minerals ; and 
we have now received from the Society a parcel of books, to which we may 
call the reader’s attention, although some of them have no claim to a strictly 
scientific character. 
This applies more especially to two volumes by Mr. Davenport Adams, 
entitled Wrecked Lives, or Men who have failed, in which the author has 
given some account of the lives of several more or less prominent or dis- 
tinguished men, who, like the boy who didn’t care, came to a bad or unsatis- 
factory end. Another work, by the same author, describes the doings of a 
select band of travellers, commencing with Marco Polo, and winding up with 
Major Burnaby and Sir Samuel Baker. This little book* will be read with 
interest ; it gives a good popular account of some of the more important 
journeys made in various parts of the world. Mr. Eden’s volume on Africaf 
* Some Heroes of Travel ; or Chapters from the History of Geographical 
Discovery and Enterprise. By W. H. Davenport Adams. Sm. 8vo. London, 
1880. 
t Africa, seen through its Explorers. By C. H. Eden. Sm. 8vo. London. 
