SELBORNIANA. 
259 
SHORT NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
We have received a further instalment of the North American Fauna, pub- 
lished by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, dealing with the voles and 
lemmings, which will be welcomed by all who are interested in these, occasionally 
destructive, little animals. It is fully and admirably illustrated with figures of 
skulls, jaws and teeth — the parts mainly relied upon in the classification of these 
rodents — and contains some interesting remarks on geographical distribution and 
habits. 
Elementary Geology, by G. S. Boulger ; pp. 180, 8vo, London (Collins’ 
Elementary Science Series). — No beginner in the study of geology was ever at a 
loss for a text-book ; there have always been plenty. The attractive little volume 
that now lies before us is, we are told. The First Book of Geology, by the late 
Dr. W. S. Davis, re-written and revised throughout, and on the whole it com- 
pares favourably with its predecessor ; but we hope when the next edition is in 
course of preparation, that I’rofessor Boulger will go over the names of the fossils 
and bring them up to date, whilst he should assuredly select a more recent 
“classification of animals,” the one ailopted being even more out of date than 
that which it replaces. The text is clearly written and concise ; some of the 
illustrations are very good, and the whole work is nicely got up. We recom- 
mend it to geological Selboriiians. 
SELBORNIANA. 
The Royal Buckhounds.— .A letter, signed by the Archbishop-Designate 
of Canterbury and other prelates and leading men, has been sent to Lord Salisbury, 
expressing deep regret that another season’s sport has been inaugurated in con- 
nection with the Royal Buckhounds. The signatories again appeal to her 
Majesty’s ministers to abolish the establishment or convert it into a national 
drag-hunt, declaring that the present pastime is the reverse of creditable, and 
calculated to check the growth of humane feeling in all who witness it. 
Sport or Slaughter ? — “ A party entertained by the Marquis of Ripon 
upon his Studley Royal Estate shot 6,748 head of game in four days. Of these 
6,117 were pheasants. The heaviest days, viz., 2,245 head and 2,642 head, 
respectively. The party comprised six guns on the first two days, and seven guns 
on the two last days, upon which the Slarquis of Ripon went out, having been 
indisposed on the two first days. The party included Lord Elcho, Lord de Grey, 
Sir H. Gore Booth, Major St. Paul, Mr. F. St. Quintin, and Mr. G. St. Quintin.” 
Taking 1,687 as the average per day of the four days’ “ sport,” we find that each 
of the six men shot 28 1 birds per day — making about 70 per hour, reckoning the 
day at four hours. Or put in another way : — The greatest mortality occurred on 
two days, viz., 2,245 and 2,642 respectively. This latter number, divided among 
six men, gives 440 per man ; say four hours as a day — no per hour ; nearly two 
per minute ! Sharp work. Do they all take turn nicely ? If not, some guns 
must despatch more than two per minute — and this is sport ! When we object 
to sport we are told that it is so healthful and invigorating to mind and body ; 
country can be admired and observed — in fact, the sportsman is simply an artist 
in disguise. That this is an utterly fallacious argument as regards hunting every- 
one can see ; for who can look about him and admire Nature when he is riding 
over rough ground and endeavouring to follow' a lead ? But shooting is different, 
we are told. See all the beautiful picture-books of the man and his dog tramping 
over a field or through a copse, the pointer hunting up the game, the man 
watching. How true is this ? or, rather, how untrue ! The pheasants are as 
tame as fowls ; beaters drive them along, the birds not being the least frightened 
— and then the slaughter ! The only thing to be said for it is that possibly these 
