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ANALYSES OF BOOKS. 
Cameos from the Silver Land ; or the Experiences of a Young 
Naturalist in the Argentine Republic. By E. W. White, 
F.Z.S. Vol. II. London : Van Voorst. 
In this volume, as in the former (see p. 161 of our present volume), 
there is the fullest evidence that the author has visited spots of 
the highest interest to the naturalist, whatever may be his 
particular department. We see, further, that Mr. White is well 
able to identify the various animal and vegetable forms which he 
has encountered. A few passages also prove that he is by no 
means deficient in the gift of observation. Indeed, we can only 
account for the comparative lack of original notes on the pecu- 
liarities of the Argentine fauna by the supposition that the author 
has reserved the cream of his experiences for another work, or 
for memoirs to be laid before some learned society, and is giving 
us in the present volumes merely a popular survey of his travels. 
We learn that the water of the Rio Negro, a tributary of the 
Uruguay is impregnated with sarsaparilla from the roots of the 
plants with which the banks are lined. This locality for sar- 
saparilla is not yet known to commerce. 
The description of Paysandu, of ox-tongue celebrity, is some- 
what sickening, and may furnish a text for our vegetarian epopts. 
We notice that the scandalous custom of feeding swine on the 
offal of the slaughtered oxen prevails here. Hence pork is 
generally eschewed as an article of diet. The blood, mixed with 
the intestines is kiln-dried, and converted into manure. Such a 
rude process must infallibly occasion a grievous nuisance, and 
deteriorate the value of the product. All the blood does not, 
however, seem to be utilised, as “ bloody streams are seen 
vomiting their contents to incarnadine the pure bosom of the 
Uruguay.” The description of an island in the Uruguay, near 
the Montevidean shore, is enough to make the fingers of the 
naturalist tingle. An island in the same river is described as 
“ rich in splendid agates, blocks of rock crystal, amethysts, and 
other precious stones.” At Salto the author “ was surprised to 
find whole walls built of nothing but fine agates, many of which 
weighed 25 lbs., and from whose crevices I picked with a pen- 
knife good specimens of rock-crystal ; the whole district is strewn 
with amethysts, garnets, chalcedony, and cornelians.” There 
are also water-worn nodules of carbonate of lime “ completely 
enclosing water, so that they can be shaken about like a Tori- 
cellian hammer, the whole being beautifully translucent, and very 
plainly exhibiting the imprisoned liquid, which is said to be 
