12 OCTOBER 1929, Page 22

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Cherry Kcarton requires no- introduction. He is known .as a humane man, a naturalist-and an intimate of wild animals, also as their photographer-in-chief. The combination is unusual. Naturally he runs risks and has narrow escapes, but we like him particularly because they are recorded as incidental to his observations. Most animal books appear to be written to the greater glory of the writer : not so In the Land of the Lion (Arrowsmith, 10s. 6d.), which, is written to the greater glory of animals. It is written simply : we see the animals at home, not only the lion, but the elephant, the rhinoceros, the giraffe (to select what attracted us most out of his collection). He does not say a great deal about each animal, but every word counts and reveals his intimacy with them. The toll of the rifle is clearly abhorrent to him, and he tells us frankly and truthfully why game is dying out. Game reserves are thrown open to traders, and one hunter recently shot one hundred and twelve rhinoceros. What further need have we of witness ? It is scarcely necessary to add that the photographs are excellent.