28 JULY 1906, Page 25

Connemara. By J. Harris Stone, M.A. (Health Resort Pub- lishing

Company. 15s. net.)—" In these pages," says Mr. Stone, "I have simply endeavoured to describe, by means of pen and lens, the West of Ireland, as I myself see it." He has much to say about the people, their manners and customs, about the country and its beauties, about sport, and about many other things. He is not indiscriminate either in praise or in blame. An earlier writer says that the country wants cleanliness and flowers. Perhaps a little more common-sense would be useful. One of the minor wants of the country is a supply of small birds. These are destroyed by the crows, and the peasantry have a superstition about killing a crow. The book contains abundance of useful and interesting things. Perhaps it would have been better to put them in a more convenient form. This is not by any means a pocket volume. We notice that Mr. Stone brings a very grave indictment against the management of affairs by the Irish Boards, the Congested Districts Board, and other bodies, but whether it is well founded or no we cannot attempt to determine on the present occasion.