HEART OF THE WILD

DAWN, rose-tinted. A deep green, scented grove of firs where birds as rosy as the sky flutter and hang head-downwards in an ecstasy of life. Here and there at the ends of the large

branches, nests, with birds of dark emerald attendant on them. The whole steeped in vital air, which lifts the deep branches and wanders in the immense sky.

This glimpse of cross-bills is the type of picture brought to the delighted imagination by Secrets of Bird Life.' The authors

state with simplicity exactly what they saw, and in so doing they conjure enchanting visions of the brave lush-world of wood and mountain. The picture of the hen buzzard on the nest, with all her fierceness gone, mild as a dove, is excellent, and so are those of dippers, bringing out their characteristics of daintiness and " robustiousness," which the present writer tried to describe in the phrase " A Falstaff with the voice of a naiad."

To readers among us who come from the Welsh border this book is especially welcome, as it contains so many birds well known there, not the least difficult to photograph being

the peewit, whose portrait the authors have secured, at close quarters, catching the curious goat-like expression that peewits have when seen full-face. The green-shank chapter, which deservedly takes first place, chronicles a triumph of patience in a most captivating book. The same system of delicate illustration allied with clear, simple description is the basis of Everyday Doings of Insects.2 The chapters on the " Meaning of Colour " and " Insects and Flowers " are particularly charming, and Hugh Main's lovely pictures of butterflies catch not only the transparent 'wings, the vacillating-purposeful air which all butterflies and moths have in flight and in stillness, but something else which is the soul of the frail emblem of immortality. Miss Cheesman, like almost all scientists when speaking of protective colouring, seems to me to use a form of words open to misconstruction on the part of children. The impression is given that the creatures consciously choose either their own colours or their surroundings, whereas what is meant is (surely ?) that by generations of survival of the fittest this result has been attained, since only those most like their habitat escaped, and some of their progeny would probably be slightly more like it than their parents. So in the end the mimicry would be perfect. But the description of this in children's books is often made to seem like a conscious dressing-up of the creature for a game of dumb crambo. This is only one drop of criticism in a sea of praise, for the whole book is delightful, as boys and girls will find when they receive it, as they ought, on Christmas Day. They must also have Babes of the Wild', by Charles G. D. Roberts, whose Nature books are now famous. This is quite a different type of book from the one I reviewed last year—The Forge in the Forest ; but there is the same clear, effortless style, the same absorption in the inexhaustible wonder and beauty of wild life that one finds in everything he writes. This book is in the form of short (1) Secrets of Bird Life. By H. A. Gilbert and Arthur Brook. With photographs. (Arrowsmith. 10s. net.)—(2) Everyday Doings of Insects. By Evelyn Cheesman, F.E.S., F.Z.S. Illustrated. (Harrap. 6d. net.)—(3) Babes of the Wild. By C. G. D. Roberts. Illustrated by Warwick Reynolds. (Dent. 6s. net.)— (4) Brian and the Wood- e Mk. By Barthel Edwin. Illustrated. (J. M. Dent. 50.)—(5) Dragons at Home. By C. H. Murray Chapman. illustrated by the Author. (Wells Gardner. 6s. net.)—(6) The Wonder-Book of the 1Vild. She Romance of Exploration. (Ward, Lock and Co. 6s. net.)—(7) Dogs You'd Like to Meet. By Rowland Johns. (Methuen. 62. net.)—(8) At Home with Nature. By Kay Robinson. (Hodder and Stoughton. 3s. 6d. net.)

stories, some of them with such intriguing titles as " The Black Imps of the Pine Tops." The stories are told to a boy by his uncle during their rambles in the forest. Sometimes Uncle Andy forgets even the boy at his side and recalls exquisite pictures of things seen in phrases that remind one of his books for grown-ups. Here is a bit about a Northern night :—

66 the wind was still. The sky was like black steel sewn

with diamonds, and the stars seemed to snap under the terrific cold. Suddenly their bitter sparkle faded, and a delicate pale green glow spread itself, opening like a fan, till it covered half the heavens. . . . The strange light became an arch of intense radiance, the green tint shifting rapidly to blue-white, violet, gold and cherry-rose."

What vision and power of painting colour are here ! Major Roberts has a style beyond praise, and in the Nature-library he is already a classic. Maribel Edwin's stories are of wild life in England, and are delightfully told and illustrated.

Brian and the Wood-Folk* ought to appeal to children of all ages, and the marginal pen-pictures, so dainty and unexpected,

will please young imaginations. The book begins and ends with spring, and is saturated with April-magic—yellow catkins, resinous larch-woods. It is written with much love and insight,'

and with the brevity and detail (a difficult achievement, for the two things are antithetical) which is the sure way to the heart of a child. As you will certainly want to explore that country you will be glad to know that an accurate geographical map is to be found at the beginning of the book. Quite a different type of story is Dragons at Home,5 told

and ably illustrated by Mr. Chapman. It is sad that so young and brilliant a writer should not be with us still, to tell us more tales of ancient wonder. The beautiful portrait of the author will add greatly to the value of the book to the minds of all those who reverence the rare and beautiful union of imagination and physical courage. A notable addition to the library of boyhood, whose insatiable curiosity about the monsters of Faery (which are, like all fairy tales, found originally in the mysterious archives of earth) will be stimu- lated and satisfied by these pages about the mammoth, the mastodon, and their unpronounceable companions.

Messrs. Ward, Lock and Co. have brought out another

splendid Wonder Book,6 edited by Harry Golding, and con- tributed to by some of the most famous explorers of our day.

" Crossing the Sahara," by Captain Buchanan, is absorb- ing, and the illustration of a desert scene in shades of pale gold and mauve is full of magic. The pictures of cream- coloured coursers and flamingoes by C. Whymper are very beautiful. These Wonder Books, in idea, scope and work- manship, are a splendid contribution to the children's library.

The last two books on my list are Dogs You'd Like to Meei 7 an illustrated book which will appeal to dog-lovers, and At Home With Nature,8 by the Editor of Country-side, con- sisting of short, clear talks about birds, animals and plants, and one most attractive chapter about the romantic topic of foot-writing in the snow—slots and spoors and tiny claw- prints telling their own story to the people who know the

language. These stories were intended for broadcasting, but they also make very good reading. MARY WEBB.