An Idler in the Near East. By F. G. Anal°.
(John Milne 10s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Aflalo's book consists of two parts : impressions of the countries which he visited—Greece, Turkey-in-Europe, Palestine, Egypt, 3c.—and experiences of sport. In the first we see the intelligent, appreciative traveller, who has nothing very special to say but is always readable. Possibly he insists a little too much on the text " Man alone is vile " while he tells us how this and that prospect pleases. In his sporting experiences— fishing, it should be understood—he writes as an acknowledged master. He tells us what he did with the bass ; he advises as to what may be done with the tunny and the swordfish, rightly remarking that "there is more excitement in the capture of either than can be won from a hundred bass." We notice that he had some blank days, though on the whole the sport sufficiently rewarded him. This was in the Gulf of Ismid, part of the Sea of Marmora, a sea which does not always, we see, answer to its name Then we are told about fishing in various fresh waters. The Nile was not productive, but then little lima wan given to it. The Jordan was tried, not without result, but Mr. Allah) thinks that it is not an ideal stream for the angler. The "Galilean Lake" abounds with fishes. Of one of these, the barbut, a kind of cat-fish, we have a very curious story. It has been commonly identified with the fish from which Peter took the tribute money. Just before Mr. Afialo's visit to the lake one of them was caught with a small coin sticking in its gills. In the Wady Kelt, which runs into the Jordan near Jericho, our author caught with a fly some fishes of the barbel order. This is curious, because with us the barbel is a persistent dweller on the river-bed, and its characteristic tentacles are supposed to be connected with this habit.
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