THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORI,
The Living Animals of the World. VoL U. (Hutchinson and Co. 108. 6d.)—This popular work of natural history, which appeared in monthly parts, is now completed, and the second volume begins with the birds and ends with the amoeba. The publishers' plan was a natural history complete, and illustrated entirely with photographs. The present volume contains over six hundred photographs, as a rule from living animals, and for the most part excellent. The birds, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, and even the insects lend themselves to the camera. When we come to the Mollusca and lower animals the interest in the illustrations ceases, and comparatively few pages are devoted to these sub-kingdoms. It will be seen at once that the book is primarily a popular picture-book ; and, although excellent writers have been secured to contribute the text, which covers about half of each page, the letterpress is too compressed to be of much value or interest. The names of such authorities as Mr. W. F. Kirby, Mr. W. P. Pycraft, Mr. Theodore Wood, and Mr. Saville-Kent are, however, enough to show that thoroughly trustworthy and scientific naturalists have been secured. The short chapters by Sir Herbert Maxwell and Mr. John Bickerdyke are not enough to give these agreeable writers a chance. Except, as we have said, for the wonderful col- lection of photographs, the book is not, from the standpoint of the naturalist, remarkable. The first volume, which contained the mammals, was perhaps superior in interest as far as the photo- graphs went.
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