Text-book of Zoology, treated from a Biological Stand-point Part I, Mammals.

Abstract

AS stated in the first title-page, this book is intended for the use of schools or colleges, forming, in fact, a portion of the series of School Text-books now in course of issue by the publishers. It is, therefore, essential that it should be written in a popular and attractive style, and also that it should be absolutely accurate and up-to-date, both as regards the facts recorded, and, so far as possible, in nomenclature. So far as this first item is concerned, the present fasciculus appears to fulfil the required conditions fairly well, the anatomical details being treated in a manner which renders them of easy apprehension by the student, while the descriptions of the animals themselves are, if anything, written in a too popular style. The plan adopted is to take a more or less typical member of a group for special treatment, and then to refer to the kindred forms in a more general manner. Illustrations are numerous; and while many of them are excellent, others, especially the cut of a family of orangs on p. 19, can only be described as hideous caricatures. In a book written primarily for German students, it must be inevitable that the animals of the Fatherland come in for a fuller share of notice than would have been the case had it been the product of an English author, but this is a fault of no special importance.

Text-book of Zoology, treated from a Biological Stand point Part I., Mammals.

By O. Schmeil. Translated by R. Rosenstock, and edited by J. T. Cunningham. 8vo. Pp. vii + 138, illustrated. (London: A. and C. Black, 1900.)