Grundzüge der Tierkunde für hohere Lehranstalten

Abstract

THIS work, which is intended as a companion to the author's “Grundzügen der Pflanzenkunde,” is more attractive than the generality of school text-books on account of being illustrated by thirty coloured plates, which are excellent examples of the three-colour process. Not only are they for the most part good pictures of the animals they purport to represent, but they also show in most cases the natural surroundings of the respective species, so far as these can be reproduced with fidelity to nature. Unfortunately, in one instance that has come under our notice the wrong species has been depicted. We refer to the plate of giraffes and zebras facing p. 42, where the animal purporting to be the true or mountain zebra (Equus zebra) is the northern race of the bontequagga, or Burchell's zebra (Equus burchelli granti). Had the true zebra been depicted, the plate would then have been wrong, as showing a mountain animal on the open plains. The text includes a brief but well-compiled survey of the whole animal kingdom, from Primates to Protozoa, including sporatozoans, with some mention of extinct forms, and the work as a whole appears thoroughly suited to its purpose.

Grundzüge der Tierkunde für hohere Lehranstalten.

By Prof. Karl Smalian. Pp. 304; illustrated. (Leipzig: G. Freytag; Vienna: E. Tempsky, 1907.) Price 4 marks.