NEW BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 604, 4 September 1909, Page 9

NEW BOOKS.

"The Animals of Australia, Mammals, Rep-' tiles, and.Amphibians," b'v A. H. S.Lucas,' M.A. (Oxon. and Melb',), B.Sc. (Loudon),: assisted by W; H. Dudlov Lo Souef, . ■C.JLZ.S., .M.8.0.U.,. etc. 'Wellington: .Whitcombe and Tombs. ■■'•• ■■■:";•' Australia has so .many curious and distinctive animals, including the duck-billed platypus, the kangaroos and opossums,, the echuida, or . native porcupine, which is related to. the platypus, and the largo and un-. pleasant family of snakes, that cny- work on. tho subject that is not hopelessly .technical must be, almost as interesting to the general readeras to the scientist. 'This is the object whicli the. writers of this book havo sought to achieve,'and they deserve great credit lor their-success. Tho neods.of tho scientist aro met. b.v detailed 'descriptions of all tlio animals dealt with, and a \iso : of scientific nomenclature, which Ts confined as far as possible to small type and-headings, but tho great: bulk of tho! work is written in a grapliio popular style, which enables a mass of information to bo'easily digested. The book is intended as a coniiianion volumo to "The Animals of Now Zealand," and it is :qiiito. worthy of the companionship. Tho authors are undoubted ,1 , authorities,, as, a statement -of their qualifications llr: Lucas is aji ex-presi;lent of theLinnaean Society of-'Now South Wales, of- the Field Naturalists , ' Club of Victoria, and of , tho Club of Now South Wales, while Mr. Le. Souef. is director of tho Zoological Gardens, Melbourne, and has "already won , distinction.iiuthis field by the publication/of his "Wild Life in Australia." , Tho authors .'state'that they. have■ reserved treatment of tho- birds of Australia for another "volume, which is alr-eady in an advanced stago of preparation. , No * such general account of tho quadrupeds as that now given has heretofore been published.;'- .. ;..'.- . ■:As regards.that quaint animal, the platypus;wd learn that the New Souti Wales .Government; has placed it under absolute protection for ten years, and the' Victorian Government continuously, so there is room to hope that its toirare of existence-:may at least bo-considerably prolonged. A'.great deal-of spacp is- naturally given, to snakes, and a description, of the sloughing process shows how excellently the stylo of this book is adaptp.fi to :the intelligence which has :not boon trained in science , :!-"Generally shakes change their: skin about.every four' mouth's. They, shed the old skin..by pushing, their ;heads. against, any projecting- object to loosen tho. skin from, lips and .head, then, by; still.pushing'andfusing the ribs; ease it off'until the tail is reached. Tho skin of the tail is, usually slipped off,- and is not found reversed in tho-slough, all the rest being turned/inside out. When -the snake js healthy, the shed skhv is perfect. - As the integunieut is continuous over the "eyes, thero is ' a period.of dullness, of .vision, while tho:,old" and the.now- skin ; both coyer: the eye, and' the transparent' iriembraney of the, slough becomes opaque. During the'sloughing, tho snako becomes sluggish,, and declines . all- food, but is - correspondingly hungry and vigorous '.when , the process is completed;-: . Many' of - tho' lizards similarly shed'their, skins." .. i'■ •

;'lt:-is .interesting. to note that Australian 'snakes do riotcharni'. their; prey in. any , way, .but' ojjjeoti ofrtheir attack -,so imperceptibly, as .not, to cause, any- alarm. 'Death from, snake-bite! iis • raro .in Australia, thbugh'.tlievirulenco /of/the poison...is; much groatcr. ; ;th;m,..that'of cobra' poison, ■'■'• One explanation'is; that, ".the snakes'- arc, as aTiilo, moro anxious to avoid man than he-is. to avoid tho snakes;" f A great- deal of' spado is.given',to lizards, of which there",are nearly 400 Australian, species." The work is printed on excellent.paper; and there are. close upon' ■200,; illustrations of admirable .quality; Indices;, are. given of ;both' popular. and; scientific , names, and there, is a" useful tabid of Australian mammals, ■' reptiles; etc., .with references to. their treatment in tho text.

"The Plum' Street Brethren." By Haro'd . ■ Hniisell.- : Melbourne: -Thomas ,C. . './Lothian. :25.-•■'■-■. "■■■-.- ■ ■-■'.'-■•■',•.-■•.". ;' ; : ;■: There, are.in this small book a " dozen stories, written somewhat in ' the style of W.' W. Jacobs,, but a good,deal slighter as regards'their construction and. a good, deal broader as regards their humour. Tho Plum Street Brethren, arc- an exclusive- little'sect, rejoicing, upon Sundays, in , a 'smug ae-stheticism, but.Brother Truesomc,' Brother Binstcd, Sister Snell, and tho other shining lights of the small chapel indulge in, a large amount of!human , frailty:'when - 'they aro not ■ giving.:testimony before their admiring 'fellows..'. Sister ■Tnggs openly declares.for more amusemont; and riots in. a-plate of tripe- and onions and-a glass of beer; Sister Sne'l succumbs to- $he temptation of a Parisian bonnet, "only Bs. 6d.," and has to transfer her religious attendance to the Methodist chapel; Brother Clarko is transformed from' a. pipps grocer to. a flashly amorous vin-..proprietor-affipr he 'has changed his clothes ■and-gainedjanother portion of-tho town, and most' of the other -elders had a double/life, of oiio kind or another. . This'does ' not suggest,humour the. highest kind, but some-divertirig'situations, arise, which Mr' Hansell handles in-an'easy,' rollicking way. Ho shows ..himself, indeed, 1 a good deal of. n humorist,' if his _humdui-is not very subtle. In, our copy,; owing :to-defectivo binding, ,a considerable number of pages are missing.