NATURE BOOKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19802, 29 May 1926, Page 4

NATURE BOOKS.

ATTRACTIVE FOR OLD AND YOUNG. I—COLD-BLOODED CREATURES. ■ In the preface to “Marvels of Reptile Life” (Thornton Butterworth; 6s net) Mr W. S. Bcrridge explains that while the term “reptile” is scientifically only applied to snakes, lizards, tortoises, crocodiles, and alligators: yet in a more popularsense it embraces frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts comprised in the class of amphibians or bachachians. And it is used in the latter sense in this book; the author further says: “All reptiles are cold-blooded crcatuVes. Their bodily temperature is governed by that of their surroundings, and they have not the power that warm-blooded animals possess of retaining internal heat irrespective of external conditions. If the air around them be cold, the reptiles are also gold; and it is not the least good their running about to keep their toes warm (should they happen to have any), for no amount of exercise will h ive that effect. For this reason they.are only found in tropical and temperate zones. and are absent in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.” The wording of the preface indicates that Mr Bcrridge intends his hook —one of Mr Thoruton-Buttcrworth’s ‘‘Marvel” series —primarily for young people; it being designed to interest boys and girls in the marvels of animal life. At the same time, it contains much mutter attractive to the adult reader, while the large number of illustrations, reproduced mainly from photographs by the author, increase greatly the value and charm of the volume. The talk about snakes with which the book opens, and especially the chapter on poisonous snakes, will excite a feeling of satisfaction that New Zealand has none of them, and that the New Zealander is content to read about them and look at their pictures. There are also talks about tortoises, terrapins, turtles, crocodiles, and alligators: but the chapters likely to attract most attention deal with lizards, and especially the tuatara. a lizard which is protected by the New Zealand Government. Information is also given about such creatures as geckos and skunks, chameleons, frogs and toads, salamanders, newts and their kindred. Although many of these animals are unknown in the Dominion, their history and habits make fascinating reading, since Mr Bcrridge has a happy knack of presenting the facts in an appealing fashion. lI.—IN FRENCH FIELDS AND GARDENS. A volume from the pen of Jean Henri Fabro is always of value and interest, and the Misses Florence Constable Bicknell and Kate Murray have done good service in presenting English readers with a translation of one of the works of the renowned French naturalist, under the title of “Animal Life in Field and Garden” (Thornton Butterworth: 7s 6dnet). These life stories are concerned with the mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects commonly met with in the fields and gardens of France: but most of them are found in Great Britain, and a few have been naturalised in New Zealand. The book boasts sixteen engravings on wood by Mr C. Fitch Daglish. who is an enthusiastic naturalist, with an intimate acquaintance with the creatures whom his graving tool depicts. Fabro divides the subjects selected into the two classes of friends and foes. He designates as friends all the animals that come to the aid of the farmer when tilling the soil and sowing his crops. The foes arc the ravagers who lay waste the land. In turn are described and discussed the bat, the hedgehog, the mole, the rat, the field vole, and the dormouse. Among the birds the owl, the eagle, the hawk, the falcon, the kestrel, the kite, and the buzzard find a place; and the ravens and the crows are not forgotten. There' follow accounts of a number of other birds, including the cuckoo, the shrike, the titmouse, the wren, and the swallow. A number of insects, too numerous to detail, are included in the life stories, and all is told in Fahre’s most attractive style. “Animal Life in Field and Garden” is likely to be a favourite with both young and old.