the knees of the hind legs in a similar manner to those of a human being, therefore a backward kick would seem unnatural; but the elephant can kick both backward and forward with equal dexterity, and this constitutes a special means of defense against an enemy, which seldom escapes when exposed to such a game between the fore and hind feet of the infuriated animal." In Sir Samuel's opinion, the intelligence of the elephant has been overrated. It has a wonderful power of learning, and hence can be taught to perform a great many acts on command, but it will never volunteer any service for its master. "There is no elephant that I ever saw," he says, "who would spontaneously interfere to save his master from drowning or attack. An enemy might assassinate you at the feet of your favorite elephant, but he would never attempt to interfere in your defense; he would probably run away, or remain impassive, unless guided and instructed by his mahout" Sir Samuel has evidently been fond of tiger hunting, for he recounts many exciting ad-, ventures with this dangerous game, the incidents of which make up a very full picture of tiger character. He has also hunted the lion, though evidently with less interest, as he says that he does "not consider the lion to be so formidable or ferocious as the tiger." Bears he has hunted in Ceylon and in Wyoming. He apologizes for admitting the crocodile, which he numbers among "vermin," to a place with the other animals that he describes. But he makes a very interesting chapter about them, in which he states that he has slaughtered a vast number of these reptiles in revenge for their killing his men. "On one occasion," he says, "I killed a crocodile which, although not longer than twelve feet three inches, was very thick in the body; this was proved to be a malefactor by the testimony of two bracelets and a necklace, belonging to a missing girl, which we found within its stomach." Sir Samuel's chapters on deer hunting take us through Scotland, India, Ceylon, and the Rocky Mountains, and are full of interest, though without the dangerous situations included in the earlier chapters. Besides the ways of wild beasts, something may be learned from this book of the ways of the human inhabitants of the countries in which the author has hunted. Judging, however, from the speeches he puts into the mouths of American hunters, he does not attempt to report conversations verbatim. In conclusion, some observations are given in regard to animals that have not been objects of his pursuit—monkeys, bats, wild asses, and camels. A number of appropriate fullpage illustrations embellish the volume.
Prehistoric America. By the Marquis de Nadaillac. Translated by N. D'Anvers. Edited by W. If. Dall. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Pp. 566. Price, $2.25.
This valuable work was published in French in 1882, and the translation, modified and revised by Mr. W. H. Dall so as to "bring it into harmony with the results of recent investigation and the conclusions of the best authorities on the archaeology of the United States," was first issued two years later. A popular edition of the translation is now brought out at less than half the price of the former issue. For the benefit of those who have not seen the book, we will say that it is a comprehensive work, describing the human remains and the relics of human workmanship that have been found in both North and South America. Besides the purely descriptive matter, discussions are introduced concerning the origin of man in America, the length of time that he has lived there, etc. Thus, the first chapter is a summary of the evidence tending to show that man lived in America with the mastodon and other gigantic extinct animals. The second chapter sketches the discoveries made in American kitchen-middens and caves. The next two chapters are devoted to the mound-builders and their works, and review the questions that the discovery of these remains has raised. In like manner the relics of the cliff-dwellers and of the denizens of the ancient pueblos are described. Passing from the United States southward, the author gives an account of the ruins of Central America, and finally records the evidences of ancient life that have been found in Peru. He then proceeds to draw conclusions from the material thus furnished in regard to the physique of the early men of America. The volume contains two hundred and nineteen illustrations and has an index.
