144 THE ESSEX NATURALIST
Visitors to the Museum, especially during the holiday season, were
numerous and included a surprisingly large number from overseas. One
of the latter from Canada commented in the visitors' book, "The nearest
I've been to the heart of England." Another visitor, after accidentally
breaking the glass in a large show-case, paid for the damage and congratu-
lated the Club on the display and its value to those making a study of the
Forest. Shortly before the Museum was reopened the contents of a case of
butterflies was stolen. This loss has been made good in part from duplicates
at Stratford and through the generosity of Mr. E. B. Pinniger, F.R.E.S., who
kindly presented specimens to replace those which were damaged or missing.
B. T. Ward.
THE LIBRARY
The following books have been added to the Essex Museum Library:
Natural History in the Highlands and Islands. F. Fraser Darling. 1948.
This, the sixth in the New Naturalist series, is illustrated with the pro-
fusion of high quality colour and monochrome photographs which is charac-
teristic of the series. The book is the work of one who, a born naturalist,
was brought up to farming and quickly became a scientist of eminence. Dr.
Fraser Darling writes with enthusiasm and profound knowledge of the
country which he loves so well. He is easy to read and, although the word
"ecology." and the specialised vocabulary of this science find little place in
the book, one realises how poor is the modern naturalist who does not pay
due attention to what the ecologist has to teach him.
The author's description of the charm of the alpine meadows of the high
tops is one of the gems of the book and makes one long to take his advice
and "take a little tent and remain in this quietness for one night at least."
The separate numbering of the coloured and monochrome plates in the
earlier volumes of the series made reference difficult. One is glad to see that
this has now been overcome by including the page number when plates are
quoted.
Insect Natural History. A. D. Imms. 1948.
It is impossible even to glance through this, the eighth volume of the
New Naturalist series, without learning something. This is in great measure
due to the wealth of colour photographs of insects in their natural surround-
ings, almost all of which are by Mr. S. Beaufoy. As to the book in general
one cannot but have the greatest admiration for the way in which Dr. Imms
has set about the task of giving in a comparatively small compass an overall
picture of the greatest of all classes of the animal world—the Insecta.
To the index I applied a test in which a number of books on insects has
failed me. "What is a Capsid Bug?" I was immediately taken to a
description of this family (the Capsidae) and how to identify it and also to an
excellent colour plate showing several living individuals on flowers of the
Cow-parsnip. For those who prefer the more showy insects the colour
photographs of Dragon-flies in all stages are a treat in store.
British Journal of Herpetology. This is the first number of the journal of the
British Herpetological Society which was recently inaugurated to promote
the study of Reptile's and Amphibia.
This number is devoted entirely to a review by H. R. H. Taylor of the
distribution of these animals in the British Isles. Lists of the vice-counties
from which the species have been recorded together with authorities are given
and 15 maps showing the distribution of as many species are included.