The New York herald., 1876-12-03
NEW BOOKS.
THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD or SCIENCE
DR.. FIELDS FROM THE LAKES OF xILLARSE,

THE LATEST FROM THR WORLD OF SCIENCE
Or. FIELDS FROM THE LAKES OF KILLARNEY
TO THE GOLDEN HORN.
The GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION ANNALS. With .
study OF the Relations OF Living and Extinct Faunas,
~ Eiucidatng the Past Changes OF the Earth's Sur
face. by Alfred Russell Wallace, author Of ,he
Malay Archipelago" &c In two vols, with maps
and Illustrations New York: Harper Bros. is'e
Mr. wallaccs Geographical Distribution Of Ami.
mails" u the most impor,an, book Harper h Bros
winter list The author holds promnen, position
among the scientists OF The day and Is agreeable
writer well as learned zoooglst. One must thor
oughly understand the subject be writes abou. TO con-
vcy his meaning 10 his readers and IN his particular
hr. waiaceis very happy, for u is not necessary 10
be thoroughly posted in geology enjoy his book.
He has avoided ,echnicalitics far possible and
writes with simplicity thai may we'll make his book
popular. his mocesy is only exceeded BY his suowi-
edge He does no. bestae,o confess tha, he has had
assistance from better posted certain specaii
ties than himself and ,hanks them in his preface for
their aid. Tho present work is attempt to ccllcc,
summarize the existing information the distrbu
OF land animals, and 20 explain the rcmarka-
BILE and interesting OF the tacts by OF estab-
shcd laws OF physical and organic change. NY OBJ
jec says the author, .has beer show the ;mpor-
bearing OF researches into the natural history OF
every part OF the world upon tho study Of It's past
history. An accurate knowledge Of any groups Of
birds OF and or their geographical disribu-
lion may enable TO map out tho islands and ccnt-
OF form epoch the amount OF difference ;hst
between the ANIMALS OF adacen, districts being
closely related to preceding geological changes.
BY tho collection OF such minute facts alone
hope di up great gap in the past history Of the
earth revealed by geology and obtain some incca-
lions OF III. existence Of those ancient lands which
lie buried beneath the ocean and have len us
nothing but these living records of their former exist
ence." IA far as able TO judge Mr. Wallace has
been successful in hts object. He has given what
understand TO be the first connected sketch OF the
ation OF extinct mammaa TO tho distribution OF liv-
Ing groups Man is altogether omitted from tho
OF The animal kingdom here given. Tho authors
explanation for TINS is. that II hes sxsnus aono had
been here treated ike all other genera nothing
than the bare statement .'univcrsaliy distributed
could have been given. Anthropology Is science Of
ITSELF and It seemed TO him better omit altogether
from geological work than TO treat Il IN necessarily
SUPERFICIAL manner
Part Ill book for certain should have
been placed last though naturally follows PartII Yet
for persons not we'll acquainted with zoology the an-
thor thinks Il might be advisable to road tho
portant articles OF Part w. after Part H. thus making
Part III. the conclusion OF the work. Part ". is
rather book OF reference, while Part Ill Is writ
in a popular vein. AS the author suggests,
book Will serve, il other purpose that OF die
tionary OF tho geographical sinities animals II
blessed with copious index. by which the stuocnt
will bo saved world Of trouble Up TO Part Nv. the
author has discussed the geographical distribution OF
animals from the point OF Wow OF the geographcr;
that he proceeds from the standpoint OF the sys
tomato gooogist He docs not consider his subject
halt exhausted, and hints that other volumes may io.
low this, with more complete treatment OF tho SUBJ
ject in its various branches Scientific literature will
T
plan.
TO rua GOLDEN HORN BY Henry ". Field, u. ID.
New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co.
Dr. Henry H. Field, editor OF the Evangelist, and
Congregational parson OF great popularity, called
upon long since TO the death OF a beloved
wife, a woman Of many mplishments. ono who
was admired by q large circle Of friends. Soon after
this sad event the bereaved husband out upon a
journey around tho world. He says in his preface,
"when mans house Is left unto him desoate by tho
loss OF who has filled it with sunshne-wnen there
is light in tho window and no nro OF the hearth
1t natural impulse to leavo hs darkened
homo and become a wandcrcr on the face O,
Tho earth. such tho beginning of tho
journey recorded here Thus driven from his
homo, tho writer crossed the and passed
from land to land going and on until no had
passed the globe" Tho reader will bc interested to
in the window and rckinded tho tire tho hearth
DR.. Field.
Dr. Fic!d writes In tho easy style OF lotters
homo than after the stiltcd manner OF bookmakcrs
Tho chapter on Ireland gossipy and pleasant. Tho
writer has a kind word for tho bcggars. who, he
says, are sure 10 give the Americans a warm well
come:-''Thcy greet him with whnes and grimaces
and ptiful beseechngs 70 which he his
heart. My first saIutation at Queenstown, on Non.
day morning, coming out In front OF tho hotel 10
take view Of tho beautiful bay, from an old
woman In rags, who certainly looked liko what she
described herself 10 bc, "a poor crathur that had no
body TO for her, and who bcsought me, for tho
love OF God to give hor least tho price OF cup
OF tea! or course l did, when sho gave me
Irish blessing, May the gates OF Paradise open 10
20 and all that loves yo!' This vision of Paradise
to bc avorte with tho Irish beggnr and Is
sometimes coupled with extraordinary images, as
when ono blesscs her bcncactor In this Overlooking
styie:-.May every hair your head bc lamp TO
light you TO Paradisel'" The good hearted Doctor
never went out without nilng his pocket with pennies
to give to the quck-wittcd mcndicanis, whose odd
blessings he liked call forth, as for instance he
enjoyed old creature saying to him, "May yo rido
ano carriage and the mud Of your wheels splash
the face of your inmies, though know yc haven't
got any" Any who is acquainted with Dr. Fold
imagine how much he enjoyed himself In his trav-
els and see his amiable face hc wandered up and
down the streets OF London and In and out
tho strocts OF Paris He was pleased with
every ho met, and will venture to say
that every ono he mot pleased with
him. He heard Moody and sankcy In London and was
very much impressed by their services The damp Lon
don fogs did nj times make traveller low spirited,
he regaincd his well known chccrfuncss when he
reached Paris. which he says arcr London seemed
al De-, H.
French in whose xaycty and learning ho found great
charm. ~ should be ungracful, indeed II did not
ovc the French" says Or. Field, "since OF that
nation owe the chief happiness of my earthly
tenccr The nrst Mrs. Field II will be remembered was
French This Is not the writer's nrst visit By