Benderloch," established a reputation in Scotland similar to that of
Mr. Jefferies in England and of Mr. Burroughs in America, although he has not such delicacy of touch as either, and although his culture is not so unimpeachable as to prevent him from making misquotations when he attempts to drag languages, either ancient or modern, into his service. But he is a warm lover of Nature in all.her forms ; and is a keen, if not particularly scientific, and eminently discursive observer. The wild Highland scenery, of which Loch Creran seems to be a sort of centre, must be found a delightful field for exploration by any man who, like Mr. Smith, appears to have time on his hands, and who likes to " potter " in zoology. This book is quite a little treasury of curious observations—some so curious as to suggest the possibility of misapprehension—more particularly on crustacea, fishes, and birds. One almost regrets to find so much credulity in birds famous for rapacity as Mr. Smith reveals. He tells how a nephew of his discovering a sparrow-hawk's nest with two eggs, replaced one of them with a piece of wood painted to resemble the real egg. By this device he induced the bird to place six eggs at his disposal. Then "about the same time, he discovered another hawk's nest, and one belonging to a wild pigeon. Painting the pigeon's eggs in imita- tion of the hawk's, he took away the originals from the nest of the hawk, and replaced them with the hypocrites, leaving them to be hatched out by the bird of prey, should it not discover the deception. In due time the youngster repaired to the hawk's nest, on which the poor mother was sitting so closely that he was able to ensconce him- self among the branches and watch her conduct. She was pecking sharply at something under her, which turned out to be the eggs just chipping, the occupants of which she was assisting to make
their exit." Mr. Anderson Smith writes a somewhat unequal style When he is chatting away about the beings and things be has seen, and is putting (as he does with great conscientiousness) the proper scientific labels on them, he is very enjoyable. When be tries eloquence, bathos or baldness is the result. Yet Loch Creran is a good book in almost every way,—full not only of honest observation, but of kindliness of heart.
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