CURRENT LITERATURE.
An Introduction to Folk-Lore. By Marion Roalfe Cox. (David Nutt.)—It would take us too far to examine Miss Cox's book in detail, but we may generally commend it to readers interested in the subject. The introductory chapters deal with the significance of folk-lore as a part of human history, illustrating the subject with many examples. An idea of what follows will be gathered from the titles of the succeeding chapters, "Animal Ancestors," "Animism," "The Other World," "Magic," "Myths, Folk-Tales, &c." There is much curious information collected in these. It is particularly interesting to see history, if we may so call it, repeating itself in this way :—" In the autumn of 1894, after the great naval engagement at the Yalu, says Mr. Ito, a hawk descended upon the masthead of one of his Majesty's ships, the Takachiho! The Commander of the ship ordered one of the marines to ascend the mast and seize the bird. The latter, drooping its head, did not attempt to move, but seemed glad to be caught." Take, curiously enough, means "hawk "in Japanese. There was no meat in the ship—this would sound strange to an English sailor—and the crew set to work to catch rats.
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