Two Books of Travel ¹

Abstract

IN its general scope and character the first-named of these two works is very similar to Hudson's “The Naturalist in Plata”; the one giving as excellent a picture of wild animal life in the more remote parts of the United States as the other does for the Argentine Republic. Mr. Fountain, although evidently not a trained naturalist, appears to be an excellent observer of the habits of animals, and many of the facts he records, if not new, are certainly not matters of common knowledge. So far as the title is concerned, it might well be concluded that the work is a record of observations made during recent travel, but this is far from being the case, the author's journeys having been made during the 'sixties and early 'seventies, when a large part of the territory of the United States was more or less unexplored, and when the bison still swarmed in its untold thousands on the prairies. Consequently, in many respects, the observations on the fauna of the various districts traversed and on the habits and distribution pf the larger mammals are far more valuable and important than any which could be made at the present day. It is perhaps to be regretted that greater pains were not taken to identify some of the animals referred to, which would have avoided certain corrections made in the appendix and have considerably increased the value of the work. Not improbably, however, the author may have had only his notes, and not actual specimens, to rely upon; and if this be so, he may well be excused the lack of the details in question. Taken altogether, with a certain allowance for more or less pardonable faults, it may truly be said to be one of the most delightful works of its kind that it has been our pleasure to read for a very long time, and it may be recommended to all lovers of Nature and a life in the wilds without a shadow of reserve.