Human Types—And A

Useful Book

THERE must be lots of ordinary Euro pean folk who spend their lives amongst the native people of the Pacific who would gladly give a little time to the closer understanding of the natives and their customs and concepts if only a descriptive book, in social anthropology, written in the language of the layman, were available Such folk will be inter ested in a recent 200-page work pub lished by Nelson, of London, written by Dr. Raymond Firth, well-known in Pacific anthropology. The book goes far towards meeting the above need; for it is of a popular nature, without over-simplifica tion or deliberate writing down to popu lar appeal. Selecting his material and human types from all over the world, Firth treats the subject from every angle: including the questions of race, social structure, magic, religion, economics and technology (native crafts). It would be hard to find a better or more comprehen sive introduction to anthropology amongst the welter of recent publications in that field. To the student about to start his course in anthropology, it should be no less valuable than to the inter ested layman. And note the cost—2/- in

England.-

Anthropos.

Mr. R. J. Keegan, of the Solomon Is lands Administration, who has been for two years or more District Officer at Faisi, has been transferred for admini strative duty to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony. There has been consider able interchange of officials between these two Colonies during the past few months, both being under the jurisdic tion of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific.

Dr. David, of Santo, New Hebrides, re cently returned to France and has been succeeded by Dr, Massall. The latter’s post at Norsup, Malekula, has been filled by a new French medical officer, Dr.

Languillon.