Welsh Journals

ABOUT WALES Wildlife in Dyfed. Brian John (editor), West Wales Naturalists' Trust (1979), pp 32, 50p. This is a booklet to whet the appetite with suggestions of many interesting plants and animals to look out for when visiting this large area of south-west Wales. Amongst all the thousands of species, obscure, showy, rare or abundant, it was obviously only possible to mention relatively few. Even so one reaches the last page with a heightened appreciation of the potentialities of Dyfed for visitors with an interest in natural history, though a resident of Gwynedd is not prepared to accept that Dyfed has a range of habitats "probably unsurpassed by any other British county"! A useful map shows the position of many of the localities recommended in the text. Most of the illustrations are helpful and attractive, but what a pity that an over-enthusiastic use of black background gives such a funereal first impression of blackness everywhere on opening the booklet. M.J.M. FOR YOUNGER READERS Rivers. Margaret Slack, Mills & Boon "On Location" Book No. 6. (1973), pp 93, £ 1.65. Seacoast. Derek Waters, Mills & Boon "On Location" Book No. 7 (1973), pp 96, £ 1.65. These informative and attractive little books are designed "for young people to use outside the confines of the school- on holidays, on field trips, on environmental study expeditions, or on weekend trips with the family". They are lavishly illustrated with line drawings, photographs (some of which are, unfortunately, too muddy for comfort), maps and diagrams, and they are packed with relevant information presented in a well organized and easy-to-follow way. The books cover many aspects of rivers and seacoasts, to do with both the natural and man-made environments. On every page children are encouraged to observe and interpret what they see; in short, these little books are excellent value. B.S.J. Wales. Trevor Fishlock, Faber & Faber (1979), pp 89, £ 3.75. Like the other volumes in the "discovering Britain" series this book is designed to inform young people about the landscape, settlements, people, economy and culture of the region in question. Trevor Fishlock writes affectionately and knowledgeably about Wales, and his skill as a journalist is everywhere apparent in his easy, flowing writing style. There are 16 well-chosen photographs as illustrations. Older readers who are familiar with the author's other two books (Wales and the Welsh and Talking of Wales) need not buy this one; parts of it are distinctly recognizeable! B.S.J.