THE GODSTONE AND THE BLACKYMOR

An Irish notebook, this is filled with bits on falconry, hunting and shooting, legend and lore and history, research on a sacred stone -- naomhog- and plenty of tales about the inhabitants of West Ireland. Touring the county Mayo, White finds not only the heart of Ireland but the heart of Africa in the ""blackymor"" Majoribanks, a ""sable savage"" whose medicine helped rheumatic ghillies; he also investigates the customs in the local sexual life and in the behavior at funerals; he goes on a pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick in which a certain spiritual exaltation tempts him to give the lie that he is a convert; and over all is the picture of wild fowling, fishing, and a sense of the complexities of the Irish character. The scholarly tone here in spite of all its flashing spirit will limit it to that audience which already knows and appreciates this author.