BOOK NOTICES 63 



with a difficult and intricate subject, Professor Miall and his able 

 collaborateur have given us a particularly lucid -account of the general 

 and minute structure and life-history of the species known as Chiro- 

 nomus dorsalis, while at the same time numerous features of biological 

 interest presented by other species are incidentally referred to. 

 Altogether, the volume is of great value to the student who is 

 desirous of investigating a type of insect which differs materially 

 from the inevitable cockroach. 



While fully sympathising with the remarks made by the authors 

 in their preface in regard to the great interest and importance attached 

 to the working out of life-histories, we fear that the average member 

 of a naturalists' club cannot be expected to take up successfully 

 work of the kind indicated in the volume before us. The investiga- 

 tion of the minute structure of dipterous larvae and work of a similar 

 nature, involving as it does much delicate section-cutting, staining, 

 and microscopical mounting, requires not a little careful training in 

 scientific methods, and such is not usually possessed by the ordinary 

 amateur. On the other hand, systematic zoology has its value, and 

 good work of this kind can be (and is) done by enthusiastic members 

 of many local societies. Moreover, unless the species be accurately 

 identified, of what value is a knowledge of its minute structure and 

 life-history ? On the authors' own showing, the various species of 

 the single genus Chironomus show important modifications in this 

 respect, so that the aid of the specialist in faunal work, even if he be 

 a maker of lists which " have no particular scientific value," has to be 

 called in. 



It is needless to add that the typography and illustrations in this 

 extremely useful contribution to entomology fully sustain the high 

 reputation of the publishers. 



THE GAELIC NAMES OF PLANTS (SCOTTISH, IRISH, AND MANX). 

 By John Cameron. New and Revised Edition. (Glasgow : John 

 Mackay, 1900.) 



The substance of this book first appeared in the pages of the 

 " Scottish Naturalist " in the years 1879-82, the author having under- 

 taken the work at the request of Dr. Buchanan-White, while he 

 edited the journal. In 1883 it was published as a book, and we 

 have now the second edition. A comparison of these three stages 

 of its development shows that Mr. Cameron has been a most 

 diligent student of Celtic literature, and that he has brought 

 together information of much interest and value to philologists 

 and lovers of folklore, though, doubtless, some still remains to be 

 gleaned in this field. This new edition shows revision throughout, 

 and the addition of many names, including those in the Manx 



dialect. 



The plants referred to are given under the arrangement em- 

 ployed in British floras, though revision by a botanist would have 



