226 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Theologians will not deny that there is a great deal 

 of free thinking, and despising of authority, and 

 other manifestations of scepticism, amongst all 

 sections of the Church, from the Roman Catholic 

 to the smallest section of Dissenters. With all this 

 we have nothing to do. It has always been our 

 aim not to meddle with things beyond our province, 

 but the present volume is sent to us and we notice 

 it, not to condemn its arguments, support its facts, 

 or applaud its tendency. Our object is to protest 

 against the assumption that it is amongst the 

 students of science that scepticism is spreading, or 

 that our leading men of science are high-priests of 

 scepticism. This is evidently the feeling of many 

 of the very excellent men who have been delivering 

 these lectures, but it is a mistake. It may be true 

 that the majority of scientific men pronounce their 

 " shibboleth " in some other than the orthodox way, 

 but they do not trouble themselves whether one or 

 one thousand follow their example. They are not 

 propagandists of faith, but exponents of fact, and it 

 is a mistake to attribute to their influence the 

 scepticism of the age, from which clergy are no 

 more exempt than laity. We may add that we 

 have perused the lectures with interest. Those 

 who make use of scientific theories, without under- 

 standing them, as a cover and excuse for their own 

 scepticism, will hardly take the trouble to read this 

 volume. It would do them good. As for the rest 

 Truth is great, and will ultimately prevail. 



Woolhoie Transactions.*— The annual vo- 

 lume of these excellent Transactions is even thicker 

 than its three predecessors, and fully as interesting, 

 as useful, and as creditable as the best. The photo- 

 graphs 'of remarkable trees are 'continued, as also 

 are Dr. Bull's papers and portraits of edible fungi. 

 We dare not attempt to enter upon any detailed 

 account of the contents of the volume, since the 

 bare enumeration would fill all the space at our dis- 

 posal for this brief notice, but we cannot forbear 

 the expressiou of our opinion as to the excellence 

 of the work done by this club, as evidenced by these 

 annual volumes. It is very rare that a local society 

 confines itself to local matters, but this club proves 

 that such a course may be pursued, with satisfaction 

 to the members and advantage to science. These 

 volumes should undoubtedly be found in every 

 British naturalist's library. 



Handbook of British EuNGi.f— We cannot 

 be expected to pronounce an opinion on this work, 

 which has long been promised and is now completed 

 and delivered to subscribers. All we desire to do 



* "Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalist Field Club 

 for 18/0." Hereford, 1871. 



t " A Handbook of British Fungi, with descriptions of 

 all the species, and illustrations of the genera." By M. C. 

 Cooke, M.A. In 2 vols., crown 8vo. London: Macmillan 

 &Co. 



is to intimate' to those who are not yet fortunate 

 enough to possess it, that it is a complete key to 

 the mycological flora of Britain up to the time of 

 going to press. Every genus has its description 

 and its illustrative woodcut, giving the special dis- 

 tinctive features of the genus ; most of these are 

 microscopical. Each order has also an artificial 

 key to the genera it contains. In hundreds of 

 instances microscopical measurements of the spores 

 are given, both in decimals of an inch and of a 

 millimetre. A full and compendious index to 

 genera, species, and synonyms is given at the close. 

 An introduction is wanted detailing the structure 

 and affinities of the different groups ; but as this 

 would have occupied at least another volume of 

 ecjual bulk, it is postponed for the present. 



Life beneath the Waves.* — This little vo- 

 lume is another about sea-anemones, star-fish, 

 shrimps, crabs, molluscs, and the many inhabitants 

 of the sea, not only deep beneath the waves but also 

 along shore. If we were challenged to say in what 

 features this book is superior to its many prede- 

 cessors, we confess that we should feel puzzled. 

 Already we have a legion of books for the seashore, 

 and yet another and another makes its appearance. 

 After all, — well it may be prejudice— give us one 

 of the many books written by that veteran Philip 

 H. Gosse, rather than twenty such as we could 

 name if we were compelled to do so, including the 

 present. If the author has "yielded to the solici- 

 tations of friends," then the friends are to blame, 

 unless they are shareholders in the Brighton 

 aquarium, in which case, perhaps, such an ad- 

 vertisement may be presumed to pay. 



BEAKS OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



IT is impossible not to admire the wonderful 

 variety of form exhibited in the beaks of birds 

 whose mission it is to thin the overcrowded ranks 

 of the insect world. They are, as may be supposed, 

 much weaker than in those tribes which, like the 

 Parrots, are destined to break strong nuts, or, as 

 the Eagles and other birds of prey, have to tear 

 tough flesh to pieces and to separate elastic car- 

 tilage. Still there are exceptions. The Wood- 

 pecker is one— that veritable carpenter of the 

 forests, which 



" to the trunk 

 Close clinging, with unwearied beak assails 

 The hollow bark ; through every cell the strokes 

 Roll the dire echoes." 



Its work is to pickaxe a gallery in tough wood : its 

 beak, in consequence, has the form of a wedge, and 

 is endowed with a strength and force which enables 



* " Life beneath the Waves, and a description of the 

 Brighton Aquarium." With numerous illustrations. London: 

 Tinsley Brothers. 



