HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



51 



Tate. This edition, therefore, is one to be especially 

 sought after by all those who wish to study recent 

 and fossil shells. Principal Dawson's "Dawn of 

 Life " (London : Hodder & Stoughton) is an ex- 

 haustive but popular treatise on his favourite fossil 

 the Eozooti. All the arguments in favour of the 

 foraminiferal nature of this doubtful fossil are mar- 

 shalled in logical and telling order, varied with a 

 few backhauded blows at evolution. Nevertheless, 

 it is a book which the geological student will read 

 with pleasure and profit, and is undoubtedly a valu- 

 able contribution to the literature of geology. 



Professor Mivart's " Lessons from Nature " 

 (London : John Murray) will interest a good many 

 people in various ways. It will show them how an 

 eminent naturalist, not averse to the doctrine of 

 evolution, and a Catholic, regards the advanced 

 scientific doctrines of the present day. Although 

 this volume has been already before the public in 

 another form, we thank both author and publisher 

 for giving it to us again in this completer and more 

 attractive style. Dr. Mivart attacks the vague and 

 misleading appeals to Nature so constantly made 

 by many scientific men ; and, leaving the defensive, 

 also breaks a lance against the ^/^anthropomor- 

 phism of many writers. In the essays which now 

 form the chapters of this book, the reader will find 

 the theories of Spencer, Bain, Lewes, Huxley, 

 Darwin, Wallace, Galton, Lubbock, Tyler, ably com- 

 bated, although somewhat Somatically, and will not 

 be surprised, after Cardinal Manning's recent argu- 

 ment that the Romish Church has always been " the 

 true exponent of science and morals," to find Pro- 

 fessor Mivart supporting him at the close of his 

 book by declaring that " a prescieuce has watched 

 over the Church's definitions, and that she has been 

 so guided (the italics are the author's) in her teach- 

 ing as to be able to harmonize and assimilate with 

 her doctrines the most modern theories of physical 

 science." 



" A Short History of Natural Science," by Miss 

 Arabella B. Buckley (London : John Murray), gives 

 us an account of the progress of scientific discovery 

 from the time of the Greeks to the present day. It 

 is well and intelligently written, and will prove very 

 serviceable to others than the "young and un- 

 scientific people," for whom the author modestly 

 states she has written it. The book contains nearly 

 five hundred pages, and is an acceptable and useful 

 contribution to our libraries. " Our Place among 

 the Infinities" (London: H. S. King & Co.) is 

 from the facile pen of R. A. Proctor. Our readers 

 will therefore expect them to be thoughtful and 

 attractive. The book is a series of essays, con- 

 trasting our little abode in space with the infinities 

 around us. The chapters on the " Past and Future 

 of our Earth," and a " New Theory of Life in other 

 Worlds," are especially interesting. " The Origin 

 of the Stars," by Professor Ennis (London : 



Triibner & Co.), is a rather high-sounding treatise 

 on the evolution of the stellar universe, and will be 

 read with great interest and delight by all astro- 

 nomical students. This is the first English edition, 

 its success in the United States having been very 

 great. "Time and Time-tellers," by James W. 

 Benson (London : Hardwicke), is an exceedingly 

 well got-up little volume, amply illustrated, on all 

 kinds of watches and clocks, ancient and modern, 

 and is an interesting treatise on all relating to these 

 useful articles, well written, and sparkling with 

 well-told anecdotes. " A Month in Mayo," by 

 George Hooper (London : Hardwicke), contains 

 some lively characleristic sketches, sporting and 

 social, of Irish life. The author is a thorough and 

 well-known adventurous sportsman, and he is one 

 of the few who are good naturalists as well, with a 

 keen eye for the many traits of animal life which a 

 sporting naturalist has so many opportunities of 

 observing. Mr. Rooper has made good use of his 

 opportunities, and his style is so attractive and 

 cheery that we are bound to finish the book if we 

 begin the first chapter. " The Universe," by Dr. 

 E. A. Pouchet (London : Blackie & Sons), is the 

 third edition of a well- written and popular account 

 of "the Infinitely Little," gorgeously illustrated 

 and bound, so as to form a most charming gift-book. 

 Of the contents enough has already been said. In 

 few places are the author's facts to be trusted, 

 although we are glad to see that many glaring errors 

 which appeared in the first edition have been cor- 

 rected in this. Still, we must regard a book from 

 the point at which the author wrote it, and, as he 

 states in his preface, that he never intended this to 

 be a learned treatise, we are bound to believe him. 

 We are not sure whether these books and those of 

 Figuier have done more good than harm in inocu- 

 lating students with false notions, which require 

 many years and much study to be corrected. " The 

 Canary Book," by Robert L. Waliace (London : 

 the Country office), is, on the other hand, an un- 

 pretentious but thoroughly useful little volume, 

 on the most charming of our domestic pets. It 

 contains full directions for the breeding,, rearing, 

 and management of exhibition canaries and canary 

 mules ; their treatment in health and disease, toge- 

 ther with a full description of all the different 

 varieties of canaries, and their various points of 

 excellence. The illustrations are excellent, and the 

 whole tone of the little book is marked by the 

 earnestness of an enthusiast. 



Few modern books of travel have made such a 

 name as the " Abode of Snow," by A. Wilson 

 (Edinburgh: W. Blackwood & Sons). Although 

 originally written for Blackwood, and then repub- 

 lished in a well got-up volume, the first edition of 

 the latter was out of print in a few weeks, and a 

 copy of the second is now before us. A more read- 

 able book we have rarely met with. The author 



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