HARDWICKE'S SCTENCE-GOSSIP. 



55 



■which leaves nothing to be desired. The structural 

 affinities and habits of the various kinds of deer, and 

 their comparison with each other, are most clearly set 

 forth. To a zoological student this book has a pecu- 

 liar and special value. The woodcuts are numerous, 

 original, and well done. 



"Proteus; or, Unity in Nature," byC.B.Radcliffe, 

 M.D. (London, Macmillan & Co.), is the second 

 edition, revised and brought up to the newer views of 

 science, of a book which created some attention when 

 it first appeared some years ago. Practically it is 

 quite a different volume to what it was then, when 

 the disturbing theory of evolution was either unknown 

 or ignored. Dr. Radcliffe is an opponent of evolu- 

 tion, and although not a prejudiced one, we cannot 

 help feeling he has not taken sufficient pains to fully 

 understand it. Apart from this we have read his 

 book with sincere pleasure and profit. It most 

 thoughtfully and reverently discusses the many- 

 changing varieties of Nature, physical, animal, and 

 vegetable ; and dry facts and their relations light up 

 with the glow of the author's genius. The literary 

 style is of the most attractive character, not demonstra- 

 tively fervid, but chaste and yet enthusiastic. 



"Physiography," by Professor Huxley, F.R.S. 

 (London, Macmillan & Co.), will be hailed with 

 pleasure by science students. Although we do not 

 like the new name with which the South Kensington 

 authorities have replaced the older one of Physical 

 Geography, Professor Huxley shows us in this hand- 

 some and well got-up volume how natural pheno- 

 mena may be studied in the concrete, even in their 

 relation to our earth, in a wider and deeper sense, 

 perhaps, than was undertaken in the science of 

 physical geography. The author eschews the old 

 system of treatment in works on physical geography, 

 wherein the readers were first taught about the shape 

 and motions of the earth, &c, and begins just at the 

 other end, leaving such astronomical facts to be dis- 

 cussed last. The river Thames, in fact, is employed 

 as a sort of scientific text, and Professor Huxley 

 makes its relations and associations the groundwork 

 of a general description which will answer almost 

 equally well for any other river and river-valley in 

 the world. The plan is admirably worked out, as 

 we might reasonably expect it would be at the hands 

 of such a master. 



"The Origin of the World," by Dr. J. W. Dawson 

 (London, Hodder & Stoughton). Dr. Dawson is 

 well-known as an ardent field geologist, and one who 

 has largely and successfully contributed to the vast 

 storehouse of geological knowledge. Unfortunately 

 he appears to us to be an equally ardent theologian ; 

 and so, when he writes books on geology in general 

 (and he always writes them well and attractively), he 

 cannot forget the theological bayonets against which 

 the stony science has been repeatedly impelled. The 

 consequence is a melange of geology and theology, 

 which we are afraid is not of special advantage to 



either. Especially is Dr. Dawson angeied with the 

 theory of evolution, and he loses not an opportunity 

 to tilt against it, frequently with as much success as 

 Don Quixote's similar attempt to overthrow the 

 windmills. The present volume is especially satu- 

 rated with what Professor Huxley calls "Mosaism"; 

 one almost feels as if we had gone back to the time of 

 Hugh Miller. But there are many readers who are 

 fond of discussing the many points of contact which 

 still exist between Genesis and geology ; and to such 

 we can confidently recommend Dr. Dawson's book 

 as likely to please them in no ordinary degree. 



"Accidents in Mines: their Causes and Preven- 

 tion," by Alan Bagot, Mining Engineer (London, 

 C. Kegan, Paul, & Co. ). In this small but attrac- 

 tive volume the author has collected all the informa- 

 tion possible, as seen by those who are engaged pro- 

 fessionally as mining engineers, in order to its being 

 brought before the public. He discusses whether the 

 principles of Davey's Safety-Lamp hold good when 

 the atmospheric pressure is as great as we find it in 

 deep coal-mines. Also, what effect the vibrating 

 waves of sound may have on the flame within the 

 lamp when the latter is surrounded by an explosive 

 mixture of gas. Mr. Bagot thinks that in the solution 

 of these two problems lies the secret of explosion 

 after shot-firing in mines. In the eighteen chapters 

 which compose this book, the author enters most 

 fully into the economy of coal-mines, and all that 

 concerns their safe and effective working. The work 

 is therefore a most valuable one, and ought to be in 

 the hands of all those whom the subject directly or 

 indirectly concerns. 



A REMARKABLE GARDEN PLANT. 

 ( Thunbergia alata. ) 



THIS very pretty tropical climber, belonging to 

 the natural order Acanthacecc, a native of India 

 and Madagascar, was introduced to our gardens some 

 fifty years ago. It presents in the structure of its flowers 

 numerous points of interest. The plant is a slender 

 twiner, with hastate leaves, whose petioles, as the 

 specific name alata, implies, are broadly winged. 

 The calyx is very minute, consisting of twelve hair- 

 like sepals, its place being occupied by two large 

 membranous, almost transparent, bracts. These are 

 strongly keeled, and overlap each other, completely 

 enveloping the calyx, and about one-half of the corolla 

 tube. Besides the keel, there are about six well- 

 marked longitudinal veins, connected by numerous 

 smaller ones almost at right angles, forming a rect- 

 angular network somewhat resembling that of Ouvi- 

 randra fenesiralis. The whole surface is beset with 

 scattered hairs, which are either simple, or with one 

 or two septa, and bent where the septum occurs. 

 They are hollow, except at the nodes and near the 

 points, the hollow portion terminating in a bulbous 



