REVIEWS. ■ 135 



England would be worth anything unless the writer had access to hosts of 

 local Floras, whether published or unpublished. To those therefore who 

 publish a carefully prepared Flora the gratitude of all naturalists is due. 

 That Mr. Ilannaford has executed his work well and carefully, we have only 

 to refer to the work itself, which contains the habitats of five hundred plants, 

 four hundred of which were fixed from the personal observation of the author. 

 In addition to the habitat, the time of flowering is given, which will be a great 

 assistance to local collectors, as well as to any one writing on geographical 

 botany. 



The Flora is well printed on good paper, and has a margin wide enough 

 for a short note or two. We trust that many of our readers may be induced 

 to order this little work, which, from the low price at which it has been 

 published, must require a large sale to cover even the cost of printing. 



Drops of Water; their marvellous and beautiful inhabitants displayed by the 

 Microscope. By Agnes (Lvtlow, Author of "Popular Conchology," ^'Popular 

 Field Botany," Etc. With coloured plates. London: Ekeve and Benham. 

 p. p. 194. 



Having introduced Miss Catlow's works to our readers last month, we have 

 great pleasure in calling their attention now to another of her worthy and 

 successful endeavours to popularize Natural History. Having ourselves worked 

 a good deal with other "drops" of water, we can state from our own know- 

 ledge that the figures given of the Animalculao are good and accurate, and 

 such as will readily enable the student to recognise any of them when seen 

 in examining stagnant water by the microscope. To us the study of nature, 

 by the aid of the microscope, has been an unfailing source of gratification 

 and instruction, and we gladly hail Miss Catlow as a valuable assistant in 

 inducing others to take up one of our favorite studies. 



The first portion of the book is occupied with introductory remarks, explaining 

 the habits and economy of Animalcules, with a short outline of the principles 

 of their classification. The author then proceeds to describe the forms seen 

 in the first "Drop," which contains the simplest forms, and next those in the 

 second "Drop," containing others of a higher organization, and so on till those 

 highest in the scale of Infusory animalcules are brought before the reader. 

 This plan is a very good one, and will give the beginner an accurate general 

 idea of the classification of these minute and wonderful creatures. 



Many very interesting particulars, relating to the different creatures described, 

 are given, which cannot fail to be read with pleasure by the young student, 

 who we trust will thus be led to work out more fully the innumerable wonders 

 of the '^New World," as revealed by a good Achromatic Microscope. No 

 one can ever regret taking up so mentally healthy a recreation. 



Miss Catlow deserves the encouragement which we trust she will receive 

 by an extensive circulation of this elegant and useful little work. 



