KEVIEWS. 65 



Fifteenth thousand. i2mo, pp. viii. — 214. (London : W. H. Allen and Co. 

 1890.) Price 2s. 6d. 



It is always a ]:)leasure to us to welcome a new edition of this useful little 

 book, and we would recommend all who do not already possess a copy to lose 

 no time in securing one. 



We cannot at this moment place our hands on an earlier edition, but we 

 do not notice any material alterations in the new copy. 



Mr. Mygale's Hobby : A Story about Spiders. By the 

 Author of "The Glory of the Sea," " Swallow-tails and Skippers," "The 

 Greek Auk's Eggs," etc. Post 8vo, pp. 192. (London : The Religious Tract 

 Society. 1889.) Price 2s. 



Boys who wish to know anything about spiders would do well to read this 

 book. Mr. Mygale (the name is, of course, assumed) is devoted to the study 

 of these interesting creatures, and describes them in a most attractive manner 

 to his young friend, who in a short time becomes as enthusiastic as his teacher. 

 At the end of the book is an Appendix, giving a full table of all British 

 Spiders, divided into tribes, famihes, genera, and species. 



The Playtime Naturalist. By Dr. J. E. Taylor. {London: 



Chatto and IVindns. ) 



Dr. Taylor's fascinating style of writing on natural history is known to all 

 our readers. This new volume is specially designed for young people, and is 

 sure to be read by such with eager interest. It is no small privilege for the 

 beginner in natural history studies to be led by such a master through the 

 various domains of Nature, and to have pointed out and described in language 

 non-technical and conversational some of the most beautiful things that lie 

 within our reach, but which, for want of a suitable Mentor, are unknown to so 

 many. A good deal of the book is written for those who have some sort of a 

 microscope, and is concerned with diatoms and infusoria, while there are also 

 chapters on birds and reptiles, shells and butterflies, the whole constituting a 

 most charming introduction to the fairyland of science. 



The Butterfly : Its History, Development, and Attributes. 

 By John Stuttard. Crown 8vo, pp. 92. (London : T. Fisher Unwin.) Price is. 



Written in a simple, racy style, and will be read with interest and profit by 

 those who take an interest in the pretty insect. Some may be disappointed to 

 find that the author shows that the parallel between the change that takes 

 place in the butterfly and our resurrection bodies is not a just one, and that if 

 there is any analogy it is that of contrast rather than of resemblance. 



Glimpses of Animal Life. By William Jones, F.S.A. 

 (London : Elliot Stock.) 



To many readers these observations on the habits and intelligence of 

 animals will be very interesting and serviceable. It is an almost complete 

 repertoire of facts and records concerning animal sagacity. We are all familiar 

 with the results of training in the case of such animals as the dog, horse, ele- 

 phant and the lively piilex ; but it will astonish some to be told that fishes are 

 extremely susceptible to the charms of music and that the pig has been taught 

 arithmetic (p. 84). There are also some good chapters on luminous fishes and 

 on the curiosities of nesting. It is a book to teach us all to keep our eyes 

 open. It is a pity, though, that the author has not followed some sort of 

 zoological method in deahng with the many animals he passes in review. This 

 would have made reference a much easier matter. It is rather discomposing to 

 the naturalist to find himself obliged to skip up and down the zoological ladder 

 almost at random. And there is no index to tell one when he has found out all 

 there is to be got concerning any particular animal. 



