1909- Reviews* 135 



After a prelimiuary account of the structure, habitats, distribution, 

 and affinities of the group there follows a detailed account of the genera 

 and species. In the three volumes published up to the present 436 

 species are described. Keys are given to facilitate the determination of 

 the genera and also of the species belonging to the larger genera such as 

 Closterium and Cosmarium. Every species and variety is figured, the 

 plates in man}' cases being coloured. Accompanying the description of 

 the species is a full list of synonyms with references to the literature. A 

 detailed account of the count}' distribution of the group is given in 

 England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, as well as in foreign countries. 

 There is a copious Bibliography in vol. i., which is added to in the 

 succeeding volumes. Both paper and type are good, and the figures are 

 carefully executed. 



In a work containing so many references it is only to be expected that 

 some omissions or errors will occur. No Irish locality is given for 

 Euastrum Sendtnerianum Reinsch, although it is included in Archer's List 

 for Dublin and Wicklow. Among the Irish localities there are several 

 topographical errors. In vol. i., p. 45, Lough Brin is included in Co. 

 Galway although elsewhere in the work it is correctly referred to 

 Co. Kerry. In vol. ii., p. S2, and again in vol. iii., p. 72, Lough Moher is 

 included in Co. Galway but really belongs to Co. Mayo. In a number of 

 places in vols. ii. and iii., Castletown, Adrigole, Sugar Loaf Mt., and 

 Glengarriff are referred to Co. Kerry, but all of them are in Co. Cork. 



In the Bibliography there is a slight inaccuracy in the date of Archer's 

 papers in the Quarterly loitrnal of Microscopical Science. All notes and 

 other contributions by him to the pages of that journal appeared 

 between the years 1858 and 1880. 



It is rather a pity that the habitat of each species, whether pond, 

 peat bog, mountain pool, &c., is not indicated, as was done in Cooke's 

 Handbook. But these are slight blemishes in a work where so much 

 is excellent. Guided by the beautiful illustrations and descriptions 

 it should be easy to identify any British species of Desmid. 



J. A. 



A GUIDE TO BIEDS' NESTS. 



Birds' Nests and E^^g^s and how to Identify them : The 



young People's Birds'-Nest Chart. By the Rev. S. N. Sedgwick, 

 M.A. Pp. 61, 4 coloured plates and 16 photographs. London : 

 Robert CuUey, 1909. Price, 



This is a chapter from the Rev. S. N. Sedgwick's " Young People's 

 Nature-Study Book," reproduced separately so as to form a portable and 

 pocketable guide to the identification of birds' eggs and nests. Starting 

 with the idea that egg-collecting should be discouraged, and that a nest 

 once found by a beginner in the course of a country walk is not likely to 

 be visited a second time, the author draws a logical enough inference 

 from his own premises in considering that the young student ought to 

 have with him, at the moment of discovery, the means of identifying 

 there and then, and as quickly as possible. The nests are therefore 

 " classified " according to the kinds of situations in which they are likely 



