t8 The Irish Naturalist. February, 



REVIEW. 



A LABORATORY MANUAL. 



Practical Zoology for Medical and Junior Students. By J. D. F. Gilchrist, 

 M.A., D.Sc, Ph.D., Professor, and C. von Bonde, M.A., Lecturer 

 in the University of Cape Town. Pp. 329. 105 illustrations. 

 Edinburgh : E. & S. Livingstone, 1922. Price 205, 



This book was originally intended for the use of elementary students 

 in South Africa, and therefore includes descriptions of special types 

 peculiar to that region. In order to make the book suitable for European 

 students, descriptions have been added of the types usually studied in 

 these countries. 



Comparing the book with those classics of the laboratory Parker's 

 " Zootomy " and Marshall and Hurst's " Practical Zoology," one notes 

 several departures from their methods. First there is the extensive 

 employment of diagrams to illustrate the various dissections. These 

 are of course supplemented by descriptive instructions for dissections, 

 but one fears that many students will be tempted to copy the diagrams, 

 and neglect the instructions, thus failing to gain that knowledge of the 

 work which comes through carefully following Parker or Marshall and 

 Hurst. The book is interleaved with blank paper for sketches, but this 

 is too thin to be serviceable, and its proximity to the diagrams only in- 

 creases the temptation to copy these. 



The book is excellently printed and bound, and is remarkably free from 

 errors, typographical or otherwise ; in one or two of the diagrams there 

 are negligible errors of detail. Altogether, the book is very suitable 

 for junior students in the hands of a careful teacher. 



D. S. T. 



NEWS GLEANINGS. 



Our readers will be glad to learn that Belfast at last is to have its new 

 Natural History Museum and Art Gallery, so long delayed by the war, the 

 Corporation at the monthly meeting on October 2nd, having confirmed 

 the minutes of the Museum and Literary Committee, recommending the 

 Council to go on with the building, the plans of which were ready in 191 4. 

 On the declaration of war in August, 1914, advertisements were already 

 in the Belfast papers inviting tenders for the erection of the first section 

 at a cost of about ^30,000, the finished building to cost ,^50,000 in all. 

 This has now been much exceeded, ;^8o,ooo is to be spent on the first 

 section. The building will be erected in the Botanic Park, close to the 

 University, and will contain a lecture room or theatre which can be used 

 by the local scientific and art societies. It will have a separate entrance 

 from the Stranmillis Road, 



