REVIEWS. 307 



It is not at all wonderful that under the microscope it should 

 show woody structure, as fragments of wood, and large ones too, 

 are abundant in it, and so little decomposed some of them are, 

 that they require to be cut with a hatchet in some cases. At least, 

 such was the case at a mine which T visited this summer at Diirn- 

 ten, near the lake of Zurich, Switzerland. An interesting discus- 

 sion on the subject of making "Coal-Sections" appeared in 

 Science Gossip in 1882, beginning in the April No., the gist of 

 which is that sections of house-coal are almost impossible to make, 

 and even when made show very little structure. The instructions 

 for making Coal-Sections, as given in the Micro. Dictionary., are 

 perfectly useless as applied to house-coal ; it is simply wasted 

 time to try to follow them. Some persons, however, can prepare 

 them by a process of their own. I obtained one from Herr 

 Heinrich Hensoldt, 7 Machell Road, London, S.E., a very skilful 

 preparer. James C. Christie. 



1Rcvicw0, 



A Text-Book of Pathogenic Bacteria for Students of 

 Medicine and Physicians. By Joseph McFarland, M.D. Royal 8vo, pp. 359. 

 (London: H. Kimpton, 1896.) Price 12/- net. 



In this handsome volume the author gives a concise account of the techni- 

 cal procedures necessary for the study of bacteriology, a brief description of the 

 life-history of the important pathogenic bacteria, and a sufficient description of 

 the pathological lesions accompanying the micro-orgismal invasions to give an 

 idea of the origin of symptoms and the cause of death. In the first section of 

 the book are chapters on the Biology, Methods of Observing, and the Cultiva- 

 tion of Bacteria, etc. etc. ; the second section treats of Specific Diseases and 

 their Bacteria. There is one coloured plate and 113 good illustrations in the 

 text. 



Wayside and Woodland Blossoms : A Pocket-Guide to 



British Wild Flowers for Country Ramblers. First Series. By Edward Step. 

 Second edition, size 64 by 3^ inches; pp. xiii. — 172. (London: F. Warne 

 and Co. 1896.) Price 7/6. 



A very useful packet companion for the country rambler, its purpose being 

 to assist a very large class of persons who possess a strong love of flowers, but 

 to whom the ordinary " Floras" are books written in an unknown tongue. It 

 contains coloured figures of 156 species, black-and-white plates of 22 species, 

 and clear descriptions of 400 species. 



Hovi^ Plants Live and Work: A Simple Introduction to 



Real Life in the Plant World. Based on Lessons originally given to Country 

 Children'. By Eleanor Hughes-Gibb. Cr. 8vo, pp. xii. — 115. (London ; 

 C. Griffen and Co. 1896.) Price 2/6. 



