764 



REVIEW. 



" BIRDS OF THE PLAINS." 



Captain Fayrer has pointed out to us that the last paragraph of the above 

 review is quite incorrect and he draws our attention to the title page where 

 it is stated the " illustrations from photographs of living birds." We have 

 shown this to the Reviewer who says that when criticising the illustrations 

 he did not notice that they were from life and adds that enlarged photos 

 are often apt to come out stiffly giving the appearance of a stuffed bird as 

 for instance in the plate of the Bulbul.— Eds. 



THE MAKING OF SPECIES 



BY 



DouaLAS Dewar & Frank Finn, 

 pp. 400. London, John Lane. 7s. 6d. 



The interest taken by the public in Heredity and other biological problems 

 is shown by the many works that have recently appeared in plain untechnical 

 language, and in addition to the excellent books of Thompson and Bateson 

 among others two members of our Society have made a further contribution. 



We find however that much that is otherwise readable has been spoiled by 

 the aggressive tone of the authors. On reading their preface one anticipates a 

 campaign of iconoclasm calculated to stagger humanity. 



" We fear," they say, " this book will come as a shock to many scientific 

 men " whom they look upon as equal in bigotry with the old-time theologians. 

 " The blight of dogma has seized hold of them. We are endeavouring to save 

 biology in England from committing suicide, to save it from the hands of those 

 into which it has fallen." " Zoological science stands in urgent need of con- 

 structive books on evolution. It has been our aim to produce a book of this 

 description." After all this one is relieved to find that not only some of the 

 old idols remain unshattered, but the authors have set up a new idol under the 

 name of " The Biological Molecule," which our readers will find strictly after 

 the image and likeness of the old idols •' Biophor, Ultimate Biological Particle," 

 ••Physiological Unit," etc. 



The authors delight in setting up images of straw or phantoms on which to 

 exercise their destructive criticism. For instance, " A large majority of scienti- 

 fic men to-day hold the belief that all or nearly all the colours displayed by 

 animals are of direct utility to them and therefore the direct result of natural 

 selection." " These theories have assumed the rank of laws of nature. To 

 dispute them would seem to be as futile as to assert that the earth. is flat. To 

 take exception to them would appear to be as ridiculous as to object to Mount 

 Blanc. To dare to criticise them is heresy of the worst type." Our gallant 

 authors "have dared to weigh these theories in the balance of observation 

 and reasons." They have examined "these mighty images of gold and silver, 

 and brass, and iron and found that there is much clay in the feet." They 



