72 NATURAL SCIENCE. Jan., 



Of hope, that hardly dost portend the morn, 



And sadness, that hast scarcely guessed at pain ; 



God takes the characters of fate outworn, 

 And writes them fair again. 



In his minute observations of nature, Mr. Benson reminds one of 

 Gilbert White, and we venture to quote the following sonnet on the 

 naturalist as of interest to our readers, and as giving some idea of our 

 author's poetic method : — 



Thou wast a poet, though thou knew'st it not 



Then, on a merry morning, when the thrush 



Fluted and fluted briskly in the bush, 

 And blackbirds whisked along thy garden plot, 

 Didst watch an hour beside thy hanger's foot 



The quivering kestrel hung aloft the skies 



To mark aught stirring, or with pensive eyes 

 In cherry-orchards didst forecast the fruit. 

 And shall I deem it idle thus to scan 



The myriad life, and reverently wait, 



A patient learner, auguring, behind 



The restless hand, the unhesitating mind ? 

 This was thy daily task, to learn that man 



Is small, and not forget that man is great. 



Space does not permit us to quote more ; but we cannot conclude 

 without offering our thanks to Mr. Benson for the pleasure he_has 

 given us. 



F. A. B. 



Index TO THE Periodical Literature of the World (covering the year iSga). 

 By Miss E. Hetherington. 4to. London : Review of Reviezvs Office, 1893. 

 Price 5s. 



This valuable reference book has reached its third year and, as 

 Mr. Stead truly says, we owe much to the industry and enthusiasm 

 of Miss Hetherington and her assistants. We do not propose to 

 criticise so useful a book ; and, limiting ourselves to our own depart- 

 ment, we offer a few suggestions for the next year's issue. In the 

 list of " English and American Magazines and Reviews," pp. 8-20, 

 we fail to find either the Annals and Magazine of Natural History, the 

 Geological Magazine, or the Zoologist, while in the " Classified Tables '' 

 we only find two of them. In the " Index to the Periodicals,"' 

 pp. 72-180, also, these three periodicals are conspicuous by their 

 absence. As they contain some of the best work in the natural 

 history sciences, and are, moreover, among the recognised channels 

 for British workers, this seems somewhat strange. They should 

 appear in all the lists, and should decidedly be indexed. 



In future editions the journal Yn Lioar Manniuagh should appear 

 under L, not Y. 



" Minerva, Jahrbuch der Gelehrten Welt," edited by Dr. R. Kukula 

 and K. Triibner (Triibner, Strasburg, price 7 marks), has made 

 its appearance for 1893-4. ^^ is a most valuable book of reference 

 for those who wish to know the names and addresses of their fellow- 

 workers, although it does not profess to include those unconnected 

 with some public institution. The present volume is as neat in its 

 get-up as its predecessors, and is embellished with an admirable 

 engraved portrait of Louis Pasteur. 



