528 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



the inside of each cover and also the opposite fly-leaf, either map can therefore 

 be referred to instantly. The size is necessarily limited but for most purposes 

 the convenience of the arrangement outweighs the disadvantage of a rather 

 small scale. 



The general plan of the series could hardly be improved and the execution 

 of the plan leaves little to be desired. No single author can be equally interested 

 in all the matters dealt with ; accordingly there is considerable variation in 

 the space allotted to different sections. Thus in the volumes above mentioned 

 the number of pages devoted to geology varies from about one-tenth to about 

 one-twentieth of the whole. Such differences are to be expected and provided 

 that the author be selected with due regard to the special character of the county 

 the variety of treatment may be a positive advantage. 



But a much more serious difficulty has evidently made itself felt. It cannot 

 be assumed that the readers will have even an elementary knowledge of all 

 the subjects touched upon. Several of the sections therefore begin with a short 

 general introduction. In the case of architecture, antiquities, etc., a very few 

 words of preliniinary explanation are sufficient to make the rest of the section 

 intelligible. But climate and geology are too complex and too far removed from 

 ordinary observation to admit of such treatment, and the introductions to these 

 subjects are not always very satisfactory. Moreover, the same introduction is 

 made to serve in several volumes, without regard to the special description that 

 follows ; consequently terms are often explained that are never used. In 

 the volume on Cornwall there is a full list of the geological systems and their 

 subdivisions not one of which is mentioned in the account of Cornish geology. 

 In the volume on Kent the list of systems does not give the subdivisions, whilst in 

 the description of the county only the names of the subdivisions are used and 

 there is no reference to the systems. In both these volumes the introductory 

 remarks occupy about one-half of the section. 



In the sections on climate the preliminary observations are even more 

 decidedly out of proportion to the rest. In most of the volumes the greater part 

 of the chapter is devoted to a rather vague and not very intelligible account of 

 the climate of England as a whole, followed by a few statistics referring to the 

 county concerned. Only in the volume on Lanarkshire is there any serious 

 attempt to deal with the climate of the county itself. 



Since it is noL possible to explain the principles of a science in three or four 

 pages, it would probably be better to omit these introductions. A map of the 

 rainfall of the county would certainly be more useful than a map of the rainfall of 

 England, especially as the latter appears in many of the text-books now in common 

 use. A geological section of the county would be more in place than a geological 

 section across England and Wales. 



In other respects there is but little to criticise. Within the limits imposed it 

 would be difficult to do more than has been done ; and in general it may be said 

 that the object of the series has been attained. The volumes will certainly be 

 very useful in schools where modern methods of teaching geography are used ; 

 they will also be found very convenient for general use. 



It should be added that all the volumes are well illustrated and that the 

 printing is of the high standard which is usually associated with the Cambridge 

 University Press. 



Philip Lake. 



