314 NATURAL SCIENCE. Jy^,f- 



and why is "oides" worse than " opsis " ? Moreover, is Quamoclit 

 much worse than Split ? If the aesthetic sense is to be considered 

 there is no knowing where we shall stop, for tastes differ so widely, 

 and sounds which irritate one author may be as music to another. 

 In the present case, we doubt not soon to see Split bnlbosa, &c., while 

 if we are first led through Capnoides, synonymy will be still further 

 burdened. Much ink and paper were wasted on the rights of Tissa 

 and Biida not very long ago, but these are now set aside in favour of 

 Mitchell's Corion for Spergulavia. Mr. Brown, has, however, no right 

 to claim these species, for as he in fact points out, the valuable 

 discovery is due to Dr. Britton [Journal of Botany, i8gi). 



The text of the book is good and clear, but the same cannot be 

 said of the plates. Those of Arahis alpina and Polygala amara are 

 very poor ; the former, moreover, is marked 117^, but referred to in 

 the text on page 24 as 37a. It is a pity not to mention the name 

 of the work on the plates forming part of it, the bare name of a 

 plant and a number giving no clue to its origin should it become 

 detached. 



Geography of Africa South of the Zambesi ; with Notes on the Industries, 

 Wealth, and Social Progress of the States and Peoples. By Rev. William Parr 

 Gresswell, M.A. 8vo. Pp. 400, with three maps. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 

 1892. Price 7s. 6d. 



This little work is published under the auspices of the Royal Colonial 

 Institute, and though primarily adapted for use in schools and 

 colleges, contains a great deal of information of interest to the general 

 reader. It is prefaced by a brief historical introduction, relating to 

 the gradual progress of the colonisation of South Africa ; and there 

 are thirty-two appendices of statistical information and matters in- 

 teresting to the politician. A good general description of the 

 Physical Features and Natural History of the country is compressed 

 into the space of seventy pages ; and the detailed account of the 

 several colonies and territories will prove very useful for reference. 



Catalogue ok the Type Fossils in the Woodwardian Museum, Cambridge. 

 By Henry Woods, B.A., F.G.S. 8vo. Pp. 180. Cambridge : University Press, 

 1891 [1892]. Price 7s. 6d. 



This is a valuable list of the fossils in the Woodwardian Museum to 

 whicli reference has been made in published works. It is carefully 

 prepared, beautifully printed, and will be much consulted by Strati- 

 graphical Geologists and Palaeontologists. In a brief Preface, 

 Professor Hughes remarks upon the historical interest of the older 

 collections in the Museum, comprising those of Agostino Scilla (1670), 

 Lister (1688), and of John Woodward, the founder. 



An elaborate work on the Cuckoo has just appeared in Berlin {Das 

 Leben dcr europaischen Kuckncke, nebst Beitrdgen zuv Lebenshunde der iibrigen 

 parasitischen Kuckncke und Starlinge. By A. C. Eduard Baldamus. 

 Roy. 8vo. Pp. 224. Pis. viii. Berlin : Paul Parey, 1892.). About 

 100 pages are devoted to the common European cuckoo (Cnculus 

 canoviis) ; and the remainder of the work deals with the other cuckoos 

 and starlings that lay their eggs in the nests of different birds. Eight 

 coloured plates of eggs are given. 



