2i8 NATURAL SCIENCE. April, 1893. 



report on " Cretaceous Polyzoa" ; " Volcanic Phenomena of Vesuvius " ; Zoological 

 Station at Naples" ; 5th on the " Zoology and Botany of the West India Islands" ; 

 2nd on " Biological Association of Plymouth " ; 6th on " Botanical Laboratory at 

 Peradeniya, Ceylon " ; " Teaching of Science in Elementary Schools." 



The papers read in the various Sections are mostly published in short 

 abstract, and have appeared in a more complete form elsewhere. Amongst the 

 geological papers of interest, and containing original observations, we note one by 

 Mr Peach " On a Widespread Radiolanan Chert of Arenig Age, from the Southern 

 Uplands of Scotland," and another by Mr. Home, " On the Contact Metamorphism 

 of the Radiolarian Chert in the Lower Silurian Rocks along the Margm of the Loch 

 Doon Granite " Mr. Dugald Bell criticises the "Alleged Proofs of Submergence m 

 Scotland during the Glacial Epoch " ; Mr. Clement Reid gives a list of the " Fossil 

 Arctic Plants found near Edinburgh"; and Messrs. Peach and Home write on 

 •< The Ice-Sheet in the North- West Highlands during the Maximum Glaciation," and 

 on a " Bone Cave in the Cambrian Limestone in Assynt, Sutheriandshire." The 

 remains found in the cave at Assynt seem to be of Recent or Neolithic date. 



In the section for Biolngy, the chief botanical papers are Dr. Goebel's " On the 

 simplest form of Mosses [Buxb.umia) " ; George Murray's " On a comparison of the 

 Marine Floras of the warm Atlantic and the Indian Ocean " ; H. W. T. Wager. 

 ■■ On the structure of Cvstopus candidus." the parasitic fungus of the shepherd's- purse; 

 and Gustav Mann's, on "The Embryo-sac of Angiosperms." The papers of most 

 interest in Zoology are those of E. W. Cariier, " On the structure of the so-called 

 Hibernating Gland in the Hedgehog " ; and "On the Skm of the Hedgehog ; of 

 Gustav Fritsch "On the origin of the Electric Nerves in the Torpedo, Gymnotus. 

 Mormyvus, 3.nA Malapteruvus. Several interesting economic papers on Fishenes- 

 Calderwood, " On the Destruction of Immature Fish " ; Holt, " On the Relation of 

 Size to Sexual Maturity,' and " On the Destruction of Immature Fish in the North 

 Sea" and Cunningham "On the Protection of Immature Fish." Of the purely 

 Physiological papers, the most interesting are-Marcus Hartog "On Rabl s 

 Doctrine of the Personality of the Segments of the Nucleus." and Weismann s 

 •■ ■ Idant ■ Theory of Heredity " ; and Gustav Mann, " On the Ongm of Sex. 



A Guide to Sowerby's Models of English Fungi in the Department of Botany 

 has been published by the Trustees of the British Museum. It has been prepared 

 bv Mr Worthington Smith, who, a few years ago. restored the models to their 

 original colour. The little book of 82 pages, with 93 illustrations, costs only four- 

 pence and deserves particular notice from the fact that it is not merely a guide to 

 the models, but to the larger forms of our native fungi. All the prominent genera 

 of the Hvmcnomycetes. Gasteromycetes. and Ascomycetes-pvominent from their size-are 

 represented here in their typical species with adequate descriptions, and a woodcut 

 for each genus. The so-called microscopic forms are not dealt with, and since their 

 study is not by any means so popular as that of the larger fungi, there will be no 

 popular regrets on this head. The search for. naming, and drawing of mushroomc 

 and toadstools is a very favourite pastime, apart from its scientific interest, aniong 

 large numbers of leisured country folks, as well as the Saturday afternoon naturalists 

 and the issue of this little book for fourpence, with its well-executed figures and 

 simple descriptions, is sure to be popular, apart from ^^^ i"f "' ^^ ^ S^'.^f.^^ ^^^ 

 models In fact it is much more likely to be utilised away from the models than 

 in presence of them. Mr. Worthington Smith's magnificent series of drawmgs 

 exhibited beside the models is another attraction to the botanical gallery for 

 students of Fungi, and the authorities are to be congratulated on the exhibition, as 

 well as on the production of this Guide, which bears all the marks of honest work. 



