180 The Field Naturalist 's Quarterly May 



Weismann's theory of Heredity, the latter explained by Dr Stansfield in 

 a way that is very helpful. The book is a very useful addition to the 

 field naturalist's library. The illustrations are numerous and excellent. 



Several reviews are unavoidably held over. 



Contemporary Natural Science Periodicals. 



We are very pleased to find from our correspondents that the plan in 

 this column of drawing attention to the more important contributions to 

 other journals, which was initiated in our last issue, is much appreciated. 

 As we intended, it assists our readers to find articles on subjects in 

 which they are specially interested, and it will be a permanent feature 

 of the F. N. Q. in future. We regret that it is not quite complete, but 

 that is only because there are a few natural science journals which at 

 present are not sent to us. 



The articles in Knowledge during the last quarter have been quite 

 up to the high standard of that paper. Prominent amongst them are 

 those by Mr R. Lydekker on A Giant Seal and A Giant Land-Tortoise. 

 Mr Pycraft discusses Nature's Troubadours, the birds whose musical 

 organs are somewhat out of the ordinary in the results given forth. In 

 the February issue Mr Fowler began a discussion on the Chemistry of 

 the Stars, Mr Collier wrote on Cross-Fertilisation in Sociology, while in 

 March Mr Lloyd Praeger in his article on British Wild Flowers has 

 some interesting details on the climbing of brambles. Mr Williams is 

 of decided opinion that the red-necked phalarope has bred for some 

 years in the west of Ireland, the exact locality being wisely withheld 

 from publication. There is still room for much ornithological work in 

 Ireland. The April issue contains other attractive papers. 



It is somewhat unusual to find Blackwood's Magazine containing 

 articles on outdoor nature topics, but both the March and April issues 

 have an article by Ernest Robinson, the former on the Sussex Downs, 

 the latter on the Nesting Season. Both are excellently written and are 

 sure to be appreciated. 



That excellent publication the American Naturalist contains in 

 its January issue an article on the Water Snakes of Southern Michigan, 

 by H. L. Clark. The subject is of' course a very special one, but those 

 who are interested in the variations in snakes due to age and sex 

 should read this paper. In the same number Dr Shufeldt writes on 

 the Classification of certain Groups of Birds, and E. Berry on New 

 Ephemerid Nymphs. In the February number the most important 

 item is by E. C. Case on American Pelycosauria. 



A most useful article to the field naturalist who wants to learn how to 

 describe accurately the external characters of a bird will be found in the 



