302 REVIEWS. 



and, allhough complete in itself, is really a continuation of Vol. VII., entitled 

 "Vegetable Life in its Lowest Forms," as it takes up the story of Plant Life 

 where the former volume laid it down. The two books, taken together, give a 

 general summary of the laws governing all vegetable life, with examples of the 

 various forms assumed by plants, from the lowly invisible fungus to the stately 

 oak. The illustrations, of which there are 53, are chiefly from photographs 

 taken direct from nature. 



Die Naturlichen Planzenfamilien. By A. Engler. Nos. 

 140 to 145, and 149 to 152. (Leipzig : Wilhelm Engelmann. London : 

 Williams and Norgate. 1896-7.) 



These parts contain accounts and descriptions of the Labiata;, by J. 

 Briquet ; Fucaceee, DictojotacecC, by F. R. Kjellman ; Rhodophyccix;, by 

 F. Schmitz and P. Hauptfleisch ; Bangiacece, Rhodochactacere, Comp^opo- 

 gonaceae, Thoreaceae, by F. Schmitz ; Lemaneaceae, Helminthocladiaceae, 

 Chaetangiaceee, Gelidiaceae, Acrotylacese, Gigartinaceae, Rhodophyllidaceae, 

 Sphaerococcacese, Rhodymeniacese, Delesseriaceae, Bonnemaisoniacere, by F. 

 Schmitz and P. Hauptfleisch ; Rhodomelacea;, by F. Schmitz and P. Falken- 

 berg ; Pyrenomycetineas, Perisporiales, Hypocreales, Dothideales, Sphaeriales, 

 by G. Lindau ; and Peridiniales and Bacillariales, by F. Schutt. 



These parts contain 405 illustrations, composed of 1385 figures. All the 

 illustrations are excellent. 



By Vocal Woods and Waters : Studies from Nature. By 



Edward Step. Cr. 8vo, pp. 254. (London; Bliss, Sands, and Co.) 2/6. 



Mr. Step is a charming writer, and the twenty-two chapters of the book 

 before us are written in a most interesting manner. These chapters treat of 

 The Sea, Life on an Old Wall, Vegetable Vagrants, A Wasp's Nest, Toads, 

 Vegetable Monsters, and a host of others. It is nicely illustrated. 



Birds of Our Islands. By F. A. Fulcher. Crown 8vo, pp. 

 368. (London: A. Melrose.) 



Bird lovers will find much to interest them here. The book is not, and 

 does not pretend to be, an exhaustive treatise on bird life ; but the twenty-six 

 chapters into which the book is divided treat the subject in a most interesting 

 manner, and there are 98 very good illustrations. 



The Migration of Birds : An Attempt to Reduce Avine 

 Season-Flight to Law. By Charles Dixon. Amended edition. 8vo, pp. xix. 

 — 426. (London: Horace Cox. 1897.) 



To the genuine lover of birds there is no more fascinating pursuit than to 

 watch the comings and goings of his favourites, whilst to the more scientific 

 ornithologist Migration is not only an intensely interesting proceeding, but a 

 function fraught with importance in the history of bird life. 



The vol. before us embodies the result of sixteen or seventeen years' dili- 

 gent study and research, as well as close application and thought. The various 

 chapters treat of The Law of General Distribution ; Ancient and Modern 

 Views of Migration ; The Cause, Philosophy, and Routes of Migration ; 

 Migration in the Southern Hemisphere, Internal Migration, and Local Move- 

 ments ; Nomadic Migration ; The Perils of Migration ; The Destinations of 

 the Migrants ; Spring and Autumn Migration of Birds. This new edition has 

 been entirely re-written in accordance with the author's latest discoveries and 

 views respecting the subject of Bird Dispersal. 



