NOTICES OF BOOKS. 377 



cases — such as hybrid! ty, insect agency, cHmatal influence, litho- 

 logical conditions, species warfare, and even less generally recog- 

 nised means — he suggests, for instance, Epilohium lanceolatum [in 

 the neighbourhood of Plymouth] has " had its more general 

 diffusism accelerated by the light beard-a^Dpendaged seeds having 

 been carried on before passing engines to previously unoccupied 

 spots." The author concludes his paper (which we regret that 

 space will not permit us to reproduce) by saying, "Whilst I am 

 willing to accept certain views of natural phenomena adopted by 

 advocates of the evolution theory, I yet consider that ' not proven ' 

 must be written against the doctrine of the ' Origin of Species by 

 means of Natural Selection.' " 



Prof. P. M. Duncan has, under the title of 'Heroes of Science,' 

 compiled for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge a 

 series of short sketches of ''botanists, zoologists, and geologists." 

 The botanists selected are Eay, Tournefort, Linnaeus, and DeCan- 

 dolle ; and these notices are i)receded by an interesting sketch 

 entitled, "the infancy of the knowledge of i)lants," in which are 

 embodied notices of ' Aristoteles,' Theophrastus, ' Plinius,' and 

 Dioscorides. Prof. Duncan is careful to disclaim any originality 

 for his work, and to acknowledge the sources from which most of it 

 is derived ; but he has i^roduced a very readable volume, the sketch 

 of John Kay being especially well done. It is interesting to note 

 that this pious naturalist regarded the contemplation of the works 

 of God as "part of the business of a Sabbath-day." Many 

 naturalists besides the ones to whom the book is especially devoted 

 are incidentally noticed ; and it is to be regretted that the volume 

 was not completed by the addition of an index. 



Under the title ' Charles Darwin ' Messrs. Macmillan have 

 reprinted in their "Nature Series" the memorial notices of Mr. 

 Darwin which apj)eared in ' Nature,' with the very beautiful 

 likeness of him which was also published in that periodical. The 

 account of his "Work in Botany" is by Mr. Dyer. In another 

 part of the volume Mr. Eomanes draws attention to the influence 

 exercised by Prof. Henslow upon Darwin while at Cambridge ; and 

 Prof. Huxley contributes a characteristic preface, in which the 

 doctrine of evolution is spoken of as " irrefragably established in 

 science, inseparably incorporated with the common thoughts of 

 men, and only hated and feared by those who would revile but 

 dare not" ! Oddly enough, the date of Mr. Darwin's death does 

 not appear anywhere in the volume. 



We have received four parts (4-7) of ' The Botanical Atlas,' by 

 Mr. D. M'Alpine, of Edinburgh, whose 'Biological Atlas' has 

 already been noticed in these pages.'" It is to be comjDleted in 

 thirteen monthly parts, each part containing "four beautifully- 

 coloured plates," — a description which we are glad to endorse as 

 accurate, — and is intended to serve as a guide to the practical 



* ' Journ. Bot., 1880, p. 122. 



3 c 



