1899] HISTORY OF BIOLOGY IX MINIATURE 405 



In this country biology is a very modern science, and in popular opinion 

 Darwinism or the doctrine of descent is the dominant conception which governs 

 it. Mr. Thomson introduces us to the foreign and pre-Darwinian thinkers, 

 Lamarck and Treviranus, who coined the term biology, and to those who formu- 

 lated the idea of a comprehensive doctrine of life and of the economy in living 

 nature : von Baer, Liebig and Boussingault, Johannes Midler, Claude Bernard, 

 and many others. We are shown how the older natural history of Ray and 

 Linnaeus became gradually unified and enlivened by the study of development, 

 of the interdependence of natural beings, by the great generalisations of the 

 cell theory, and finally by the theory of descent and evolution (Darwin and 

 Spencer). We are shown the changes which the term " Vitalism " has under- 

 gone. It is not a paradox to say that, so long as the objects of nature were 

 studied in their isolation, torn out of their natural environment and company, 

 the study of living things was the most lifeless of all studies ; it has only 

 recently become a living study. How this has been brought about, the volume 

 before us tells clearly, concisely, and attractively. 



Special studies cease to be dry and mechanical when we are enabled to see 

 the place and importance which they have in the great array of researches into 

 the nature and significance of life. We heartily recommend the book alike to 

 historians, philosophers, and biological specialists. British and foreign contribu- 

 tions are treated with equal impartiality ; the orthography of foreign names — 

 often faulty in similar books — seems very correct. We think we have noticed 

 only one mistake, which, however, in the unfortunate absence of a complete 

 index of names, we cannot at the moment refer to. J. Theo. Merz. 



SUCCESSFUL POPULARISATION. 



Wonders of the Bird World. By R. Bowdler Sharpe, LL.D., F.L.S., &c. 

 Assistant Keeper Sub-department Vertebrata, British Museum. With 

 Illustrations by A. T. Elwes. 8vo, pp. xvi. + 397, 3 plates and 233 

 figs. London : Wells Gardner, Darton and Co., 1899. Price 6s. net. 



Under this title Dr. Bowdler Sharpe gives us an acceptable and attractively 

 written volume — an amplification of his popular lectures on the " Curiosities of 

 Bird-life." A glance at the table of contents makes it manifest that among no 

 class of animals do we find such multifarious " wonders " as among birds. Here 

 we find chapters devoted to wonderful extinct and existing forms, to decoration 

 to playing grounds and gardens, to wonderful nests, to courtship and dancing, 

 to mimicry and protective resemblance, to parasitic birds, to migration, and to 

 geographical distribution. 



Though the book is popular in its aims, yet it will prove useful to ornitho- 

 logists as a work of reference, for Dr. Sharpe has gleaned his material from the 

 vast and widely scattered fields of zoological and other literature. 



In his treatment of the migration of birds, the author has scarcely done 

 either himself or his subject justice. We are told, and it is quite true, that we 

 have very much to learn concerning the wonders of migration. But it is equally 

 true that considerable advance has been made in our knowledge during recent 

 years, and that some highly important and interesting facts have been well 

 established. To these no allusion is made. Something too might have been 

 said regarding the marvellous journeys performed by migrants, almost equalling, 

 as they do in some cases, an annual flight round the world. Other phases of 

 this wonder of wonders of the bird-world might have been mentioned with 

 advantage. This is, however, admittedly the imperfect chapter among many 

 that are excellent. The book is nicely got up, well illustrated, and most reason- 

 able in price. W. J-], c. 



28 NAT. SC. VOL. XIV. NO. 87. 



