40 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



a kind of manual for our own as well as continental observers. 

 The index refers to seventy-eight distinct plant-genera; and 

 altogether the pamphlet is of interest tor perusal, as well as 

 of value for reference. — E. A. 0. 



Sketches of Animal JAfe and Halits. By Dr. Andrew 

 Wilson. W. & R. Chambers: London and Edinburgh. 



1877. 



We have before had occasion to notice works by Professor 

 Andrew Wilson, who as a popular writer on Natural-History 

 subjects has in tliis work excelled himself. This is saying 

 much, when we know what he has already done towards 

 creating a taste for the study of the most fascinating and 

 beautiful of all the sciences. His style is such that many 

 people on reading his books and scattered papers cannot fail 

 to take a deeper interest in the, to them, hitherto despised 

 atoms of life, wiiich they have been passing as animated 

 nothings. In these 'Sketches of Animal Life and Habits' 

 Professor Wilson, in his usual pleasant and popular manner, 

 leads US step by step from the lowest forms of life, as shown 

 in the animalcules, which we may find in the water we daily 

 drink, or which created such wonder when dredged from the 

 deep sea by the meuibers of the recent ' Challenger' Expe- 

 dition, on by degrees to the higher reptiles ; at which stage 

 we leave " these cold-blooded creatures" for the higher 

 animals. Though thus only noticing the lower half of 

 animated Nature, he finds in it a text of such interest that 

 his readers cannot fail to follow him to the end. 



Alter treating of the lowest animals the author gives us 

 some most readable chapters on " Sea Flowers," " Sea Eggs," 

 " Sea Butterflies," &c. ; coming to what will most interest the 

 readers of this magazine in his chapters entitled, " Some 

 Curiosities of Insect Life," and "Animal Disguises and 

 Transformations." In these both the young and elder ento- 

 mologist will find much to both instruct and interest him. 



In recommending this little book to our readers, we would 

 remind them that in pursuing their favourite branch of Natural 

 History it is always well to try to understand the relation of 

 each group of animals to its neighbours, thereby learning 

 where one group ends and another begins, or where in the 

 scale of Nature any particular group should be placed, and 

 why it should be so placed. In this book Dr. Wilson gives 

 many hints and suggestions, which will certainly lead many 



