30G RE\TEW GUIDE TO DERBYSHIRE. 



Tourists' Guide to Derbyshire. By J. Charles Cox. London : Stanford. 



Price Two Shillings. 

 This is a guide book forming one of a series published by Mr. 

 Stanford. It is not without defects, but it possesses many excellencies. 

 To refer first to short-comiugs : The information as to inns is imperfect, 

 and the distances are not always accurate. Several of the most 

 picturesque bits in the county are not even mentioned ; as instances of 

 such omissions we may call the author's attention to the romantic road 

 from Hayfield into Edale, Cave Dale at Castleton, Alport Castles, the 

 head -of Dove Dale, and the Lathkill Valley. A tone of depreciation of 

 Derbyshire scenery is often assumed, which runs counter to popular 

 judgment ; as for examiale, the slur cast on Chee Dale and Mousal Dale. 

 The lover of the moorlands also will certainly be surprised to learn that 

 Kinder Scout and Axe Edge are not worth the trouble of ascending. 



On the other hand, however, to the ecclesiologist the book will be 

 invaluable ; the descriptions of the churches are full and accurate ; 

 indeed, when we remember who is the author, praise becomes needless. 

 In the Church Mi-. Cox is thorouglily at home, and the reader gets the 

 best information in the handiest form. 



Coming to matters scientific we are glad to see a good description of 

 Derbysliire Geology, and we can only regret that space seems to have 

 prevented a similar chapter on the Botany of the county. The geological 

 sketch is well done, and includes a reference to the important discoveries 

 of Pleistocene mammaha and traces of Palasohthic man in the Derby- 

 shire caves. It would have been as well had the high merit of the Eev. 

 J. M. Mello, as discoverer of the CressweU deposits, been recognised ; the 

 results of that exploration (the chief part of which was carried on by a 

 committee under the superintendence of Professor Boyd Dawkins, whose 

 valuable aid is not referred to) have been di\-ided amongst the museums 

 at Derby, Manchester, Castleton, Sheffield, and other places, and are not 

 aU at Derby as supposed by the author. The general conclusions di-awn 

 by Mr. Mello, Professor Busk, and Professor Dawkins are, however, 

 stated with accuracy. 



The reader will find frequent references to the monuments of pre- 

 histoi-ic archaeology which abound in the Peak. He may not beUeve 

 them all to be of Celtic oiigin, or accept Mr. Fergusson's " Rude Stone 

 Monuments " as any sort of an authority on British antiquities ; but he 

 will find Mr. Cox's descriptions very useful. 



Altogether the book is a valuable addition to Derbyshire literature, 

 and the stranger who uses it will find his way to many an object of 

 interest or beauty which Black or Murray entirely ignore. 



METEOEOLOGY OF THE MIDLANDS. 

 THE WEATHER OF SEPTEMBER, 1878. 



BY W. JEROME HARRISON, F.G.S. 



The first fortnight of the month was dry and pleasant weathei", only 

 broken by a severe thunderstorm on the 8tli, in which at Pitsford l-GO 

 inches of rain fell between 30 a.m. and i) a.m. In the same stoi-m, 

 •3.S inches fell at Bishop's Castle in ten miimtes, -GO inches in one hour 

 at Shifnal, and 1-'21 inches in one hour at Kinvcr. A severe westerly 

 gale blew on the 15th, and was followed by showery and cloudy days 

 to the end of the month. On the morning of the 30th, another heavy 

 thunderstoi-m was experienced at most stations, doing much damage 

 near Coventry, and lai-gely denuding the trees of their leaves. 



