728 Reviews. [Oct., 
scoured by Mr. Blackwall himself, and has yielded a wonderful 
harvest. Crumpsall, near Manchester, Southport, near Liverpool, and 
Oakland are localities constantly recurring, from the accidental cir- 
cumstance that one or other of the above active observers have- been 
located at these spots. The frequent record, too, of a species as having 
only once been met with proves that more workers only are necessary, 
not only to elucidate the distribution of spiders over the British islands, 
but also greatly to increase the list which Mr. Blackwall has already 
swelled to so large a size. 
In concluding this brief notice of a work of great value and im- 
portance, we cannot but pay a just tribute to the Ray Society, under 
whose auspices the work has been produced—a beautifully-printed 
quarto work of 400 pages. It is magnificently illustrated with twenty- 
nine plates, containing many hundred figures, for the most part coloured, 
including a coloured representation of every species, and often two 
such figures of a species, and numerous interesting details. Such a 
work could hardly have been undertaken by a private publisher, but 
by such a subscription society it has been produced in two parts, at 
one guinea each part to subscribers. There could be no stronger 
proof of the value of such a combination, and although the second 
part has been somewhat delayed on account of the plates, we trust that 
the Ray Society will meet with additional support on account of this 
transaction. It has passed through some difficulties, but we hope it 
has seen the end of them, and that under the direction of its present 
energetic secretary, a long career of usefulness may be before it. Our 
thanks are due to Mr. Blackwall for his splendid contribution to 
the Zoology of these islands, and we may congratulate him on their 
having been so admirably laid before the public, with, as we are told, 
considerable pecuniary outlay on the part of the author. 
POPULAR WORKS ON BOTANY.* 
Tux study of Botany has of late years been much extended, both as 
regards the curricula of universities and the course of lessons given to 
the young. Popular works have multiplied,—most of them illustrated 
by woodcuts, plates, or coloured drawings, which add much to their 
interest and usefulness. ‘Rambles in Search of Wild Flowers,’ by 
Miss Margaret Plues, is a work of this nature. In the introductory 
portion a description is given, in familiar language, of the various 
organs of plants ; the principles of the natural system of classification 
are explained; and the classes and sub-classes are defined. The 
natural orders are then described, and some of the common plants in 
each are noticed in an instructive manner, illustrated by coloured 
* «Rambles in Search of Wild Flowers, and How to Distinguish them.’ By 
Margaret Plues. London, 1863. 
ieee Rambles in Search of Flowerless Plants.’ By the same Authoress. London, 
