Feb. 1 6, 1888] 



NATURE 



Z^Z 



sistencies in the limitation of the regions, because we 

 believe that the latest and fullest data relating to the 

 regions in question clearly indicate that it is not a matter 

 of opinion. 



The Atlas as a whole is a most laborious and careful 

 compilation, and we do not doubt that it will meet with 

 the favour it deserves. The second sheet of maps illus- 

 trates the areas of certain important natural orders and 

 genera ; the third, the horizontal zones of vegetation of 

 the world ; the fourth, the flora of Europe ; the fifth, the 

 floras of Europe and Asia ; the sixth, the floras of Africa 

 and Australia ; the seventh, the floras of America ; and 

 the last represents the areas of plants cultivated for their 

 economic products. 



It would be easy enough to find fault with some of the 

 details of the limitation of Dr. Drude's sub-regions, those 

 of tropical Africa and Eastern Asia for example, though 

 it would not always be so easy to suggest more satisfac- 

 tory ones ; but we prefer judging the work by its merits 

 rather than by its real or assumed defects. 



This Atlas, it should be added, is a cartographical deve- 

 lopment of Dr. Drude's " Florenreiche der Erde," which 

 appeared in 1884, and formed the Erganzungsheft 74 to 

 Petermanri's GeographischeMitiheilimgenj that is to say, it 

 is a development so far as the maps are concerned, but the 

 explanatory letterpress has been reduced to four pages 

 folio. The maps, sixteen in number, are admirably exe- 

 cuted, and exceedingly elaborate ; indeed, the only fault 

 we find in them is an excess of detail, with perhaps too 

 little explanatory te.Kt for beginners. 



As the author very truly observes, the material available 

 for such a work is now almost inexhaustible, and the task 

 of selecting from it for the purposes in view was no easy 

 one. He brings into contrast the position of botanical 

 geography in 1848, when the first edition of Berghaus's 

 '*' Physical Atlas " was published, and there was nothing 

 approaching a complete flora of any of the larger areas 

 outside of Europe in existence. Even in 1855, when De 

 CandoUe gave to the world his now classical work, " Geo- 

 graphic Botanique Raisonrx^e," he could only deal with 

 fragments of floras. Now, though it may safely be 

 asserted that future discoveries can in no way afiect the 

 main theories of distribution based upon what is already 

 known, very much remains to be done in fossil botany 

 before we shall be able to trace in detail the early migra- 

 tions of plants. Therefore the only thing that can be 

 successfully accomplished yet is to work out more com- 

 pletely the present distribution of plants, which is prac- 

 tically all that Wallace has done for animals. But he 

 deals specially with the quality and probable origin of 

 the zoology- of his regions ; and it is just this aspect of 

 botanical geography that awaits further development. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Tenants of an Old Farm. By Henry C. McCook, D.D. 

 (London ; Hodder and Stoughton, 1888.) 



The object of this book is to present " a series of exact 

 truths from natural history in a popular form." The 

 author's original intention was to write a number of essays 

 upon insect life, and particularly upon the life of ants and 

 spiders, which he has especially studied. Friends, how- 

 ever, persuaded him to give the essays a colloquial form, 

 so that they might appeal to as wide a circle of readers 



as possible. We are not sure that the change was in all 

 respects an improvement, for, as Dr. McCook says, " the 

 truths of Nature are attractive enough in themselves, and 

 need not the seasoning of fiction." The book is very 

 popular in the United States, and there can be little 

 doubt that it will also be appreciated on this side of the 

 Atlantic. The author is a keen and accurate observer of 

 Nature, and his enthusiasm for his subject is so steadily 

 maintained that it cannot but exert some influence on the 

 minds of young students. For the present edition a 

 brief introduction has been written by Sir John Lubbock, 

 who bears cordial testimony to the fidelity and skill with 

 which Dr. McCook has carried on his researches. The 

 work is remarkably well illustrated. 



Diggings Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern 

 Territory of South Australia. By Mrs. Dominic D, 

 Daly. (London : Sampson Low, 1887). 



This is an interesting account of a part of South 

 Australia which is sure to become more and more 

 important. The writer spent three years — from 1870 to 

 1873 — in the Northern Territory, and by far the best 

 chapters are those in which she records her own ex- 

 periences. The history of the district during the last 

 fourteen years has, however, been carefully compiled from 

 the most trustworthy sources. She has, of course, a good 

 deal to say about the natives, her accounts of whom are 

 freshly and brightly written. Mrs. Daly is of opinion 

 that, so far as the treatment of the aborigines is concerned, 

 only one rule holds good — " firmness accompanied by 

 kindness, fair play, and an honest payment for work 

 done." If they make themselves disagreeable, they must 

 be kept " in their proper place," " for," she says, " when a 

 native shows signs of sulkiness and defiance, it is perfectly 

 certain some mischief is brewing." 



Photography Simplified. (London: Mawson and Swan, 



1887.) 

 This is a third edition, considerably revised and enlarged, 

 of an elementary and practical treatise, intended chiefly 

 for amateurs and those about to become acquainted with 

 the subject. The earlier chapters deal with the purchasing 

 of apparatus, followed by the various processes of taking 

 the negative, developing, printing, &c., and are written in 

 a very plain and intelligent way. The book concludes 

 with an appendix containing additional useful formute, 

 together with a set of labels for the photographic labora- 

 tory. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



\The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions 

 expressed by his correspondents. Neither can he under- 

 take to return, or to correspond with the writers of, 

 rejected manuscripts. No notice is taken of anonymous 

 communiccitions. 



{The Editor urgently requests correspondents to keep their 

 letters as short as possible. The pressure on his space 

 is so great that it is impossible otherwise to insure the 

 appearance even of communications containing interesting 

 and novel facts.'\ 



An Explanation explained. 



I AM glad to find that Dr. Guppy has at last enabled us to get 

 to the bottom — I cannot say to the foundation — of the story 

 which was related by the Duke of Argyll on November 17 in 

 last year, to the discredit of Prof. Bonney and the authorities 

 of the Geological Society. It is now admitted that the paper, 

 said to have been "offered to," and "refused by," the Society, 

 never came before the President and Council in any form what- 

 ever ; and that in fact the paper was not only never presented, 

 but was never even written ! 



Dr. Guppy's references to myself are capable of the simplest 

 explanation. During the whole time that he was absent in 

 the Solomon Islands, I was in the habit of receiving specimens 



