78 



KNOWLEDGE. 



February, 1913. 



YEAR BOOKS. 



Who's Who, 1911— 2,22b pages. 83-in. X 5.1-in. 



(Adam & Charles Black. Price 15/- net.) 



" Who's Who " comes to us this year in an enlarged form, 

 and contains no less than twenty-five thousand biographies. 

 Its great usefulness is made thereby still greater, and the 

 chances of anyone not finding within it what they seek are 

 considerably lessened. As would be expected, many men of 

 science are included, and the records of their lives, brief 

 though they are, make very interesting reading. Some of 

 them seem to consider that they have no need for recreation, 

 and probably that is 

 true of many enthus- 

 iasts, but others,like the 

 generality of people, 

 tell us how they get 

 relaxation. One well- 

 known zoologist gives 

 as his recreations, con- 

 versation in clubs and 

 tricycling. An Ameri- 

 can evolutionist boldly 

 states that he gets his 

 recreation in work. A 

 distinguished German 

 physicist spends his 

 spare time in climbing 

 the Alps, to which pas- 

 sion he says he has 

 clung for almost his 

 whole life. " Who's 

 Who " should be on 

 the shelves of every 

 intellectual person and 

 in every office of any 

 importance. 



Whitaker's Alman- 

 ack, 191 J.— By Joseph 

 Whitaker, F. S. A. 

 1,036 pages. 7j-in. by 

 5-in. 

 (Price 2/6 net. 

 Paper l/- net.) 

 Almost everything 

 that can be said in 

 praise of "Whitaker" 

 has been printed in the 

 many years during 

 which it has been 

 before the public. The 

 valuable astronomical 

 information which it 



contains would entitle it to a notice here, even if on its general 

 merits it did not claim its annual welcome. To us, perhaps, 

 its greatest usefulness lies in giving us the names of various 

 officials who carry on the scientific and educational work of 

 the Government, and that is but one point among many 

 thousands which others have come to appreciate. 



Whitaker's Peerage, 1913. — 854 pages. 72-in.X 5j-in. 



(Price 5/- net.) 



With Whitaker's Almanacks comes " Whitaker's Peerage," 

 which is of a convenient size, reasonable price, and handy to 

 use, because it has one alphabetical list of everyone who has 

 a title or who has gained a decoration. 



The International Whitaker, 1913. — 529 pages. 

 7i-in.X5-in. 



(Price 2/- net.) 



The " I nternational Whitaker " is a new year book, which gives 

 information something similar to that of the old " Whitaker " 



By the courtesy 0/ 



Figure 69. 

 A Sectional Web spanning an open doorway 



with regard to our colonies and the various countries of the 

 world. As may be imagined, it is particularly intended for 

 English-speaking people, and it contains an interesting bio- 

 graphical note concerning the originator of " Whitaker's 

 Almanack," which it is to supplement, but not to supersede. 

 We anticipate for it a most successful career. 



/OOLOGY. 



Spiderland, — By R. A. Ellis. 108 pages. Numerous 

 plates. 73 -in. X 5^-in. 



(Cassell & Co. Price 3/6 net). 



As would doubtless be judged from its title, this popularly 



written book is inten- 

 ded for young people, 

 and we may add that 

 it will fulfil its object. 

 Its author's claim that 

 there are few books 

 dealing with the life of 

 spiders is a good one ; 

 occasionally in nature 

 study volumes a chapter 

 may be devoted to the 

 creatures in question, 

 and the writer of this 

 notice when a boy found 

 that they were one of 

 the things that could 

 be studied with interest 

 and advantage in a 

 town garden. 



In " Spiderland " a 

 very clear description 

 is given, when dealing 

 with structure, of the 

 conformation of the 

 spinnerets, and not the 

 least attractive parts of 

 the book are those 

 which are concerned 

 with the weaving of 

 snares. 



Occasionally one 

 meets with a sentence 

 which sounds more 

 effective than accurate: 

 as, for instance, in the 

 one which states that 

 spiders "banquet on the 

 ruddy drops that warm 

 the hearts of theirinsect 

 prey." Moreover "pro- 

 tective resemblance " 

 is the proper term to use when speaking of the likeness 

 of the spider to its natural surroundings. It is difficult to 

 " mimic " a flower or a twig. The author has been allowed 

 to make use of the writings of the late Dr. McCook, and the 

 following incident recorded by him is given : — " An English- 

 man, being pursued by Red Indians, sought refuge in the 

 hollow of an old tree. While hiding there he saw a spider 

 begin to weave her web over the entrance. Within a very 

 short space of time the orb was completed and the little weaver 

 took her station in the centre. No sooner had she done so, 

 than a Red Indian came by. He approached the hollow tree, 

 tomahawk in hand, but noticing the web with the spider 

 in the centre, naturally concluded that there was no tenant 

 there." 



There are many excellent illustrations and the volume 

 altogether forms a valuable addition to a boy's or girl's 

 collection of " nature books." 



W. M. W. 



Messrs. Cassell & Comfian 



(From (l Spiderland.") 



