Jr\i:. 1912, 



KNOWL]:i)GE. 



/OOHH.V. 



Earth and Iter Children. — By Hkkbeui' Mann Li\ii.\s. 



Illustrated by Horace Mann Livens. Fanny M. Minns, Geoffrey 



Livens, and others. 248 pages. 92 illustnitions. 



7-1 -in. X 5-in. 



(T. Fisher L'nwin. Price. 5 - net. I 



This is a nature-book for young children, conversational in 

 its method, fanciful in its nomenclature, altogether pleasant 

 and wholesome in its outlook. The text is both adorned and 

 illustrated with interesting drawings. We have noticed that 

 when birds and beasts and trees and flowers are made to 

 answer cjuestions in a book, some children are bored, while 

 others not more imaginative are much interested. Those of 

 the second mood will enjoy " Earth and her Children." 



J. A. T. 

 The Ox and its Kindred. — By R. Lydekkf.r. 271 pages. 

 55 illustrations. 7ii-in.x5-in. 

 (Methuen & Co. Price 6/-.) 

 Mr. Lydekker will earn by this volume the gratitude of 



naturalists and breeders alike. For there has been a long 

 standing need for .a comprehensive and not too technical 

 account of the breeds of domesticated cattle and their 

 decipherable history. The author deals mainly with the 

 extinct wild ox and the domesticated breeds, but three 

 chapters are devoted to existing wild cattle, to hybrid cattle, 

 and some extinct cattle other than the aurochs. He displays 

 throughout his wonted competence and clearness. There are 

 many dilTicult (luestions discussed, but Mr. Lydekker treats 

 them without dogmatism in a judicial scientific temper. Thus, 

 in regard to the much debated question of the British Park 

 cattle, he lets the various views have their innings in turn. 

 In his own opinion, " the half-wild cattle which are known to 

 have roamed through the British forests in the time of Fitz- 

 Stephen, but whose precise origin and relationships cannot 

 now be determined, may perfectly well have given rise to the 

 various park-breeds, without the intervention of imported 

 breeds." A\\ park cattle and the older British breeds are 

 derivable, with or without the intervention of the Celtic 

 shorthorn, from the exterminated aurochs (Bos taiirus priini- 



BRIEF NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



The list includes books ii.-hich have been received since flic last number of' Knowledge" '>^-ent to press. 



The Esperance Morris Book. Part II. — Edited by M.^rv 

 Ne.\l. 48 pages. 12 illustrations. 12.i-in. X9i-in. 

 (J. Curwen & Sons. Price 5/-.) 

 The efforts of Miss Mary Neal to revive Morris and country 

 dances in England are well known. This book, edited by 

 her, is the second part of one which has already appeared. 

 It contains some reproductions of very interesting photo- 

 graphs with notes on tunes and dances which have been 

 written by Mr. Clive Carey, who, with Mr. Geoffrey Toye, 

 has collected the music which is printed in the volume. 



Studies in Seeds and Fruits. — By H. B. Guppv, M.B. 



528 pages. 9-in.x6-in. 



(Williams and Norgate. Price 15 - net.) 



Fruits always form a pleasing subject, though seeds are 



perhaps neglected by the nature student. Those who are 



attracted by either will find much of interest in this solid 



contribution to botany. 



Peeps at Industries — Rubber.— By Edith A. Browne. 



7i-in. x55-in. 88 pages. 24 illustrations. 



L\. & C. Black. Price 1,6 net.) 



We hear so much about Rubber at the present day that a 



short illustrated account of its history and cultivation is most 



welcome and Miss Browne has dealt very interestingly and 



exhaustively with the many aspects of the subject, in the space 



at her disposal. 



.A Manual of Practical Bio-Cheinistry. — By H. Leighton 

 Kesteven, U.Sc. 64 pages. 7-in.X5-in. 

 (The .Australian Book Co. Price 2/6 net.) 

 One hundred and one experiments are dealt with in the 

 work. The laboratory directions form the bulk of the letter- 

 press, which is printed on one side of the paper only so that it 

 is possible for a student to cut them out and stick them into a 

 note book. 



A Class Book of Physical Geography. — By A. T. Simmons, 



B.A., and Ernest Stenhouse, B.Sc. 436 pages. 222 



illustrations. 7j-in. X5-in. 



(Macmillan & Co. Price 4 6.) 



Although assistance in the framing of this book has been 



derived from a study of the syllabuses of all the principal 



examining bodies, and the descriptive portions of the volume 



will be found complete as a text book, yet practical exercises 



are set out at the beginning oi the various sections, and much 



of its educational value will be lost by students who neglect 



these for they will not become observers able to reason 



intelligently on the facts encountered. 



The Lantern and Hoio to Use it. — By C. Goodwin 



Nor ION and JuDSON Bonner. 146 pages. 93 illustrations. 



7-in. X 5-in. 



(Ha/ell, Watson & Vincy. Price 1 - net. I 



The lantern is so indispensable now and so many methods 

 of obtaining a light are used, that it is necessary for anyone who 

 wishes to project illustrations on to the screen to know something 

 about the subject before making a choice of apparatus. The 

 information required can be got from the book under con- 

 sideration which has been brought up-to-date, and includes 

 also many useful hints by which the would-be lanternist 

 cannot but be helped considerably. 



Tables .Annnelles Internationales dc Constantes et 

 Donnees Xunieriques. Vol. I. — 727 pages. 1 1-in. X 8:i-in. 



(J. \- -A. Churchill. Price 21 6 paper, and 

 24/- bound in cloth). 



We have received this important work and it is interesting 

 to chronicle that it contains a series of postcards which can be 

 torn out so that any reader may point out mistakes or omissions 

 that he may possibly discover. 



A School .-ilaebra. — By H. S. Hail. M..-\. 550 pages. 

 72-in. X 5-in. 



(Macmillan & Co. Price 2, 6.) 

 The present instalment forms Parts 2 and 3 of the book. 

 .■\s in Part 1 very special care has been taken with the 

 pagination. The matter is so arranged that it is never 

 necessary to turn over in the middle of any particular para- 

 graph, and so the reader is not once disturbed. This feature 

 is probably unique, and not to be found in any other 

 mathematical text book. 



Hoic' to use the Microscope. — By Chari.es A. Hall. 



88 pages. 20 plates. 7J-iu. X 5i-in. 



(-•^dam and Charles Black. Price 1/6 net.) 



The microscope is a tool which everyone should be able to 

 use, whether for business or for pleasure, and any book which 

 helps the beginner makes for good. At the same time it must 

 be pointed out that it is more useful to introduce new observa- 

 tions than to repeat old ones, and hence we should have 

 preferred that the illustrations, though they are excellent, 

 should have been of a less hackneyed character. The 

 proboscis of the blow-fly. the mounted flea, and the eye of a 

 beetle have become too well-known. Though proverbs are 

 often wrong, in this case familiarity does tend to breed contempt. 



