34 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[February 1, 1896. 



The originality of the illustrations in this book commends 

 it at once as a work of exceptional interest. The text 

 consists merely of dry but careful descriptions of the 

 nests and eggs of the birds which breed in the British 

 Isles, and where they are to be found. It is true that the 

 author's object is to teach " how, where, and when to 

 find and identify " these nests ; but wo tliink that he has 

 made a very great mistake in not recounting more of the 

 many adventures and experiences which his brother and 

 himself must have met with in procuring the many 

 beautiful photographs contained in the volume before us. 

 The advantages of the camera as an aid to the naturalist 

 have never been better illustrated than in Jlr. Kearton's 

 book. The nest or eggs of almost every bird that is to 

 be found brooding in the British Isles are here portrayed 

 in their original position, just as they were found amidst 

 their natural surroundings. What could be more useful 

 to the ornithologist, or more interesting to those who never 

 have seen, and perhaps never will see, the actual thing ? 

 Beyond this, many of the photographs are beautiful pictures, 

 which will be admired and appreciated by those of artistic 

 tastes. By courtesy of the publishers we are enabled to 

 reproduce one of these illustrations. The photography of 

 birds in their native haunts, their nests and eggs, must 

 always be attended by a great deal of labour, difficulty, 

 disappointment, and even personal danger ; and we think 

 that Mr. Kearton and his brother have achieved a great 

 success in obtaining such a splendid collection of photo- 

 graphs. 



H*.< 



SHORT NOTICES. 



Bidden Beauties of Nature. By Richard Kerr, FG-.S. (I?. T. S.) 

 Is a well-illustrated work and forms an excellent introduction to 

 microscopical study. Mr. Kerr unfolds in simple language the 

 marvel? and beauties of many forms of life overlooked by most and 

 studied by few. It is hoped that the perusal of tliis book will induce 

 many to study the microscopical world around us. 



Garden Flowers and Plants. By J Wright, F.R.H.S. (Macmillan.) 

 Illustrated. This little manual will be found of great practical use 

 to amateurs in raisinj and growing plants and llowers in town, suburb, 

 or country. Each plant is treated separately, and the book is provided 

 with a good index. 



Nature's Stori/. By H. Farquhar, B.D. (Oliphant, Anderson, & 

 Ferrier.) Illustrated. Is written for young peojile. The author has 

 been very successful in explaining, in a series of brightly written 

 essays, many interesting and instructive scientific facts. The book is 

 eminently fitted for the young, and will bear perusal by manv older 

 persons. 



Analytical Keii to the Natural Orders of Flowering Plants. By 

 Franz Thonner. (Swan Sonnensehein.) To students of exotic flora's 

 this little book will prove of great value in extending their knowledge 

 of the subject, and especially in determining the v.arious orders to 

 which the vast number of these plants belong. 



An Introduction to the Study of Rocks. (British Museum, Mineral 

 Department ) This useful book gives, from a Museum point of 

 view, a simple sketch of the relationships of rocks, indicating all tlie 

 more important characters and pointing out their significance. 



A Popular Handbook to the Microscope. By Lewis Wright. 

 (B. T. S ) Illustrated. So many books liave been written, on'^thc 

 microscope, liow to work it, and on what is to be seen by its aid, that 

 we need only commend this book to our readers as very reliable and 

 well up to date. 



Whittaker's Almanack for lSi>6 is as complete and full of useful 

 information as ]iossible, and shoidd be possessed by everyone. 



Elementary Trigonometry. By Charles Penilebury, M.A., F.R.A.S. 

 (Bell & Sons.) Will be found of great service to mathematical 

 students, and especially to candidates for military examinations. 



An Ftementary Text-look of Mechanics. Bv W. Briggs, M.A., 

 and G-. H Bryan," M. A.. F R 8." (Clive.) Is one of the University 

 Tutorial Series, and affords beginners a thorough grounding in 

 dynamics and statics. Mathematical formulte have been avoided as 

 far as possible in tliis book, in order that the fundamental principles 

 of mechanics may be fully grasped. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



British and European Butttr/lies and Moths. By A. W. Kappcl, 

 F.1..S., F.E.S., and W. Kgmoiit' Kirby, L.8.A. (NisW) 25s. 



F.lhnoloyy. By A. H. Kcane, F.R.G.S. (Cambridge University 

 Press.) Illustrated lo<. (id. 



Leisure Readings. By K.Clodd, A. Wilson, 'I'. Foster, A C. Ranyard, 

 and R. A. I'roctor. New Edition. (I.ongmani.) Illustrated. lis. Cd. 



Our Household Insects. By E. A. liiitler. (Longmans) Illus- 

 trated. 3s. 6d. 



Cork Lane and Common Sense. By .\iidrew Lang. New Edition. 

 (Longmans.) 33. (id. 



Furs and Fur Oarments. By R. Davey. (The Roxburghe Press;) 

 lUusI rated. 



Minerals: British Guiana and its Resources. By the Author of 

 " Sardinia and its Resources " (Philip & Son.) Cloth, 2s. fid.; Jiaper. 28. 



Popular Telescopic .istronomi/. By A. Fowler, A. R.C S., F.R.A.S. 

 (Philip & Son.) Illustrated. 28. 



The fitory of the Solar System. By U. F. Chambers, F.R.A.S. 

 (Newnes.) Illustrated. Is. 



The Preceptors' Junior French Course. By S. Barlet. (Relfe 

 Bros.) Is. (id. 



The Koh-i-Niir Diamond. By E. W. Streetcr, F.R.G.S. (Iiell& 

 Sons.) Illustrated. 



Minerals, and Huw to Study Them. By E. Salisbury Dana (New 

 Vork ; Wiley & Sous.) Illustrated. 



Uttters. 



[The Editors do not hold themselves responsible for the opinions or 

 statemeuts of correspondents.] 



THE CONNECTION OF ASTRONOMY WITH GEOLOGY. 

 To the EiUtorx of Knowledge. 



Sirs, — A journal like Knowledge, which deals with 

 both sciences, affords the best medium for discussing 

 the relations between astronomy and geology. My 

 practical acquaintance with the latter science is very 

 limited, being almost confined to the remarkable 

 cavernous limestone district in the counties of Mayo 

 and Galway, of which but little seems to be generally 

 known. Englishmen know more of Adelsberg than of 

 Aylemore or Cong. But let that pass. My object is 

 to point out that geologists have not sufficiently availed 

 themselves of the results of astronomical research, and 

 perhaps a corresponding remark may apply to astronomers. 



One point of connection between the two sciences was 

 brought under the notice of the public by the late Dr. 

 Croll, who inverted the earlier but less known theory of 

 the late Mr. .Toseph John Murphy. I am not satisfied that 

 either theory aftbrds an explanation of the Ice Age, but 

 undoubtedly effects must have been produced on the fiora 

 and fauna of all extra-tropical regions which the geologists 

 should be able to trace. On the assumption of no per- 

 manent ice-cap, a period of maximum eccentricity and 

 winter aphelion must have produced a cold winter and a 

 hot summer, and a continuance of hot summers and cold 

 winters must have modified both animal and vegetable life. 

 The phenomena which depend on mean temperature would 

 be little altered, but those which depend on the extremes 

 of temperature would be extensively changed. There is, 

 I believe, in most animals, and probably plants, a principle 

 of adaptation which would enable them to survive the 

 change. This is the principle which Darwin described as 

 the " survival of the fittest ; " but the fact appears to be 

 that even the individual animal can to a large extent adapt 

 itself to the surrounding circumstances, as the winter's 

 cold causes the hair of the horse or cow (that is not housed) 

 to grow long. Of course, it may be said that the most 

 adaptable animal is among the fittest to survive — that on 

 the refrigeration of the climate the animal whose hair 

 became long was as fit as the animal whose hair was long 

 originally. But while I prefer my own term, the point on 

 which I insist is that the changes relied on by Croli must 



