September 1, 1896.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



207 



fish, plants, shooting, hunting, fishing, and poaching. We 

 may mention that the black rat (Miis rattus) is not so rare 

 as laid down by Mr. Fisher, who says, " I very much doubt 

 if it would be possible to procure a single specimen of this 

 rat at the present time." The book, as a whole, is excel- 

 lent, and deserves every praise as a popular work on our 

 outdoor Ufe. 



Intniihiction to the Stialij of Fungi, for the Use of CoUecturs. 

 By M. C. Cooke, M.A., LL.D.,*A.'L.S. Pp.360. Illus- 

 trated. (A. & C. Black.) Students of mycology know 

 that a work by Dr. Cooke is always a desirable possession, 

 and the confidence they have in his productions will induce 

 them to add this volume to their libraries without con- 

 sidering the evidence of reviewers as to its value. And 

 their action would certainly not give them cause for regret 



in the present 

 instance. No 

 work that we 

 know of gives a 

 better account of 

 the distribution 

 and classifica- 

 tion of fungi, and 

 in none is the 

 organography 

 described with 

 greater regard 

 for the interests 

 of students. The 

 illustrations are 

 instructive and 

 suflicient, and 

 though many of 

 them are old 

 friends they are 

 none the less 

 truly helpful adjuncts to the text. A serviceable bibliography 

 is given at the end of each chapter, and these, with the foot- 

 notes, will be appreciated by inquiring minds. The work, 

 as a whole, is a valuable introduction to the systematic 

 study of fungi, and it supplies an acknowledged want. We 

 regret to note that Dr. Cooke says of it : "It is probably 

 my last contribution of any importance to British mycology. ' ' 

 Tlie Astrunoiinj of Milton's " Paradise Lost." By Dr. 

 Thomas N. Orchard. Pp. 338. Illustrated. (Longmans, 

 Green, & Co.) Of all the sciences, astronomy best lends 

 itself to poetical description. A glance at the heavens 

 when stars are sparkling on the black infinitude of space 

 is sufficient to inspire anyone, while knovvledge of the 

 simple laws obeyed by celestial bodies in their motions 

 gives the poetic fancy still wider scope. Dr. Orchard, by 

 bringing together the astronomical allusions in Milton's 

 " Paradise Lost," has added a choice work to the literature 

 in which cultured men find pleasure. Milton possessed a 

 comprehensive knowledge of astronomy, and this enabled 

 him to rise to lofty flights in his sublime poem. Though 

 he was conversant with the Copernican system, and 

 appeared to be convinced of its truthfulness, he selected 

 the Ptolemaic cosmology as the scientific basis upon which 

 to construct his poem, thinking, perhaps, it was better 

 adapted for poetic description. How very proficient he 

 was in the astronomical Icnowledge of his day is clearly 

 shown by the extracts from " Paradise Lost " given by 

 Dr. Orchard. The title of the book hardly expresses the 

 scope of the contents. At least one-half of the text is made 

 up of descriptions of astronomical objects and phenomena — 

 instructive in every sense, but not directly connected with 

 the subject. We suggest to Dr. Orchard that his volume 

 should have borne some such title as " Celestial Systems 



Branched Carpophore of Peronospora. From 

 Br. Cooke's Stucli/ of Fungi (A. & C. Black;. 



and Objects, with Astronomical Allusions in ' Paradise 

 Lost'"; at any rate, the Miltonic description of the book 

 should only form a sub-title. 



British Moths. By .1. W. Tutt, F.E.S. (Routledge.) 

 Illustrated. Written for young entomologists, this 

 forms an excellent book for the begmner. Besides 

 giving a good description of the moths and larvje, the 

 author tells when and where and how to find them, and 

 also explains very lucidly the phraseology in use in con- 

 nection with the study of entomology. Some sound advice 

 is given to the would-be student of the Lepidoptera, and 

 the book forms quite the best guide and companion that 

 we know to the youthful collector, and as such we would 

 heartily recommend it. The illustrations are not of course 

 so good or extensive as those in more elaborate books, but 

 the coloured plates, together with the cuts in the text, are 

 all that is needful in a first book. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



New Ground in Sonraii. By E. J. Goodman. With Ilhiskrations 

 from Pliotographs by Paul Lange. (Xewnes.) 10s. 6d. 



Other Suns than Ours. By Richard A. Proctor. (Longmans.) 



Besiills of Sain, Jliver, and Eraporation Observations made in 

 y. S. ir. Bv H. C. Kussell, B.A., C.II.G., F.R.S. (Sydney : Charles 

 Potter.) 33. "6d. 



Sl-erfchly's Physical Geography. (.Murby's Text Books.) Is. 



The Peigii of Perfection. By "Walter Sweetman, B.A. (Digby, 

 Long, & Co.) 3s. 6d. 



The Site of Camulodtinum. Bv I. ChalklevGould. (Mariborovigh 

 &Co.) 



British Mosses, Students' Sandbook of. By H. X. Dixon, M.A., 

 F.L.S , and H. fr. Jameson, M.A. (John Whe'ldon & Co.) 18s. 6d. 



Artistic Landscape Photography. By A H. Wall. (Bradfortl : 

 Percy Lund & Co., Ld.) 



Xacigafion and Nautical Astronomy. By F. C. Stabbing, M.A. 

 (Macraillan.) 83. 6d. 



As/ronomical 0/iservation.<t and Researches made at Dunsink. 

 (Dublin : Hodges, Figgis, &, Co.) 



Modern Jstrolo(/if for August. (Bouverie St.) Is. 



Ocean Rainfall,' with Chart and Tables. By W. G. Black, 

 F.R.M.3. (2, George Square, Edinburgh.) 



The Junior Salon. (Percy Lund & Co , Ld.) 6d. 



Science Progress for August. (Scientific Press, Ld.) 2s. 6d. 



Photo-Trichromatic Printing. By C. Or. Zander. (Raithby, 

 Lawrence, & Co., Ld.) 



We have received a very useful illustrated catalogue of surveying 

 and drawing instruments from Messrs. T Cooke & tons. It contains, 

 among other things, details of a new Tacheograph, which consists of 

 a combination of a tai'heomcter and a plane table, the joint invention 

 of Messrs. Victor de Zicgler and Charles Hager. One of these 

 instruments has been recently su]iplied to the Indian Government 

 for the purpose of experiment and trial. Messrs. Cooke's i>atent 

 reversible level still holds its own, we believe, as one of the most 

 reliable instruments. The catalogue contains details of many other 

 instruments, besides a very useful ajipcndit, consisting of two de- 

 siriptive chapters on the adjustment of their levels and theodolites. 



iietttts. 



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

 statements of correspondents.] 



TIIK TlIEOKi* OF THE TIDES. 

 To the Editors of Knowledge. 



Sirs, — I have read with interest the letters of your 

 correspondents on the subject of tides, and I cannot help 

 thinking that, although the details of tidal phenomena are 

 doubtless very complex owing to the numerous causes at 

 work, the difficulties of explanation of the outlines of the 

 main phenomena have been somewhat exaggerated. 



Sir John Herschel, in his "Outlines of Astronomy," 

 says, when speaking of the tides, that " many persons find 

 a strange difficulty in conceiving the manner in which they 

 are produced. That the sun, or moon, should by its 

 attraction heap up the waters of the ocean under it, seems 

 to them very natural. That it should at the same time 



