January 14. 1897 | 
NATURE 245 
wall he can find.” Nevertheless, in spite of this disfavour 
on the part of the professors, the book held its own in 
the favour of the student, although whether it did so 
entirely on its merits, or whether it was assisted by the 
deeply-rooted, conviction which used to be current in 
the medical schools that “ Kirke” was the book that 
was wanted by the examiners at “the College,” is a 
question which we prefer to leave undecided. 
But all this has now been changed. The patching 
process has been arrested ; “ Kirke” has been rewritten. 
And Mr. Murray may be congratulated on the choice he 
has made of an author—the term “edited” is very justly 
dropped altogether from the title-page. At the same 
time we may be permitted to drop a tear of regret that 
the long and original connection of the editorial staff 
of “ Kirkes’ Physiology” with “ Bart’s” should be ended, 
and that no one should have been found in that particular 
school worthy or willing, whichever it may have been, to 
undertake the task which Prof. Halliburton has now per- 
formed. We fancy that the late Dr. Kirkes would be no 
little taken aback could he behold the transformation 
which has been effected in his book. The whole 
arrangement is altered, so far as ‘the physiology 
proper is concerned ; the so-called “animal” functions 
are now taken first, and the “organic” functions next, 
while the general phenomena of nutrition are considered 
last of all. And the book bears the stamp—as is only 
natural it should do—of being written by one who is him- 
self practically familiar with what he talks about ; and this 
must be always the most important point in a text-book. 
Not that we would be supposed to undervalue “style,” nor 
have we any particular fault to find with that of this book. 
But Prof. Halliburton has handicapped himself at the out- | 
set by endeavouring to keep up the reputation of “ Kirke ” 
for providing all that a student may require in histology 
and embryology, as well as physiology proper. 
he has, in our opinion, committed an error of judgment, 
for the chapters upon these subjects occupy a consider- 
able bulk of the volume, which might reasonably have 
been devoted to considering some of the facts of physi- 
ology proper at greater length. The result is that the 
author has had in many subjects to adopt a style which 
is too concise to be thoroughly readable ; and, indeed, 
the small amount of space which he has been compelled 
to devote to some subjects of considerable importance is 
a decided blemish onthe book. Most subjects are quite 
as fully, and many subjects are much more fully treated 
of in the “ Elements of Physiology” of Dr. Starling than 
in this one, although Starling’s is a very much smaller 
book ; and the difference between the treatment of 
physiological problems by Waller and our author is not 
less striking, and is in great measure due, no doubt, to 
want of the extra space which the omission of histology 
and embryology would have afforded. Nor has the 
student any real countervailing benefit, for he will be 
sure to go for his histology and embryology to books 
devoted entirely to those subjects, and which give the 
requisite information more thoroughly and satisfactorily 
than it can possibly be given in a general treatise of 
this kind. Although in this respect we think it may 
with advantage be modified, Prof. Halliburton has, never- 
theless, produced an excellent book, and one which will 
be welcomed by many teachers and students. There 
NO. 1420, VOL. 55] 
. 
In this | 
| Tortrices, Tine@ and Plume Moths. 
are, however, one or two special points which ought not 
to pass uncriticised. One of these is the tendency of 
the author to describe a multiplicity of methods for 
obtaining particular results, irrespective of the relative 
value of such methods; and to give a multiplicity of 
opinions of physiologists on knotty subjects, without 
always taking a decided line himself. This tendency 
ought, we think, to be avoided in an elementary text- 
book, since the result is only to confuse the young student. 
Another point which we wish to notice is that the author 
has not, in our opinion, given full credit to other authors 
from whom he has borrowed either ideas or illustrations. 
Dr. Halliburton has, it is true, not carried this practice 
as far as is frequently done, and in most instances gives 
credit to whom credit is due: it is, indeed, probably by 
inadvertence that the immediate sources of his informa- 
tion are not everywhere acknowledged. But it is due 
to every author, and not less to the author of a text-book 
than to the author of a monograph, that, if his work be in 
any way appropriated, there should always be the com- 
pletest acknowledgment of such appropriation. Probably 
no scientific authors would object to their work being 
thus utilised, while, on the other hand, most of them 
might naturally experience annoyance at its utilisation 
without acknowledgment. 
OUR BOOK SHELF. 
The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and 
Burma. Published under the authority of the 
Secretary of. State for India. Edited by W. T. 
Blanford. Moths. Volume IV. By Sir G. F. 
Hampson, Bart. Pp. xxvill +594. 8vo. (London: 
Taylor and Francis, 1896.) 
THE present volume includes the Pyvalide, and an 
appendix to the earlier families of moths, thus com- 
pleting the review of all the Indian moths, except the 
The total number 
of species regarded as valid, exclusive of races or sub- 
species (many of which latter, it is reasonable to surmise, 
may hereafter be proved to be specifically distinct from 
the forms with which they are at present associated), 
amounts to 5618. The next volume of the “ Fauna,” it 
is announced by the editor, will likewise be devoted to 
insects, and will commence the series of descriptions of 
Indian Hymenoptera with those of the bees and wasps, 
by Lieut.-Colonel C. T. Bingham. 
We congratulate Sir George Hampson on the com- 
pletion (so far as the larger moths are concerned) of 
the important and useful work which he has under- 
taken. Of the execution of the present volume we need 
not say much, as we have already expressed our opinion 
freely, as regards the volumes which have preceded it ; 
and the author’s method, and the style of the work have 
undergone no alteration. We notice no falling off in 
either respect, nor are we more inclined to approve of 
such a dogmatic way of stating what cannot at present 
be more than an hypothesis, as the following : j 
“From the lower Pyraustine, with porrect palpi, and 
the third joint naked, arose also the other groups of 
Pyralide : ; 
““The Aydrocampina, with vein 10 of the fore-wing 
stalked with 8 and 9: 
“The Pyraling, with vein 7 stalked with 8 and 9, and 
vein 8 of the hind-wing free, giving rise to (a), the Endo- 
trichine,” &c. 
We think that cautious evolutionists should simply 
confine themselves to saying that such and such groups 
