100 
NATURE 
logists, my own included, would it be convenient for me 
to enter into detailed argument on his ethnology. I need 
only mention as points to which exception is likely to be 
taken, Mr. Clodd’s easy passing over of the really serious 
difficulty, what became of the bones of the Drift-men and 
Cave-men, and his too confident expressions as to the first 
habitat of man, and the Origin of Languages. This said, 
what is left for me is simply to announce his work, help- 
ing to make it known to the class of readers who are 
waiting for it. : E. B, TYLOR 
OUR BOOK SHELF 
Notes on Natural Philosophy. By G. ¥. Rodwell, 
F.R.A.S., F.C.S,, Lecturer on Natural Philosophy in 
Guy’s Hospital and Science Master in Marlborough 
College. (London: J. and A, Churchill, 1873.) 
THIS useful little work is an enlargement of Notes 
which the author had prepared for the students attending 
his lectures at Guy’s Hospital. The title is perhaps a 
little too wide, as the book contains no reference to 
Sound and but a scanty treatment of Light, polarisation, 
for example, being not even mentioned. These omissions 
are explained in the preface as caused by the adaptation 
of the notes to the “Preliminary Scientific” Examination 
at the London University. We are quite sure, however, 
the author will agree with us that students for this exami- 
nation will have to supplement their reading by some 
rather stiffer work than we find here. As an zn¢yvoductory 
text-book for this examination it is quite the best we have 
seen, the author having carefully avoided that atrocious 
system of giving candidates only just such knowledge as 
may help them to scrape through an examination, The 
evidence of conscientious labour which is conspicuous 
throughout the book makes us the more regret the incom- 
pleteness of these Notes, Even of the subjects treated it 
is obvious that in 160 pages, only the barest outlines of 
natural philosophy can be given. The “ Notes” therefore 
chiefly consist of lucid and concise definitions, and every- 
where bristle with the derivations of scientific terms. To 
this latter point the author has devoted much labour and 
thereby done good service to science; though on the other 
hand we cannot help thinking Mr. Rodwell runs a fair 
chance of being accused of pedantry by his frequent use 
of Latin quotations. One or two little points needing 
correction catch our eye. Fig. 18 is printed upside down; 
amidst all the derivations we do not see the meaning of 
the terms given to different thermometric scales ; here as 
in some other books cobalt is erroneously stated to be 
attracted to a magnet even at the highest temperature. 
As this seems to be a frequent error we will give 
Faraday’s own words on this matter: they are to be 
found on the very last page of his “ Experimental Re- 
searches in Electricity.” ‘‘ By greater elevation (of tem- 
perature) nickel first loses its distinctive power at about 
635° F., then iron at a moderate red heat, and cobalt at 
afar higher temperature than either, near the melting- 
point of copper.” There cannot be a doubt that this 
little book will be of use to science teachers and science 
students, 
Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists 
Soctely, for 1872-73. (Norwich: 1873.) 
THISs little volume contains some excellent papers. The 
president, Dr. Beverley, in his address, suggests, rightly, 
we think, that members of such societies ought, in their 
researches and papers, never to lose sight of the views 
and opinions usually associated with the name of Darwin, 
and very justly says that “the origin of species, the 
G. Barrett. This is followed by a long, carefully com- 
piled, and well illustrated list of the Fungi of Norfolk, by 
Mr. C. B. Plowright, M.R.C.S. © The president, Dr. 
Beverley, also contributes a paper on the edible fungi of 
Norfolk, in which he draws attention to the great value 
of this much neglected source of nutritive food. There 
is an interesting paper on the Ot er, by Mr. T. Southwell, 
F.Z.S. The two last papers are, one on the ‘“‘ Wild Birds’ 
Protection Act,” by Mr. H. Stevenson, F.Z.S., in which 
he points out the many obvious holes in the Act and 
adds a list of “ wild birds,” containing the most common 
provincial names by which they are known in England 
and Scotland ; and Notes on the Mammalia of Norfolk, 
by Mr. T. Southwell. This society deserves the greatest 
credit for the important work its members are doing, 
They are making a praiseworthy, and so far a successful 
effort, to publish a fauna and flora of Norfolk. Already 
there have been prepared a list of the Mammalia and 
Reptilia, the Land, Freshwater, and Marine Shells, and, 
as we have above said, a list of the fungi. 
followed by the Fishes, by Dr. Lowe; the Birds, by Mr. 
Stevenson (author of “ The Birds of Norfolk) ;” the Flow- 
ering Plants and Ferns, by Mr. H. D. Geldart ; Lepidop- 
tera, by Mr. C. G. Barrett ; all of which, we believe, are in 
hand, and will be published as the society finds funds to 
print them. Such a society deserves the greatest encou- 
ragement, and it is a pity that it should be hindered in its 
good work for want of funds. This ought not to be ina 
county like Norfolk, and we are sure that the intelligent 
inhabitants of that county only need to be made aware of 
the value of the work the society is doing, to come forward 
and lend it a helping hand. This they will best do by 
becoming members: and taking as active an interest in 
the work as their circumstances permit, The society 
ought to take effectual means of making its aims and the 
value of its work be known throughout the county, 
Birds of the Humber District. 
(Van Voorst.) 
Mr. CORDEAUX is so well known as a careful and trust- 
By John Cordeaux. 
worthy observer of nature, that any work on his favourite . 
subject, from his hand, must be read with interest. A 
residence of ten years in the district of which he writes, 
comprising Northand Mid-Lincolnshire, and Holderness, 
has enabled him to gain a thorough familiarity with the 
times of appearance and departure of the birds which 
visit it. These points he has noted with great pains and 
precision, as is proved by the fact that he has been .able 
clearly to trace the points of the district at which each 
of the migratory birds enter and depart, most doing so 
from the sea-coast, the grey wagtail, cuckoo, and common 
dotteril, being the only exceptions. The sections, of 
considerable length, devoted to the dates on which to 
expect the various wading birds, and the conditions of 
weather which cause these to vary, will be of great interest 
to sportsmen in the locality ; the woodcock, snipe, and 
plover receive the fullest attention. Among the rare 
birds’ that are recorded as having been met with formerly, 
or of which one or more specimens have been shot lately, 
we find the cream-coloured courser, Macqueen’s bustard 
(the only British example), Tengmalin’s owl, and the 
tawny pipit. Most extraordinary of all is a jacamar in 
the collection of Canon Tristram, which was shot in 
1849 by S. Fox, a gamekeeper, near Gainsborough; as 
the author remarks, “it must ever remain an ornitho- 
logical puzzle how it could have reached this country.” 
We recommend this excellent little work to all ornitho- 
logists and sportsmen, 
[Sune 5, 1873 
theory of evolution, and other Darwinian doctrines, can- 
not be proved or disproved by newspaper controversy or 
theological discussion.” The first paper is by Mr. Howard 
Saunders, F.Z.S., on the Ornithology of Spain, which is 
followed by a short paper on Vanessa Antiopa, by Mr. C. 
These will be 
