220 
NATURE 


ance is pleasing and often beautiful, their characters are 
generally very clear and distinct, so that the discrimina- 
tion of the species is by no means difficult, and their 


Painted Lady. Var. 1. 
Natural History is easily studied ; whilst the small number 
ot the species renders it an easy matter for the beginner to 
procure in a season or two by far the greater proportion 
of the known forms. 
Although there are already many books treating spe- 
cially of the British butterflies, some of them expensive, 
and others so cheap as to come within the reach of every 
one, we cannot blame Mr. Newman for adding one more 
to the number, especially as his work is distinguished by 
the great prominence given in it to the Natural History 
of the species. Upon this subject, as also upon the dis- 
tribution of the species in Britain, Mr. Newman has long 
been publishing details from his own observations and 
those of other naturalists, in his periodicals the “ Zoo- 
logist ” and “ Entomologist ;” and the whole of the infor- 
mation thus accumulated is here summarised and sup- 
plemented with observations derived from other sources. | 
Another useful feature in the present work is the insertion 
of notices, and frequently of figures of the more impor- 
tant varieties of each species, which will often relieve the 
young student from a state of puzzled suspense in the de- 
termination of his specimens. The classification adopted 
is founded, in its broad outlines, upon the preparatory 
states of the insects, but it leads pretty nearly to the same 
results as the system more generally followed. 
The illustrations are very numerous, including figures 
of all the species and of both sexes when there is any 
difference either in the upper or lower surface. They are 
all woodcuts, and are generally well executed, as may be 
seen from the examples which we are enabled to give. 
W. S. DALLAS 



OUR BOOK SHELF 
The Western Chronicle of Science. Edited by J. H. 
Collins, F.G.S., Secretary to the Royal Cornwall Poly- 
technic Society. January to June, 1871. (Falmouth. 
Pp. 96.) 
WE are glad to afford space for a short notice of this 
cheap scientific journal, which, although specially intended 
for the benefit of the mining population of Cornwall and 
West Devon, deserves a wide circulation in all our mining 
districts. Each monthly number contains one or two 
original articles, either on general subjects, as “ The Prac- 
tical Value of Scientific Knowledge,” or giving descriptions 
of various forms of machinery, followed by notices of 
books, and a monthly chronicle of science. From one of 
the editorial articles on “ The Practical Value of Scientific 
Knowledge,” we learn that a good stoker may effect an 
annual saving of nearly 35/. per annum over a bad one, 
and that it is a common Cornish habit to hang heavy 
jackets, great coats, &c., on the lever of the safety valve of 
engines devoid of a pressure guage ; while the farmers, 
with the view of giving their ground two good things at 
once, mix lime with their guano some days before spread- 
ing the manure. A very remarkable natural-history 
statement is made by Mr. Williams, of Hayle, in his 
paper on “ Scientific Nursing.” “I have (he says) in my 
possession a double chick, the produce of an egg laid by 
a barn-door fowl, one half being the natural species, the 
other half composed of the sparrow-hawk!” Until this 
remarkable chick appears 77 propria Persond at the office 
of NATURE, or, at all events sends us its photograph, we 
must, with much regret, decline to accept the fact. 
Medizinische Fahrbiicher. Werausgegeben von der K. K. 
Gesellschaft der Aerzte, redigirt von S. Stricker. Jahr- 
gang, 1871, Heft I. und II. Mit 26 Holzschnitten und 
2 lithographirten Tafeln. (Vienna: Braumiiller; Lon- 
don: Williams and Norgate, 1871.) 
THE two parts before us are the continuation, in a new 
form, of an old and valuable periodical, and, under Prof. 
Stricker’s able editorship, its tendency, instead of being, 
as heretofore, chiefly clinical, will be so far modified as to 
embrace all the results obtained in the physiological labo- 
ratory. A glance at the table of contents is sufficient to 
prove the truth of this statement. Thus putting aside the 
first paper by Prof. Stricker, entitled “ Pathology and 
Clinical Observation ;” the rest, nine in number, are 
nearly all devoted to the results of microscopic research. 
Thus, Dr. Genersich contributes a paper on the Serous 
Canals of the Cornea ; Dr. Heiberg one on the Regenera- 
tion of the Corneal Epithelium ; Dr. Giiterbock one on 
Inflammation of Tendons; Dr. G. F. Yeo one on the 
Structure of Inflamed Lymphatic Glands ; Dr. Lang one 
on the First Stages of Inflammation in Bone; Dr, 
Albert and Dr. Stricker one on Surgical Fever, and the 
latter author another on the nature of the Poison of Pus, 
andsoon. The journal leads off with a good start, and 
if it continues as it has commenced, will probably 
take up a leading position. We notice one or two of the 
papers that appear to be of general interest. reyes 


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 
[Zhe Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed 
by his Correspondents. 
communications. | 
Cotteau’s “‘ Echinides de la Sarthe ” 
A NOTICE of Cotteau et Triger’s Zchinides de la Sarthe in 
a recent number of NATURE (June I5, p. 120) is likely to 
convey a false impression of the accuracy of M. Cotteau, and 
throws considerable doubt on the value of his work. It is not 
often that French scientific men are as conscientious as he is in 
the examination of authentic types. There is hardly a collection 
of fossil Echini which M. Cotteau has not examined ; and his 
[Fuly 20, 1871 — 
No notice is taken of anonymous ~ 


