108 
NATURE 
[ Mov. 25, 1869 
botanist to Britain, in his Flora of North Yorkshire, and, 
more recently, in that of Northumberland and Durham, 
The limited extent of Middlesex, and the uniform character 
of its geology, give little scope for the application of these 
views to its Flora. The only Dysgeogenous rocks are the 
narrow outcrop of chalk in the north and north-west ; the 
remainder of the county being composed of typical 
Eugeogenous strata. As far as it is possible, however, 
the authors have made good use of M. Thurmann’s 
labours, and the limited application is to some extent 
compensated for by the accuracy of the details. 
Appended to the volume is a valuable contribution to 
the history of British botany, covering to some extent 
the ground taken up by Pulteney in his “ Sketches,” and 
continuing it to the present day as far as the matter relates 
to Middlesex. Large additions are made to Pulteney’s 
biographies of Turner, Johnson, Plukenet, Petiver, and 
Doody. New and interesting memoirs are given of 
Buddle, Blackstone, Curtis, and other less known investi- 
gators of Middlesex plants. It would be greatly to the 
advantage of science, if the authors, encouraged by the 
success which has attended their investigations into the 
progress of Middlesex botany, would continue their 
researches, and give us, not a new edition of Pulteney, 
but a new History of Botany in Britain, 
W. CARRUTHERS 
OUR BOOK SHELF 
Van Heurck on the Microscope.—Le Microscope, sa Con- 
struction, son Maniement, et son Application aux 
x tudes a’ Anatomie végétale. Henri van Heurck, 
8vo. pp. 223, with Illustrations, price 3s. (Antwerp, 
1869. London: Williams and Norgate.) 
THE title-page of this little work, a mere fragment of 
which we have transcribed above, is perhaps its most 
objectionable feature. The ambitious superscription, 
however, need not affect its usefulness as an elementary 
descriptive treatise, and the English reader may add to 
his information by the perusal of a manual of micro- 
scopical manipulation written from a French or Belgian 
standpoint. 
We have no manual in English of precisely similar 
scope and intention with which to compare M. van 
Heurck’s; the one which it most resembles is, perhaps, 
Mr. Currey’s translation of Dr. Schacht’s excellent guide 
to the use of “the Microscope in Vegetable Physiology,” 
the chief difference being in point of thoroughness: the 
former is a popular, the latter a scientific work. 
M. van Heurck’s book is divided into two portions, of 
about one hundred pages each: the first, on the con- 
struction and choice of a microscope ; the second, on its 
application to vegetable anatomy. We may describe each 
section in a few words. 
Naturally, the instruments of French makers have 
prominence assigned to them ; and most of the well-known 
models manufactured by Hartnack, Chevalier, and Nachet 
are figured, together with one or two modifications we do 
not recollect having seen before. In too many of these, 
cheapness and simplicity go hand in hand with toy-like 
inefficiency. Some are of more interest, such as Cheva- 
lier’s “ Universal Microscope,” and a “ vertical,” or rather 
“inverted,” arrangement constructed by M. Nachet for 
photographic purposes. In the section devoted to mani- 
pulation, the subject of micro-photography is treated at 
greater length than has been customary in such works. 
All notice of the microscopes of English makers appears 
to have been omitted in the first Edition of “ Le Micro- 
scope,” beyond a general intimation that their “ price is 
exorbitant, and their complication excessive ;” but, “at the 
request of subscribers,” an appendix has been prepared to 
the present issue, containing a description of the instru- 
ments of Ross, R. and J. Beck, and Powell and Lealand. 
This seems to be written with only partial knowledge, 
and with very unequal justice. 
The second portion of the book contains little of novelty 
in either fact, theory, or method. Beginners will find in 
it the sort of information they require to enable them to 
examine and mount vegetable tissues, and the numerous 
little woodcuts will enable them to understand the more 
important structures. There is also a section on the ap- 
plication of reagents, intended for those who have advanced 
a step farther.in histological pursuits. 
We may repeat that, though M. van Heurck’s work 
will not bear comparison with several of our English 
manuals in completeness, the reader will scarcely rise 
from it without having gained a few useful hints. 
H. B, BRaby 
Bryologia Silesiaca. Von Dr. Julius Milde, Professor in 
Breslau. (Leipzig, 1869.) 
THIS is a systematic description of the mosses, not only 
of Silesia, but also of Jutland, Holland, the Palatinate, 
Baden, Franconia, Bohemia, Moravia, and the neighbour- 
hood of Munich. Specialattentionis, however, devoted tothe 
Silesian flora. The work is prefaced by an account (for 
the use of beginners) of the most important organs of the 
musci in reference to the determination of species. 
New Batrachians.—Uelber neue und wenig bekannte 
Batrachier aus Australien und America. Von W. 
Keferstein, Prof. in Gottingen, (Berlin, 1868.) 
THE G6ttingen Museum is rich in Australian frogs. Prof. 
Keferstein here describes, from the museum specimens, 
twenty-nine species. He also enumerates nineteen others, 
recorded as such in the literature of batrachiology, al- 
though their specific value appears, in many cases, to be 
doubtful. The frog-fauna of Australia, according to Prof. 
Keferstein, bears a great resemblance to that of South 
America. Some batrachians from Costa Rica are likewise 
described in this brochure. Five plates of figures are 
appended. It may be Worth mentioning that the authori- 
ties of the museum will be glad to exchange some of their 
superfluous Australian species for other batrachians. 
The Sandwich Islands.—Ezx Fahr auf den Sandwich- 
Inseln (Hawatische-Inseln). Won Dr. J. Bechtinger. 
(Wien, 1869. ) 
THE chief interest of this volume lies in its pictures of the 
social and moral condition of a primitive people in close 
contact with modern civilisation, and the subject for many 
years of unexampled missionary efforts. The author 
enters somewhat fully into the character of the climate, 
the nature of prevalent diseases, the physical and psy- 
chical characters of the people, and their probable ethnic 
affinities. Leprosy is a disease unfortunately very pre- 
valent among the inhabitants, and their Government have 
hit upon a notable plan for putting the sufferers out of 
sight, and preventing the spread of the disease by con- 
tagion. In the island of Molokai there is a plain near the 
sea, and walled off from the rest of the island by mountains 
from two to four thousand feet high, and almost totally 
inaccessible. ‘To this spot lepers are conveyed by a 
vessel which periodically leaves Honolulu for that pur- 
pose, and for the purpose of carrying food. Every 
other communication with the sufferers is strictly pro- 
hibited. Dr. Bechtinger had a very natural desire to 
visit this forbidden valley, and ascertain the condition ot 
its inhabitants. Knowing, however, that great opposition 
would be made to his doing so, he resolved to go thither 
privately, and attempt to reach the valley over the moun- 
tain range at its back. Attended by a photographer, he 
succeeded in his project, and found the poor wretches 
(hundreds and hundreds of them) in a most horrible 
state, utterly neglected and almost entirely without the 
