Reviews and Book Notices. 295 
Glimpses of Ancient Leicester, in six periods, by Mrs. T. Fielding 
Johnson. Second edition. Clarke and Satchell, Leicester, 440 pp. 
In this well-written and scholarly volume a member of an old Leicester 
family gives a concise account of the main events in the history of the 
meeting place of the British Association for the present year, an event which 
makes the appearance of this edition peculiarly appropriate. The authoress 
deals with (1) Roman Leicester, (2) Leicester under the Anglo-Saxons and 
Danes, (3) Leicester under its Norman and Plantagenet Earls, (4) Leicester 
in the Sixteenth Century, (5) the Siege of Leicester, and (6) Leicester at the 
end of the Eighteenth Century. Perhaps the first chapter is of more 
general interest, containing as it does an account of the Roman occupation, 
several important evidences of which are extant—notably the mosaic 
pavements, the Jewry Wall, and the Roman Milestone, said to be the 
oldest stone inscription in Britain. The inscription upon this reminds one 
of the well-known advertisement boards on the line-side towards London, 
where, on large hoardings setting forth particulars of soap or pills, one 
sees in small characters, ‘London... miles.’ The following is a free 
translation of the Roman milestone :—‘ To the Emperor and Czesar the 
august Trajan Hadrian, son of the divine Trajan, surnamed Particus, 
grandson of the divine Nerva Pontifex Maximus, four times invested with 
Tribunitial power, thrice Council. From Ratz, Two Miles.’ 
The Days of a Year, by M. D. Ashley Dodd. London: Elkin 
Matthews, 1907. 173 pp. Price 2/6 net. This well-printed little volume 
contains a beautiful thought of a poet-naturalist for each day of the year. 
Each has clearly been penned on the date it bears, in the surroundings it 
describes ; and it is evident that with the author ‘To see things in their 
beauty is to see them in their truth.’ To peruse a few of the pages is quite 
refreshing. The reviewer has just returned from a ramble on the Yorkshire 
Wolds at South Cave, and turns to the date, June 22nd :—‘ Cool woods on 
the shady hillside, still and calm in the mid-day heat that quivers all around, 
The delicious earth-scent from dewy mosses and growing green things 
rises, penetrating and sweet, and in the thick trees an unseen wood-pigeon 
flutters, and flaps slowly away. The call of a late cuckoo comes faintly 
across from the outside far-off sunshine; then again there is silence, till 
the woodland dreariness sinks deep into the soul, till the present slips away, 
and nothing is real but the memory of a few past happy hours.’ In some 
such words might our ramble have been described. But it is not every one 
that can so well express one’s thoughts ! 
European Animals: their Geological History and Geographical Dis- 
tribution, by R. F. Scharff, Ph.D. Constable & Co. 258 pp. 7/6 net. 
This work is based upon the Swiney Lectures on Geology which Dr. Scharff 
delivered at the Victoria and Albert Museum last year. In its pages the 
author has gathered together an enormous number of interesting facts 
bearing upon the past and present distribution of numerous animals and 
plants. An examination of the more recent geological deposits has enabled 
him to trace the probable direction of distribution of many interesting 
species. The present relative abundance of species of various genera is 
also shown to be indicative of the original source of these genera. By the 
aid of maps the distribution of many species can be seen at a glance. 
These are rendered of further value by the insertion of photographs or 
drawings of the species referred to. There are also maps showing the 
probable land connection at different periods between England, Ireland, 
and the Continent. Naturally, the many problems of distributionpresented 
by the fauna and flora of Ireland receives attention. As indicated on the 
maps, the distribution of several species is indeed remarkable. Dr. Scharff's 
volume concludes with a very good bibliograpy and an excellent index. It 
is also an admirable illustration of the value of ‘mere lists’ of species 
occurring in given areas. Were it not for such material it would have 
been impossible for this book to have been written. After perusing 
‘European Animals’ no one can reasonably say that lists have no value. 
1907 August te 
