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REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 
WE have recently had the disagreeable duty of perusing and 
commenting upon such an enormous number of would-be 
natural history books, that to get hold of really useful publi- 
cations that will further the study of natural history is indeed a 
pleasure. The four works referred to in the following notes 
are so far above their fellows that we are glad to draw special 
attention to them. We can only express the hope that in 
their own interests publishers will exercise some care in the 
selection of works placed upon the market. In recent years 
there have been many books issued—in some cases by well- 
known and usually reliable houses—which have been a disgrace 
to the twentieth century. 
‘Mammals of the World,’ is a_ well-illustrated volume, 
printed in good clear type, and is very cheap at six shillings. 
Obviously for the use of the young naturalist, the descrip- 
tions of the various mammals are given in an interesting 
style, as might be expected from such a well-known writer as 
Mr. W. F. Kirby. No space is wasted in fine writing. Dr. 
W. E. Kirby writes a useful ‘Introduction,’-dealing with the 
structure of the mammalia, which is rather more technical, and 
will better appeal to older readers. 
Of a somewhat similar type is ‘ Cassell’s Natural History for 
Young People,’ which is also well illustrated, and exceedingly 
cheap. In addition to the mammals, however, Mr. Bouser 
deals with birds, amphibia and reptiles, fishes, and the inverte- 
brata. His descriptions are accompanied by characteristic 
anecdotes, which add to the interest of the work. Either this 
or the preceeding work can be well recommended as a prize or 
present to a boy or girl, and we are sure that either volume 
will be appreciated. 
Dealing with another branch of nature knowledge altogether 
is the charming volume issued by Mr. Heinemann. In this the 
authoress has depicted in a beautiful series of no fewer than 75, 
large plates, all the important members of the British flora. 
Mammals of the World, by W. F. Kirby. London: Sidney Appleton, 
1907. 141 pp., coloured plates. 6/- net. 
Cassell’s Natural History for Young People (Second edition), by A. E. 
Bouser, with over a hundred full-page illustrations. London: Cassell & Co., 
1907. 280 pp.  5/- 
Wild Flowers of the British Isles, by H. Isabel Adams. London: 
William Heinemann, 1907. 168 pp., 75 coloured plates. go/- net. 
Microscopy: The Construction, Theory, and Use of the Microscope, 
by Edmund J. Spitta. London: John Murray, 1907. 468 pp., plates. 
10/6 net. 
ois ee 
Naturalist, 
