Reviews and Book Notices. 343 



mycologist must await with interest the result of further 

 experiments and will be ready to accept the conclusions drawn 

 from them, if they do not tend to upset obvious affinities 

 and do not ask him to examine the divisions or fusions of 

 nuclei. Any such work must be left to the specialist, as must 

 any attempt to discover by cultures what are the true secondary 

 stages of the Pyrenomycetes. Though here something may be 

 done by field observations. 



More collections are wanted. We want to know what are 

 the truly indigenous British species. Many of the species 

 described by Berkely and Broom seem never to turn up again. 

 Perhaps they might if more mycologists would employ their 

 energies in collecting Pyrenomycetes. 



: o : 



Wild Flowers as they Grow. By G. C. Nuttall, with illustrations from 

 photographs in natural colours by H. E. Corke. Fourth series, 200 pp., 

 5/- net. London : Messrs. Cassell and Co. This volume is a companion 

 to those bearing a similar title, which we have already noticed in these 

 columns, and, as in the case of its predecessors, its chief charm. lies in the 

 series of beautiful plates, well reproduced from colour-photographs taken 

 direct from nature. There are twenty-five such pictures ; those of the 

 Blackthorn, Broom, Biting Stonecrop, and Guelder Rose being perfect. 



Snowden Slights — Wildfowler, by Sydney H. Smith. 114 pp. T. A. J. 

 Waddington, York. Price 3/6. Mr. Smith has written an extremely interest- 

 ing account of the life of one of the fine old Yorkshire Sportsmen, the last 

 of what might almost be termed the typical East Riding Wildfowlers. 

 Members of the Vertebrate Section of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union 

 will have a pleasing recollection of the visit of this fine old man, over 

 eighty years of age, to one of their winter naeetings, when he entertained 

 them with some interesting reminiscences. Snowdon Slights followed 

 the occupation of basket maker in summer and wildfowler in winter. 

 Mr. Smith gives full particulars of both vocations, and of "his struggles, 

 failures and successes, and incidentally we are introduced to some inter- 

 esting phases of life in the old world village in which he resides. In- 

 structive chapters are those devoted to " Punts and Punt shooting," 

 " Guns, Dress and Dogs," and much useful information is imparted 

 concerning these necessary adjuncts of a wildfowler's outfit. Chapters on 

 Salmon, Eel and Lamprej^ trapping illustrate another side of Slight's 

 occupations. The author, in one respect, is scarcely happy here, for 

 although Slights manufactured eel traps of oiser, he is shown in the illus- 

 trations using those made of netting. Chapter VI is devoted to a list of 

 the birds of the Derwent Valley. This appears to be a careful and accurate 

 account of the birds to be found there, together with a list of rarefies 

 which have been obtained from time to time. Popular names, always 

 the most interesting in these local lists, are however not dealt with suffic- 

 ently, as an instance the first bird mentioned, the Missle Thrush, has no 

 local appellation given to it. The analyses of the shots with the big gun 

 are valuable as showing the comparative scarcity or abundance of fowl 

 in different seasons. The book is well illustrated with photographs by 

 the author, though as the blocks have apparently previously been printed 

 elsewhere, they are of varying sizes and merit. It may be commended to 

 all Yorkshire Naturalists and sportsmen, not only as a biography of 

 an interesting type of the sturdy Yorkshireman of the old school, but also 

 as a valuable record of the wild life in a district which is even now losing 

 some of its peculiar characteristics, and which no doubt in time, owing 

 to the advance of civilisaton, will cease to be a great winter haunt of 

 wildfowl. R.F. 



.1912 Nov. 1. 



