Reviews and Book Notices. 377 



The Pre-Historic Period in South Africa. By J. P. Johnson, Longmans, 

 Green cS: Co., 1912, second edition, 115 pp., 10/- net. 



In this work the author is thoroughly up to date in his methods of 

 -classification of the various stone implements, but whether the Eolithic, 

 Acheulic, Solutric, etc., types and dates can be expected to hold good in 

 distant South Africa is a matter for future investigations to decide. Any- 

 way a start has been made by Mr. Johnson. The present edition contains 

 new information in reference to the Coast Middens, and also in regard to 

 the early Bantu buildings. There are likewise interesting notes on the 

 petroglyphs, i.e., rock-paintings and rock-carvings, which will be of in- 

 terest in view of similar discoveries recently made nearer home. There 

 are many illustrations in the volume, and a map shewing the distribution 

 of stone-age implements in South Africa, so far as is at present known. 



Origin and Antiquity of Man. By G. Frederick Wright, LL.D., etc, 



Bibliotheca Sacra Company, Oberlin, Ohio, 547 pp., 2/- net. 



English readers are already familar with Prof. Wright's excellent work 

 'On Man and the Glacial Period, which was issued in the International 

 Scientific Series. Since then Prof. Wright has travelled much, and has 

 visited many parts of Europe and Asia in connection with his studies. 

 He was already familiar with the American evidence, consequently he is 

 •able to speak on the subject given in the title of the new volume with 

 exceptional authority. Erom his book, and also from the excellent 

 bibliography which he gives, it is apparent that he has made himself 

 thoroughly familiar with modern writers on the subject, in fact he gives 

 many references to papers etc., issued during the present year. Among 

 the many matters discussed are the Historical evidence of Man's Anti- 

 quity, the Origin of the Races of Europe, the Significance of the Glacial 

 Epoch, Remains of Glacial Man in Europe, the Psychological Argument, 

 the Biblical Scheme, etc. The Chapters dealing with the Glacial Period 

 and Man's first appearance upon our planet are particularly valuable, 

 inasmuch as they contain much new information. It is satisfactory to 

 find that Prof. Wright considers that the evidence of Tertiary Man is by no 

 means conclusive. The work is written in the author's charactersitically 

 lucid style, and will appeal with equal force to the novice and the specialist. 



The Early Naturalists: Their Lives and Worli (153° — 1789)- By 

 L. C. Miall, D.Sc, F.R.S. MacMillan and Co., 1912, 396 pp., 10/- net. 



In this volume Dr. Miall deals with a multitude of early writers in 

 Natural Science, the names and work of which are familiar to most modern 

 students. He also includes particulars of the achievements of some who 

 are little known to present-day scientists. Turner, Gerrard, Ray, Caius, 

 Martin Lister, Swammerdam, Leeuwenhoek, Linnreus and Buffon are 

 among the many. Here and there, however, a slight change in the style 

 of the work occurs, as for example, in the chapter on ' The investigation 

 of the Puss Moth,' which is sandwiched in between the accounts of von 

 Rosenhof and Linnseus. Throughout, as might have been expected from 

 the nature of Dr. Miall's work, prominence is given to the investigators 

 among insects. It must be borne in mind, however, that this is not entirely 

 due to the particular inclination of the author's favourite study, as, next 

 perhaps to plants, insects occupied much of the attention of early workers. 

 Entomologists particularly will welcome the present volume, but it will 

 be found interesting and instructive to students in other branches, as well 

 as to those who are not specially interested in any one subject. In one 

 or two instances we are inclined to think that the descriptions of the work 

 of these early naturalists are rather prejudiced, and even we might say 

 that these pioneers do not always quite receive the full credit and praise 

 to which they are entitled. But this is probably the result of viewing 

 work of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through twentieth century 

 spectacles. 



J912 Dec. I 



