380 Reviews and Book Notices. 



Insect Workers, by W. J. Claxton. Cassell and Co., 62 pp., is. net. 

 By the aid of a number of well coloured plates, Mr. Claxton describes 

 some of the more remarkable of our British insects, in a way that will 

 appeal to the young scholar. He handles the subject in a popular manner, 

 and refers to ' The Insect Tailor, Scavenger, Diver, Mason, Cigar-maker, 

 Milkmaid, Carpenter, etc., etc' There is even an insect nurse and an 

 insect undertaker. It would jnake an excellent reading book for Schools. 



The Teratology of Fishes, by James F. Gemmill, M.A., M.D., D.Sc, 

 Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons. 15/- net. This book deals with the 

 monstrosities to which fishes are subject. Apart from abnormalities of 

 a minor nature these are divided into Double Monstrosity, Triple Mon- 

 strosity, and Cyclopia, terms that are self explanatory, and the researches 

 of the author throw much light on a little studied subject. Although 

 the major type of monstrosity in fishes do not survive the period of nu- 

 trition by the yolk sac, still at the end of this stage the cartilaginous 

 skeleton and practically all the other structures except the bony frame- 

 work have been laid down in their final form and already exhibit their 

 adult relations. It is surprising to learn the frequencj^ of inonstrosity 

 in fishes, which seems to ainount to one in every 250 eggs. INIost of the 

 observations refer to the trout and salmon, owing to the ease with which 

 embryo material of these species can be obtained. Not the least valuable 

 part of the work deals with the question of the causation of these 

 " Siamese-twins " and other abnormal fish. The writer tends strongly 

 to the opinion that the occurrence of double monstrosity is due in the 

 main not to environmental factors, but to conditions which are inherent 

 in the fertilised germ cell. The book is carefully and systematically 

 written and contains all our present knowledge of this very interesting sub- 

 ject. It is well indexed, and, not least important, is illustrated by no fewer 

 than 26 excellent plates after photographs. It should be read by all 

 biologists. 



The Lost Towns of the Yorkshire Coast and other Chapters bearing 

 upon the Geography of the district, by Thomas Sheppard, F.G.S., etc. 

 320 pp. Large 8vo, with over 100 illustrations. Cloth Boards, price 7/6 

 net. London : A. Brown & Sons, Limited. 



When it was announced that the author of that delightful book, 

 ' Geological Rambles in East Yorkshire,' was about to bring out one on 

 * The Lost Towns of the Yorkshire Coast,' expectations of something very 

 good were raised — and these have not been disappointed. Mr. Sheppard 

 has written an extremely interesting book which appeals to the archao- 

 logist, the historian, the geologist, and certainly to every reading York 

 shireman. 'I he subject is dealt with on broacl and sympathetic lines. 

 The Book is no mere dry record of barren facts and tiresome figures, but, 

 while scrupulous in its scientific accuracy, is at the same time alive with 

 human interest and cognisant of present day life and problems. To 

 geologists generally, and especially to East Yoi-kshiremen, it is important to 

 know that the past year has been marked by an enormous amount of 

 coast erosion from Saltburn to Robin Hood's Bay, and in Holderness from 

 Hornsea to Withernsea ; according to a recent official report, ' the loss of 

 land has been greater during the past year than for many pre\'ious years 

 combined.' Mr. Sheppard has a great deal to say about this waste of 

 land on the Yorkshire Coast, and ably discusses the causes of the waste 

 and graphically traces on historical and geological lines its progress from 

 prehistoric to modern days. Not the least interesting chapters are those 

 on the ' Lost 'J'owns,' the vanished churches, whose ruins now lie beneath 

 the waves of the sea. The activity of long passed away populations are 

 presented to our minds with pathetic and human interest. That facts 

 and not fancies are the basis of the .story is guaranteed by the nunierous 

 references to the ' Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, liritish .\ssociation 

 Reports ' and an extensive literature. The author has also had special 



Naturalist, 



