Kcvie7vs and Book Notices. 439 



The Science of Dry Fly Fishing. By F. Q. Shaw, F.G.S. 



Ri-adbur\-, Agiiew & Co., Ltd., igo6. 142 pages, price 3/6 net. 



In this 'well g'ot up' book the author endeavours 'by explaining- in 

 simple language the science of casting and fishing with the trout fly' to 

 enable the reader to find himself 'competent to take the field rod in hand 

 and rapidly acquire a success which will well repay him for his trouble.' 

 The chapters are ' How to Cast a Trout Fl\',' ' Where to Cast a Trout Fly," 

 ' About the Fly, the Trout, and the Rise,' ' Hints on Breeding Trout and on 

 Fishing Matters generally.' and 'The Necessities of the Trout F"ishermaii.' 

 C'uriously enough under the 'necessities' we find ' the broken rod' ! There 

 are several illustrations, mostly of the author, in various 'correct positions.' 

 The book can be strongl}- recommended to those naturalists who pay par- 

 ticular attention to the freshwater fishes, and the wav to catch them. 



Romance of Plant Life. By G. F. Scott Elliot, M.A., etc. 



London : .Seeley & Co. 5/-. 



The sub-title of this book explains its object, namely to give ' interesting 

 descriptions of the strange and curious in the plant world.' It is a compila- 

 tion from man)' sources, not only of a large number of superstitious notions 

 concerning plants :'.Tid their properties, but also gives many interesting and 

 suggestive hints on plant habits and fimclions. The author covers a wide 

 range from the tropics to the poles, from aquatics to desert plants, bringing 

 in crowds of facts and incidents likely to arouse ones curiosity. Sometimes 

 names occur and phrases are used which strike one as peculiar, e.g. ' Bartzia,' 

 the word ' Seaweed ' is applied to algje generally freshwater and marine. 

 Ivy leaves are said to soak up rain, the sensitive part of a root is said to be 

 its 'very tip.' He speaks of a pond which contains great snails and slugs, 

 crustaceans and fishes, as being full of vegetable activity. Sometimes he 

 verges on politics in a hazy way, but on the whole the book is interestingly 

 written, and is illustrated b\- 34 plates, many of which are excellent. 



A Practical Manual of Tides and Waves. By W. H. Wheeler, 

 M.lnst.C.E. Longmans, Green & Co. 1906. 201 pages, price 7/6 net. 



Our contributor, Mr. W. H. Wheeler, of Boston, Lines., author of 

 'The History of the Fens,' 'The Drainage of Fens, etc' 'Tidal Rivers,' 

 and 'The .Sea Coast,' has, under the above title, added a further contribu- 

 tion to a subject to which he has given a life-long study. The present 

 volume does not propose to deal with the scientific nor mathematical aspect 

 of the tides, but includes * infoi-mation and facts relating to the tides, con- 

 tained in many scattered papers, reports, and publications, which, though 

 known to those who have made a study of tidal science, are not easily 

 accessible.' There can be no doubt that to man}- who are interested in 

 maritime pursuits, or in designing or maintaining harbours, rivers, and 

 docks, or in protecting the sea coast, this book will be of great service ; 

 and having been written by one who has had a life-long experience in these 

 particular matters, the volume should appeal strongly to them. The chapter 

 devoted to the Development of Tidal Science, is a valuable historica:! 

 summary of the subject. After dealing in detail with the making of the 

 tides, tidal currents, effect of wind and atmospheric pressure on the tides, 

 wind tides, tidal bores, etc., etc., Mr. Wheeler gives several valuable 

 appendices, amongst which are an exhaustive ' List of books, ))apers, etc,' 

 ' tidal data,' and various carefullv compiled tables. There are 15 illustrations, 

 that from a photograph of the tidal bore in the river Trent being particularly 

 striking". Thei'c is an index. 



igo6 December i. 



