BOOK NOTICES. 307 
BOOK NOTICES. 
A Visit to Ceylon: By Ernst Haeckel, translated by Clara Bell; i2mo. pp. 
337. S. E. Cassino & Co., Boston, 1883. For sale by M. H. Dickinson & 
Co. $2.50. 
To those persons who have only heard of Professor Haeckel as a biologist 
and an anthropologist, or as an evolutionist of the most pronounced type, or as a 
writer of huge volumes on microscopic objects, this book will prove a great sur- 
prise. It is written in an easy, sprightly manner, bordering upon the enthusiastic 
and contains Httle more of technical matter than if written by De Amicis or any 
■other book-maker. At the same time his observations are fresh, critical, and 
accurate. Evidently he expected to achieve important results from his explora- 
tions in the tropical seas and forests of India for he took with him no less than 
sixteen trunks and cases of luggage. "Two of these were filled with books — 
none but the most necessary scientific works ; two others contained a microscope 
and instruments for observations in physics and the study of anatomy. In two 
■other cases I had apparatus for collecting materials and for preserving specimens ; 
soldered tins, containing different kinds of spirit and other antiseptic fluids, car- 
bolic acid, arsenic and the hke. Then two cases contained nothing but glass 
vials — of these I had some thousands — and two more were packed with nets and 
appliances of every kind for snaring and catching the prey ; trawls and dredging- 
nets for raking the bottom of the sea, sweeping and landing-nets for skimming 
the surface. A pnotographic apparatus had a chest to itself, and one was filled 
with materials for oil and water-color painting, drawing and writing. Another 
was packed with a nest of forty tin cases, one inside of another. Then another 
contained ammunition for my double-barreled gun — a thousand cartridges with 
different sizes of shot. Finally, in two tin trunks I had clothes and linen to last 
me during my six months' wanderings." 
This gives an idea of what preparation is made nowadays for a scientific ex- 
cursion of six months by a single observer. It does not appear, however, that 
his explorations were rewarded by any very remarkable discoveries. The field 
had been pretty fully explored by Hooker and Wallace in the Eastern Hemis- 
phere and by Darwin and Humboldt in the Western, years before. However, 
his descriptions of places visited are admirably done and no more attractive work 
has been put forth. To Bombay alone thirty one pages are devoted, while to 
Columbo, "Whist Bungalo," Kaduwella, Peradenia, etc., are given from ten to 
twenty each. No place is slighted and all are faithfully portrayed. The scientific 
spirit peeps out in all directions, botany, zoology, chemistry, anatomy, meteor- 
