io4 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



fault with this primer is that it has been so cut 

 down that in some places the readers would have 

 benefited by fuller explanation. 



A Hand-Book to the Carnivora. Part i. By 

 Richard Lydekker, B.A., F.R.S. (Allen's Natur- 

 alists' Library). 320 pp. 8vo, and 32 coloured 

 plates. (London: W. H. Allen and Co., Limited.) 

 Price 6s. 



This volume of the Naturalists" Library contains 

 the groups of mammals including the cats, civets 

 and mungooses. In the editor's preface, Dr. 

 R. Bowdler Sharpe again refers to the question of 

 scientific nomenclature, defending the duplication 

 of generic and specific names, for instance, that of 

 the Common Genet, Genetta genetta. He also has 

 induced the author to Latinise the generic term 

 Linsang into Linsanga. Like all Mr. Lydekker's 

 work, the letterpress is dealt with in the most 

 modern manner, and his facts are well up to date. 

 Every species hitherto described is mentioned. 

 The chapter on the origin of the domestic cat is 

 instructive, and not altogether in accordance with 

 some previous writers on this subject. We observe 

 that the author uses the generic term Felis in a 

 wide sense, including such divergent animals as the 

 lion and the lynxes. The plates are apparently 

 much the same as appeared in the corresponding 

 volume of Jardine's Naturalists' Library. 



The Birds' Calendar. By H. E. Parkhurst. 

 350 pp., 8vo, with 24 illustrations. (London : 

 John C. Nimmo, 1895.) Price 6s. net. 



This is an American book treating popularly 

 some birds of the Eastern States. These birds are 

 considered in company with the months of the 

 year, hence the title. English readers will find 

 plenty of novelty and not much science. The 

 illustrations are nicely reproduced, but, unfortu- 

 nately, apparently from photographs of stuffed 

 specimens, with, in many cases, artificial vegetation 

 and backgrounds for decoration. Messrs. Nimmo 

 have done their part very nicely and produced an 

 artistic book. It will be useful in America for 

 spreading the taste for natural history, which so 

 much needs stimulating there among the public. 



Abstract of Proceedings of South London Entomological 

 and Natural History Society jor theyear 1894. 136 pp. 

 8vo. (London : Published by the Society, 1895.) 

 Price 2S. 6d. 



The Society has succeeded in publishing last 

 year's " Proceedings " in good time when compared 

 with former years. The position of the Society 

 appears from the balance sheet to be prosperous, 

 and the council's report indicates an increased 

 membership notwithstanding a heavy obituary 

 record. Reports of most of the meetings have 

 already appeared in the pages of Science-Gossip, 

 but those interested in the burnet-moths will find 

 several lengthy abstracts of papers read by Mr. J. 

 W. Tutt, F.E.S., upon " European species of the 

 Z ygaenidae . ' ' These papers form a critical considera- 

 tion of half a dozen species, and throw some light 

 upon local races and obscure types. 



Bird Notes. By (the late) Jane Mary Haywood. 

 Edited by Emma Hubbard. 198 pp., with 16 

 illustrations. (London and New York: Longmans, 

 Green and Co., 1895.) Price 6s. 



To the unsophisticated lover of birds in their 

 native haunts this prettily produced little book 

 may appeal. Much allowance must be made for 

 the late author's idealisms, which clothe her 

 favourite birds with a human-like individuality far 



from natural. There is a good deal of chatty 

 pleasantry in the pages which will amuse even the 

 hypercritical reader. 



The London Catalogue of British Plants. Ninth 

 Edition. Part I. Edited by Frederick J. Hanbury. 

 5opp.8vo. (London: Geo. Bell and Sons.) Price 6d. ; 

 or, interleaved in limp cloth, is. 



Part I. of the ninth edition of this standard list 

 of British plants contains the Phasnogamia, Filices, 

 Equisetaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Selaginellaceae, Marsi- 

 leaceae and Characeae, " adapted for marking desi- 

 derata in exchanges of specimens, for an index 

 catalogue to British herbaria, for indicating the 

 species of local districts, and for a guide to col- 

 lectors, by showing the comparative rarity or 

 frequency of several species." There are a good 

 many changes in this edition, chiefly in the nomen- 

 clature. These alterations are stated by Mr. 

 Hanbury, in his prefatory address, to be " the 

 results of the field-work, the critical study of 

 British plants, and the researches on nomenclature, 

 made during the last nine years." The plan of 

 this edition is similar to the last, but with the 

 addition of the authorities to the generic names ; 

 though " Linn." does duty for the pre-Linnaean 

 nomenclators. The author says, " the changes in 

 nomenclature are, unfortunately, again numerous." 

 We quite agree with the author in the misfortune, 

 for we believe that every new standard list, in 

 whatever department of Natural Science, which 

 institutes numbers of changes of names, actually 

 tends to check the study of the animals or plants in 

 that department. The chief changes in the ninth 

 edition of the London Catalogue are in the genera 

 Rubus, Hieracium and Salix. As an addendum to 

 the catalogue there is a supplementary list of the 

 willows, by the Rev. E. F. Linton, which is in 

 consequence of Dr. Buchanan White, in whose 

 hands the genus Salix had been left, unfortu- 

 nately dying before he had opportunity of going 

 through the proof - sheets. In other groups 

 Mr. Hanbury acknowledges the co-operation of 

 specialists of the highest repute. The very careful 

 manner in which the author has produced the 

 catalogue will, we hope, more than set off any 

 passing feeling we may possess with regard to the 

 vexed question of nomenclature. J. T. C. 



A Dictionary of Bathing Places and Climatic Health 

 Resorts. By B. Bradshaw. 438 pp. small 8vo, 

 with maps and illustrations. (London : Kegan 

 Paul, Trench, Triibner and Co., Limited, 1895.) 

 Price 3s. 6d. 



This useful compilation comes out in improved 

 form, some of the articles having been re-written, 

 and much additional information added to the book 

 generally. It will be found useful to naturalists 

 contemplating a holiday as well as to invalids 

 seeking a health resort. Almost every such resort 

 in Europe is mentioned, from Mablethorpe to 

 Nice. Some others are included, such as Madeira 

 and the Canaries. 



Field-path Rambles : Comprising Routes Round 

 Guildford, etc. By Walker Miles. Eighth 

 series, pp. 219 to 328, with map showing paths, and 

 illustrations. (London : R. E. Taylor and Son. 

 1895.) Price is. 



For the unsophisticated lover of nature, this 

 series of little guides is most useful for pointing 

 out new walks in pretty neighbourhoods. There 

 are few districts within easy reach of London more 

 beautiful than that covered by the guide before us. 



