2l6 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



standard work on seaweeds which should be in the 

 hands of every biologist worthy of the name, and 

 on the shelves of every public library. 



A Monograph oj the Land and Freshwater Mollusca 

 oj the British Isles. By John W. Taylor, F.L.S., 

 Part ii., 64 pp. royal 8vo, with coloured plate and 

 148 figures. (Leeds : Taylor Brothers, Sovereign 

 Street, 1895 ) Price 6s., or by subscription, 5s. 

 per post. 



In our first notice of this work (Science-Gossip, 

 vol. i, N.S., p. 230), we felt obliged to speak 

 highly of this beautiful monograph. Now that the 

 second part is out, we can endorse all we said in 

 favour of the first instalment. The coloured plate 

 is excellent and the subjects chosen for illustration 

 of the principal phases of colouring in mollusca 

 are attractive. The figures in the letterpress are 

 also quite up to the form of those in part one. 

 The literary style is good, as scientific facts and 

 features relating to mollusca are told with ease and 

 simple language that is sure to lead on the reader, 

 as would an interesting narrative. Part ii. prac- 

 tically concludes the treatise of the shell, and we 

 understand Part iii. will deal with the organization 

 of the animal. The chapter on monstrosities in 

 the part before us is most interesting, especially 

 that portion which treats of sinistrosity, which 

 subject is philosophically discussed and illustrated 

 with figures indicating the process of dextral shells 

 becoming reversed. We congratulate the author 

 on his second part of this handsome book, and bid 

 him be encouraged to keep up its high standard of 

 perfection. When the author reaches the detailed 

 account of the different species, we hope he will 

 give due attention to the question of synonymy, 

 which needs some overhauling among the British 

 species, especially if authorities are quoted. 



An Introduction to the Study of Rocks. 124 pp. 

 large 8vo. (London : British Museum of Natural 

 History, 1895.) Price 6d. 



This is a guide book to the Mineral Department 

 of the Cromwell Road Museum, issued by order of 

 the trustees, the preface being signed by Mr. L. 

 Fletcher. It is like other publications issued from 

 the National Museums, far more than an ordinary 

 guide, and is a book which should be in the hands 

 of even advanced petrologists. To the beginner it 

 will be invaluable and should soon lead an intelli- 

 gent student up to a fair knowledge of the subjects. 

 It is a small thing, but it would be very convenient 

 if the names of these books were printed on the 

 back, so that when put away on our shelves its 

 identity could be readily seen. 



A Handbook to the Birds of Great Britain. By 

 R. Bowdler Sharpe, LL.D., of the Zoological 

 Department, British Museum. Vol. ii., pp. xix. 

 and 308 8vo, with 28 coloured plates, also other 

 figures in the letterpress. (London : W. H. Allen 

 and Co., Limited, 1895 — Allen's Naturalists' 

 Library.) Price 6s. 



We fully sympathise with D. Bowdler Sharpe in 

 his remarks upon the difficulties of scientific nom- 

 enclature, as expressed in his preface. We fear 

 that priority is the only rule to be followed, though 

 at times irritating. As he says " It is certainly 

 unfortunate that so many older names for common 

 species have been unearthed during recent years, 

 but that is surely not the fault of the authors 

 themselves, but of their descendants, who have not 

 taken the trouble to search the whole of the 

 literature." The chief consolation is that there 



must come a time when there will not be any more 

 literature to search. There are some such changes 

 in this volume. Since the publication of Vol. i. of 

 this work (noticed Science-Gossip, Vol. i., N. S., 

 p. no), two birds new to Britain have been 

 recorded, viz. : the sub-alpine warbler {Sylvia 

 subalpina) and Coues' Redpole (Cannabina exilipes), 

 but they are not described in his work, though 

 referred to in the preface. Commencing with the 

 woodpeckers, vol. ii. includes the owls, hawks, 

 kites and eagles, geese and ducks. The coloured 

 plates are improved by being less brilliant than in 

 vol. i. Dr. Sharpe has been helped by Mr. 

 Howard Saunders, Mr. W. E. de Winton and Mr. 

 R. Reed, in special groups. The second volume of 

 this work is a nice book, which cannot fail to 

 become popular and useful. 



Microscopical Teachings. By William Cunning- 

 ham. 132 pp. Svo, illustrated by mounted micro- 

 photographs. (Leeds : Samuel Moxon, 1895.) 

 Price 2s. 6d. 



This is the work of an enthusiastic amateur, and 

 should be read from that point of view. The book 

 contains much which will interest others besides 

 microscopists. The photographs would have been 

 better if reproduced in blocks and printed rather 

 than mounted as originals. 



Elementary Physiology. By J. R. Ainsworth 

 Davies, B.A., Professor of Biology and Geology, 

 University College, Aberystwith. Blackie's Science 

 Text Books. 229 pp. Foolscap 8vo, with 104 

 illustrations. (London: Blackie and Son, Limited, 

 1895.) Price 2s. 



It would be difficult to condense the information 

 given in this text book within smaller compass. 

 The illustrations are well selected and appropriate 

 to the subjects. Though quite a text book, it will 

 be found useful to many young naturalists who 

 desire the first step towards a better knowledge of 

 animal life. 



Simple Methods for Detecting Food Adulteration. By 

 John A. Bower. 127 pp. 8vo, with 36 illustrations. 

 (London : Society for promoting Christian Know- 

 ledge, 1895.) Price 2S. 



To some minds the fact of not knowing what is 

 contained in one's daily food is rather a comfort 

 than otherwise. The author of this little work, 

 however, has set himself the task of inducing us to 

 dispel the bliss of ignorance and to make chemical 

 and microscopical examinations of every morsel 

 we are to eat. To those who are fastidious we 

 recommend this little work on account of its 

 simplicity and the comparative ease with which 

 Mr. Bower's tests may be made by those who have 

 not had any special scientific training. 



Nature's Story. By H. Farquhar, B.D. 191 

 pp. 8vo, illustrated. (Edinburgh and London : 

 Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, 1895.) Price 

 2s. 6d. 



This is a series of reprinted popular papers with 

 others added to suit young readers. It is prettily 

 illustrated and amusingly written. It will appeal, 

 however, only to the very young, as the method of 

 dealing with science is that of half a century ago 

 rather than of the present day, and it seems to us a 

 pity to perpetuate this style when it is so easy to 

 write separately of divine subjects and scientific 

 facts. We should like to see how the author would 

 treat mechanical science in the manner he has 

 followed in the book before us. 



