SCIENCE- G OSSIP. 



BOOKS TO READ 



NOTICES BY JOHN T. CARRINGTON. 



Among the Birds in Northern Shires. By Charles 

 Dixon, x + 303 pp., 9 in. x 6 in., with coloured 

 frontispiece and 43 other illustrations. (London, 

 Glasgow and Dublin : Blackie & Son.) 7s. 6d. 



The author is a popular writer on bird-lore, 

 several of his books having been noticed in these 

 columns, The present volume is one that is sure 

 to attain favour among the lovers of wild birds 

 visiting or living in the north of England and Scot- 

 land. For twenty years Mr. Dixon has lived among 

 the different kinds of birds depicted in the book be- 

 fore us. He makes no attempt at scientific descrip- 

 tion, but has pleasantly written half a score chapters 

 on the habits and customs of the feathered denizens 

 of the wild country he loves so well. One finds 

 many curious anecdotes and incidents connected 

 with this subject, and there is not any chapter 

 without interest. The illustrations are luxurious, 

 and many most .artistic, as they are drawn by Mr. 

 Charles Whymper. By permission of the publishers 

 we reproduce the one showing gannets and young. 

 We can strongly recommend the book to our 

 readers, as it is beautifully printed on excellent 

 paper, and fully maintains the high reputation of 

 the publishers. 



Nature in Downland. By W. H. Hudson, xii + 

 307 pp., 9 in. x 6 in., with 12 plates and 14 other 

 illustrations. (London, New York, and Bombay : 

 Longmans, Green & Co.) 10s. 6d. net. 



We are glad to find a new writer upon the com- 

 paratively little understood beauties of the South 

 Downs of England. This range of undulating 

 chalk hills extends from near Eastbourne west- 

 ward along the coast away to Portsmouth. They 

 possess at all times of the year a peculiar beauty 

 of fleeting lights and shades that cannot be ex- 

 celled elsewhere in Britain. We have often won- 

 dered that they should be so little known by the 

 general rambler in search of rural beauty. In 

 treating this subject Mr. Hudson has not attempted 

 scientific description of any kind, but devotes his 

 attention to country lore. In this department of 

 literature the author is well known as a successful 

 writer. His references in the book before us to 

 the flora and fauna are of quite a popular character ; 

 in fact, he states on p. 63 his reason for not giving 

 scientific names. We agree with him that in such 

 a work as this to besprinkle its pages with italicised 

 Greek and Latin names in parentheses would be 

 quite unnecessary, and certainly a disfigurement 

 to an otherwise elegant production. Still, we get 

 a good deal of natural history scattered through 

 the work. As a whole, we gladly recommend 

 " Nature in Downland " to both naturalist and 

 general reader. It is liberally illustrated, and 

 many of the drawings are successful, though 

 others are too far leaning towards the impressionist 

 school to be acceptable to those who favour greater 

 exactitude in pictures of places and scenes. 



The Bacteriology of Everyday Practice. By J. 

 O. Syjies, M.D., D.P.H. viii + 88 pp., 7£ in. x 5 in: 

 (London : Bailliere, Tindall & Cox, 1900.) 2s. Gd. 



The science of bacteriology is advancing by 

 leaps and bounds, and we may now expect a series 

 of " elementary " text -books on the subject, such 

 as we are already familiar with in the cases of 

 chemistry, physics, and other sciences. The 

 present work is one of the first in the field, and we 

 have no doubt that it will prove useful to the busy 

 medical practitioner who has little time to become 

 acquainted with the later developments of the 

 science, although desirous of keeping himself 

 abreast of the times. The chapters are arranged 

 under the headings of Materials and Instruments, 

 Preparation and Staining of Films, General In- 

 fections of the Blood, Suppurative Processes, 

 Diseases of the Respiratory System, Enteric Fever, 

 &c, Serum Therapeutics, and the Use of the Mici'o- 

 scope in Bacteriology. 



First .Stage of Hygiene. By A. Lyster, B.Sc. 

 viii + 199 pp., 7 in. x 5 in., with 100 illustrations. 

 (London : W. B. Clive. 1900.) 2s. 



This is a volume in " The Organised Science 

 Series," and is prepared for those who intend pre- 

 senting themselves for examination for the ele- 

 mentary stage of the Science and Art Department. 

 The general reader who has not a very perfect 

 knowledge of the human body and its care will 

 find in its pages many useful facts for guidance. 



The Sun- Children's Budget. Edited by Phcebe 

 Allen and Dr. Henry W. Godfrey. Vol. ii., 

 200 pp., with coloured plate and other illustrations. 

 (London : Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. 1900.) 3s. 



The bound parts of this children's periodical 

 make a pleasing volume as a gift-book for young 

 people. It is brightly conducted and pleasantly 

 written in a healthy style. The elementary papers 

 on scientific subjects ought to make their readers 

 think for themselves, and found a taste in them for 

 such things. 



Field Columbian Museum. Annual Report 1898- 

 99. 74 pp.. 10 in. x 6i in., with illustrations. 

 (Chicago, 1899.) 



When we turn the pages of such a report as this, 

 one sighs and feels ashamed of many that are 

 issued in this country. Its production is simply 

 superb, and bears evidence of the care that has 

 been expended in every department, whether 

 literary, photographic, or typographical. It would 

 be well if those who have to issue reports in 

 England were to examine one of these American 

 publications, and pause. The reproductions of 

 photographs of some of the Museum cases are 

 beautifully printed. 



A Guide to Zermatt and A Guide to Chamonix. 

 By Edward Whymper. 224 pp. and 206 pp. 

 respectively, 1\ in. x 5 in., with many illustrations. 

 (London : John Murray. 1900.) Each 3s. net. 



We again receive these guides, respectively the 

 fourth and fifth editions, with the information 

 brought up to the present year. As models of 

 local guide-books for Alpine visits they are ad- 

 mirable. We can also recommend them for 

 general reading, as their perusal will give anyone 

 a sufficient knowledge of mountain climbing to 

 take an intelligent interest in the subject. For the 

 reader who likes adventure, Mr. Whymper provides 

 the most exciting incidents and stories, enough to 

 turn one's hair gray. They have the further merit 

 of beino- all true. 



