SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



ihc syslem breaks down, unless by oversight 

 in proof reading : for instance Carex ttrcliiisiiila, 

 is called lesser panicled carex, in which we have 

 clearly an example of trinomalisni. There are many 

 little incidents in the bic^raphical notice of Lord De 

 Tabley to amuse and interest, especially those who 

 personally knew or corresponded with Mr. Warren. 

 After an enumeration of the comilal districts, which 

 consist of the seven hundreds of the county, there 

 follows details of their physical aspect, and of the 

 characteristic plants, present or absent. A chapter is 

 devoted to a list of persons concerned in the past with 

 Cheshire botany, and particulars of their writings on 

 the subject. There is also a list of books, periodicals, 

 and manuscripts referred to or consulted, which in 

 itself forms a useful bibliography for the county 

 botanist. The book has been well produced by the 

 publishers, the portrait of the author being quite a 

 work of art. 



Proceedings of the South London Entomological and 

 NcUural Histoiy Society. 1S98. Part ii. 131 pp. 

 SJin. x5Ain. and 3 illustrations. (London: The 

 Societv, 1S99). 2S. 



The' scientific side of these proceedings contains 

 several items of more than passing interest. There 

 are papers on " The Scientific Aspects of Entomo- 

 log}-," bv Mr. I. W. Tutt, F.E.S., and " Lazy Days 

 by the 'Sea," "by Mr. K. Adkin, F.E.S., dealing 

 chiefly with lepidoptera at Eastbourne, though other 

 branches of natural historj- are touched upon. The 

 presidential address by Mr. Tutt forms good reading, 

 and afibrds much food for thought upon the pursuit of 

 Natural Histor\- as followed in these days. \'erj- dif- 

 ferent is its possibilities from the study in the "Col- 

 lection" period of the middle of this centur}-. In 

 fact, it is a pity this address cannot be more widely 

 read, than through the pages of these " Proceedings." 

 The president's analysis of the financial value of each 

 member on page 82, is an object lesson to local 

 scientific societies, and puts the whole question of the 

 practical side of such membership in a light that will 

 be a revelation to many who consider themselves 

 doing a society a favour by becoming members. 



lepidoptera of the British Islands. By Charles 

 G. b.'^RKETT, F.E.S. \'ol. v. Heterocera, Noctuae, 

 381 pp., 9in.X6in. (Ix>ndon : Lovell, Reeve and Co., 

 Limited, 1S99.) 12s. net. 



This volume of Mr. Barrett's British Lepidoptera 

 comencing with the genus Celoena, brings us to the 

 end of the genus .\anthia. It is prepared with the 

 usual care shfiwn by its author in former sections. 

 Mr. Barrett adds in this volume to the present diffi- 

 culty of entomologists studying the Lepidoptera, by 

 deviating frtmi any other syslem of arrangement, 

 though to a lesser extent than we have latterly had 

 placed l>efore us. It will be remembered that this 

 work is also issued with c<jloured plates, the cost being 

 three guineas per volume 



Buds and .Stipules. By the Right Hon. Sir JoH.N 

 I.tHBf.' K, Bart., M.P., F.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D. vi. 

 and239y>p.. 7lin.X5in., illustrated by four coloured 

 plates ana 340 figures. (London: Kegan Paul and 

 Co., Limited, i8^.) Ss. 



This work, which forms one of the International 

 Scientific Series, is devoted to a section of botanical 

 study which becomes the more fascinating as we better 

 understand il. The Ixjok l«fore \is by Sir John 

 l,ublK)ck renders its approach easy. Without attempt- 

 ing the dry science 01 botany, the possessor of this 

 work may go forth to find lifelong interest in the 

 formation and development of the leaf clothing of most 

 of our trees anrl plants. 



Stars and Telescopes. By D.^viD P. Todd, M.A., 

 Ph.D. xvi. -I- 419 pp.. Sin. x 5iin., with 219 illustra- 

 tion.s. (Boston, I'.S.A. : Little, Brown and Co., 

 1899.) S2'oo. 



\Ve have already noticed Professor Todd's "New 

 Astronomy," and this is a companion handbook of 

 popular astronomy. It is founded on Lynn's Celestial 

 Motions. Wiih this work, and the other by the same 

 author, there is no difficulty in obtaining a suflicient 

 know ledge of the subject for all ordinarj' purposes, as 

 Professor Todd has a pleasant style of writing, which 

 leads on his readers, in spite of themselves. The 

 book is well illustrated. 



T/tornton- Piciard Album of Prize Pictures. 4S 

 pp., lojin. X 7 Jin., illustrated. (London: Dawbarn 

 and Ward, Ltd., 1899.) 6d. 



This may be described as an artistic scrap-book 

 made up of prize specimens of photography sent to 

 the Thornton- Pickard Co., of AJtrincham, by com- 

 petitors for their annual .^200 prize competition, for 

 prints taken by the "Amber" and "Ruby" 

 Cameras, made by that firm. The prints have been 

 well reproduced, and make an interesting album, as 

 the\' number examples from many parts of the xvorld. 

 They are generally artistic and beautifully reproduced. 

 There are several natural-historj' subjects among 

 them. 



MM; Its Nature and Composition. By C. M. 

 Al K.MAX, ILA.. D.Sc, 2nd edition, xx. -1- 180 pp., 

 7jin. X 5in., illustrated with 21 figs. (London: A 

 and C. Black, 1S99. ) 3s. 6d. 



The object of this book is of the highest 

 importance, as it investigates the association of milk 

 with the fatal form of consumption technically known 

 as tuberculosis. It is to be hoped that a greater 

 general knowledge of the danger of consumption germs 

 in milk, will draw public attention to the necessity of 

 not using any but that which has been sterilised. In 

 fact, the desirability of prohibiting the .sale of any 

 other is apparent. Dr. Aikman has given considerable 

 consideration to this subject, as it naturally forms pari 

 of his work as Analyst at Glasgow. He divides his 

 book into eleven chapters, commencing with the 

 structure of the cow "s milk-producing glands, and its 

 secretion, gradually leading the reader through a 

 histor)- of this important article of food, in all its 

 stages. 



Volcanoes : Their Structure and Signifieanee. By 

 T. G. Bo.N-.NEV, D.Sc, LL.D., F.K.S. iv. -^ 

 351 pp. 8iin. X 6in. 12 plates and 2 illustrations 

 in text. (London : John Murray ; New York : G. 

 P. Putnam's Sons. 1899.) 6s. 



Professor Bonney s new work is written for the 

 ordinary reader who may be scientifically inclined, 

 and this motive is kept in view so far as it is possible 

 in a work of this kind. More or less a compilation, 

 it is yet one that could not have been undertaken by 

 anyone but an cx[)ert on past and present igneous 

 phenomena, and rocks. To those for whom the work 

 is intended, the chapters on "The Life Ilistorj- of 

 Volcanoes," and "The Theories of X'olcanoes," will 

 prove extremely inleresling. The part played by 

 water and steam in creating explosions in the neck 

 and in the crater, is well worked out. The general 

 proximity of present-day volcanoes to the sea-coast is 

 dwell upon, as giving some explanation of the source 

 of ihe steam. The ques'ion of the cause of the molten 

 condition of the deep-sealed materials of the earth 

 also receives atlcnticn. There is a useful glossarj- of 

 scientific terms used, and an index ; also a folding- 

 map showing the distrilniiioii of volcanoes, past and 

 present. — E. A. M. 



