SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



NOTICES BY JOHN T. CARRINGTON. 



The Flora of Perthshire. By Francis Buchanan 

 W. White, M.D., F.L.S., F.E.S. Edited by 

 J-ames W. H. Trail, M.A., M.D., F.R.S. 420 pp. 

 8vo, with portrait and map. (Edinburgh : William 

 Blackwood and Sons, 1898.) 



In editing the unfinished manuscripts and filling 

 the gaps left incomplete in the material gathered 

 by the late Dr. Buchanan White, Dr. Trail has 

 been judicious. That he has toiled as a labour 

 of love for his departed friend is evident when 

 -one examines page after page of the flora before 

 us. Dr. Trail has well done his portion of the 

 book, and the members of the Perthshire Society 

 of Natural Science, who are really responsible for 

 the work, were fortunate in securing the aid of so 

 eminent a botanist. Before proceeding to the flora 

 proper, Dr. Trail commences with a valuable 

 explanatory introduction, and a memoir of Dr. 

 White, to which is added an address by him on 

 the origin of the flora of Perthshire, also a list of 

 his published articles, upwards of eighty being on 

 botanical subjects. There is a useful appendix, 

 critically examining some plants left out of Dr. 

 White's MS. list, and the addition of some others. 

 We have, therefore, in the joint work of the 

 authors, an excellent result, and one which is sure 

 to become authoritative. White's work alone is a 

 guarantee for accuracy. We cordially welcome 

 the new " Flora of Perthshire," which should be 

 secured by every scientific botanist for purposes 

 of comparison and the study generally of the dis- 

 tribution of plants in North-Western Europe. 



The Mammals, Reptiles and Fishes of Essex. By 

 Henry Laver, M.R.C.S., F.S.A., F.L.S. 146 pp. 

 8vo, with 10 illustrations. (London : Simpkin 

 Marshall, 1898.) 10s. 6d. 



This interesting book is vol. iii. of the " Essex 

 Field Club Special Memoirs," the former two being 

 on the " Earthquake of Essex in 1884," and on the 

 " Birds of Essex." The volume before us is a good 

 type of a local list in any branch of biology. It 

 commences with a useful introduction, describing 

 the physical features of Essex, and proceeds to 

 a lengthy summary of the different divisions of the 

 vertebrate fauna, exclusive of birds, occurring in the 

 county. In connection with the fishes are some 

 pages upon the fisheries of the county, both 

 marine and freshwater. From this summary we 

 learn there have been identified as recently found in 

 Essex thirty-eight terrestrial mammals, ten marine 

 mammals, four reptiles, six amphibians, and 113 

 fishes, making a total of 171 species, which number 

 does not compare very well as against the total for 

 Britain of 324. In dealing with each kind of 

 animal, Dr. Laver very properly avoids all 

 technical descriptions, but in nearly allied cases, 

 as among the bats, he points out distinguishing 

 features in appearance and habits, which will help 

 to identify them when found. The author also 

 tells us about his successes in keeping in captivity 

 various members of the fauna, which make pets 



readily or otherwise. The records for marine fish 

 and mammals form the weakest part of the list of 

 Essex fauna. We imagine the numbers of these 

 species will be increased as more attention is paid 

 to them by someone with ample opportunity. As 

 a basis for future reference and record, this work 

 should be in every naturalist's library, as well 

 as in that of every country gentleman in the 

 county. 



Missouri Botanical Garden Ninth Annual Report. 

 160 pp. large 8vo, with 5 illustrations and 50 

 plates. (St. Louis, Mo. : at the Gardens, 1898.) 



The Annual Report for 1897 of this well- 

 managed institution is as attractive and scientifi- 

 cally useful as ever. The balance sheet shows, 

 after all expenses, a sum in hand for the year, of 

 over ^450. The report proper is complete in a 

 dozen pages, so there is ample space left in the 

 book for printing a number of scientific papers 

 that are beautifully illustrated. Among them 

 are some of considerable importance, for instance, 

 "A Revision of the American Lemnaceae north 

 of Mexico," with four plates. This we have 

 previously noticed from advance sheets. There is 

 " A Revision of the genus Capsicum, , ' with twenty 

 plates, etc. Dr. William Trelease, the Director, 

 is to be congratulated on the excellence of the 

 report for 1897. The literature of the Gardens 

 may be obtained through Wesley and Son, Book- 

 sellers, Essex Street, London, at about cost price, 

 which, unfortunately, is not stated. 



County and Vice-County Divisions of the British 

 Isles. By Alexander Somerville. One sheet. 

 (Glasgow : A. C. Burns, 1898.) 4d. 



Mr. Alexander Somerville, B.Sc, F.L.S. , of 

 Glasgow, has issued on a single sheet, suitable for 

 framing, the " County and Vice-County Divisions 

 of the British Isles," for biological purposes. The 

 publication has been arrived at after consultation 

 with many authorities. The table for Great 

 Britain is based on Watson's arrangement for 

 1852. The Irish table is the forty divisions 

 suggested a couple of years ago by Mr. R. Lloyd 

 Praeger. Added to the sheet are explanations 

 which will be useful. It will be of value to 

 zoologists and botanists alike, and should be 

 obtained by museums and societies, as well as by 

 naturalists generally. These sheets are supplied 

 by A. C. Burns, 383, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, 

 the postage being three-halfpence. If there 

 is a fault the large size is rather against the 

 usefulness, though the print is clear and easily 

 read. 



Practical Radiography. By A. W. Isenthal and 

 H. Snowden Ward. 155 pp. large 8vo, second 

 edition, with numerous plates and illustrations. 

 (London : Dawbarn and Ward, Limited, 1898.) 

 2s. 6d. 



The first edition of this handbook was issued in 

 May, 1S96, soon after Professor Rontgen's dis- 

 covery; therefore it will be readily understood that 

 the work has been almost re-written in conse- 

 quence of the advance in radiography. In the * 

 edition before us the original writer, Mr. Snowden 

 Ward, has had the advantage of the co-operation 

 of one of the leading specialists, Mr. Isenthal, 

 who has studied this branch of photography in 

 practical use in surgery and otherwise. The pro- 

 gress made during the short period since the 

 X-rays were first applied to portraying hidden 

 objects is most remarkable. This book will be 

 found most useful to those whom its subject 

 especially interests. 



