SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



:>' ' 



BOOK5TOKE;iD|M 



NOTICKS bV JOHN 1. CAKKlMiluN. 



.-/ Book of n-haUs. liy F. K. Hei)DAR1>, M.A., 

 K. R. S. xv + 320|i|). , S.V in. x6in., with 40 illuslra- 

 tions. (Loiuloii : John Murray, igoo. ) 6s. 



This is the .seventh vohimc issued of the admirable 

 Progressive Science Series, edited l)y the author of 

 the worl< before »s. In dealing; with this somewhat 

 dirticidt svdiject, the author reminds us how little is 

 really known about the life-histories of the true 

 whales and even less about their allies the Del- 

 phinidae. We imagine that though the popular 

 interest in whales will always be active on account of 

 their .size ami the scarcity of opportunity for examina- 

 tion, an accurate knowledge of their economy will he 

 long in arriving. This difticulty of personally ob- 

 ser^-ing the Cetaceans is probably the reason for the 

 sparse attention they have received from men of 

 .science. Indeed, the work before us is the only 

 popular treatise provided by a modern scientific 

 writer that covers the full range of whales, rorquals, 

 beaked whales, and dolphins, recent and fo.ssil, of the 

 earth. Mr. Keddard's chief object in writing this 

 volume for the Progressive Science Series has not 

 only been to .say what is known of Cetaceans, but 

 also by means of the group of whales to illustrate a 

 very important generalisation — the intimate relation 

 between structure of animals and environment. No 

 group exhibits this in a more remarkalile degree. 

 The author has made this volume plea.sant to read by 

 the layman as well as the science student, as he has 

 included much ancient lore about the great marine 

 beasts and many anecdotes about hunting of whales. 

 The drawings are by Mr. Sidney Herrage, and are 

 generally efiective. .\s a whole ISIr. Heddanrs book 

 is a valuable contribution to the literature of wh.ales 

 and their allies, and a useful addition to any general 

 library. An important point in its favour is that Mr. 

 Beddard has verified, as far as possible, all his .state- 

 ments ; some being new facts. 



History of Sirooil, by Henry Smetham, xii -f 

 431 pp., 9 in. X 6 in., with 94 illustrations. (Strood : 

 Sweet & Sons. 1899.) 7s. 6d. 



This is a carefully written history of Strood, a 

 thriving town on the banks of the river Medway, 

 opposite the city of Rochester, with which it is 

 equally ancient ; having been of importance since the 

 early Roman occupation of Britain. I''rom the point 

 of view of natural science there are in this book two 

 appendices of local value. The first is a -geological 

 sketch of the district by Mr. G. E. Uibley. K.H.S. 

 It is popularly written, rather to interest the unin- 

 itiated than as a scientific memoir. It is conse- 

 (piently more useful in connection with a local history. 

 This geological appendix occupies sixteen pages. 

 Following is an appendix on the flora and fauna of 

 Strood, by Mr. J. W. Tutt. F.K.S., who, by the 

 way, is a native of Strood. Both these are interesting 

 and ought to add recruits to the by no means small 

 band of students of Nature already to be found in 

 Stroorl, Rochester and Chatham. It is curious to 



note that in 1673 there wa.s a taOron garden in 

 Slroo<l that let at a rental n{ (^\a per annum, so must 

 have been of considerable si/e. The lover of 

 archaeology will find in Mr. Smetham's '• History of 

 Strood " much of more than local interest, and the 

 general reader will be induced to visit this ijuaint 

 town and its picturesque surroundings. 



The Mycilozoa. By the Right Hon. Sir Kowakd 

 Fry, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., and A.;sKs Krv. 

 viii-f82 pp., 7 in. ■ 5 in., with 22 illustrations. 

 (London: " Knowledge " Office, 1899.) Is. 



This is a reprint in bcjuk form of a series of u.seful 

 articles that appeared in our contemporary, " Know- 

 ledge," upon these generally little understood lowly 

 forms of life. Aflfectionately termed "myxies" Ijy 

 the authors, their subjects constitute the borderland 

 between plant and animal life. .Messrs. Witherby 

 have done well to issue this little book, as it gives an 

 impetus to the .study of some of the nio.st remarkable 

 forms to be found in Nature. It is well worth its 

 published price. 



Traiisacl ons of the Hull Scientific Society for 

 1S99. Edited by Tho.mas SHEl'fARD and J. R. 

 B0VI.1:, F.S..-\. 70 pp., 8i in. X 5.i in., with 3 

 illustrations. (Hull: Brown A: Sons. 1899.) is. 6d. 



The editors of this part, and the members gene- 

 rally of the Hull Scientific and Field Naturali.sts' 

 Club, are to be congratulated upon its production. 

 Though very wisely confined to strictly local matters, 

 it contains much of general interest. There are 

 several good papers on subjects relating to archae- 

 ology, botany, zoology, and geology. 



7'he Birds of Eastern North America. Part II 

 Land Birds. By Chas. B. Cory, F.L.S., F.Z.S. 

 ix -f 132 to 387 pp., 9 J in. X 7 in., with many 

 illustrations. Special Edition. (Chicago : Field 

 Columbian Museum. 1S99). 



The author of this work is Curator of the Depart- 

 ment of ( )rnithology in the Field Museum at Chicago, 

 an<l Vice-President of the .Vmerican Ornithologists' 

 Union ; also member of the British Ornithologists' 

 Union. This part is a key to Families and Species, 

 and is el.aborately illustrated. It is prefaced by in- 

 structions for measuring birds, according to the 

 system used in its pages. 



Croydon. New and Old. By Edward .\. Mar riN, 

 F.G.S. 134 pp.. 'i\ in ■■: 5 in., with maps and illus- 

 trations. (London: Beechings, Limited.) dd. 



Mr. Martin has produced, not only a chatty account 

 of Croydon and its district, but also a useful book of 

 reference. .\t the end of the work are numerous 

 suggestions for excursions and country rambles which 

 will be found worth exiiloring by residents in Croydon. 

 Most of them are within easy reach of London. As 

 he proceeds, the author gives pleasant particulars 

 of the geology, also of the plants and animals by the 

 way. 



The Evolution of Geogratlty. By John Ki-.a.nk. 

 XV » 159 pp., S.i in. X 5^ in., with 26 coloured and 

 plain illustrations. (London : Edward Stanford. 

 I S99. ) 6s. 



The second title of this work is " A Sketch of the 

 Rise and Progress of Geographical Know ledge from 

 the Earliest Times to the First Circumnavigation of 

 the Globe."' The book forms a most interesting 

 introduction to the fascinating study of geography 

 and attendant exploration. Here we can trace the 



