SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



177 



Dragons of the Aii\ By H. G. Seeley, F.R.S. 

 xiii + 239 pp., Ti in. x 5 in., witli SO illustrations. 

 (London : Metluien & Co. 1901.) (is. 



Professor Seeley has produced a delightful book, 

 indited with the same charming literary styhj 

 which is so well known in his general writings and 

 lectures. The real object of the book is described 

 in its sub-title, being '■ An Account of Extinct 

 Flying Reptiles." This is no new subject to the 

 author, as long ago — for no less a period than ten 

 years — he worked with the late Prof essor Sedgwick 

 in gathering remains of these extraordinary and 

 deeply interesting animals in the Cambridge Green 

 Sand. Since tlien much more has been learned 

 about them, and many have been restored, and by 



U'/ir ]\'orld of ilw Great Forest. By PAUL Du 

 Chaillu. xiii + 322 pp., 8 J in. x 5^ in., with 50 illus- 

 trations. (London : John Murray. 1901.) 7s. (id. 



This beautifully produced book, with the striking 

 illustrations by Messrs. C. R. Knight and J. L, 

 Gleeson, will appeal to young people generally, as 

 well as to the majority of their elders. M. Du 

 Chaillu's long experience in many parts of the 

 world, especially in the great Central African 

 Forest, is known to most naturalists, as are also his 

 romantic writings. In this book, as did Budyard 

 Kipling in his "Jungle Stories," the author endows 

 his animals with human speech, and makes them 

 tell much of their own stories. It is needless to 

 say that from the pen of the author we have many 



CvcXORH.\Mi'HUS SL'EVICUS. ItKS'l'OUKl). 

 (Fntn '■ Driiaoiis of llm Air." ISij Professor II. 1:, Arlcii.) 



human imagination clothed as with their original 

 flesh. Among the illustrations — which, by the way, 

 have been cleverly drawn by Miss E. B. Seeley — 

 are several of these restorations, two of the plates 

 being here reproduced by the courtesy of the 

 publishers, one showing the fossil bones as dis- 

 covered and the other the restoration of Cyeiw- 

 rlmmpliiis siiericus from the Solenhofen slate, 

 showing their scattered position. The original 

 fossil is in the museum at Tiibingen. A particular 

 feature of the restoration is that showing the 

 position of the wing membranes. As a popular 

 description of extinct creatures represented in 

 most museums, but little understood by the 

 public, this is one of the best books of its kind 

 which it has been our pleasure to meet with in our 

 experience. 



that are not only sensational but highly entertain- 

 ing. Naturally, as one would expect, knowing Du 

 Chaillu's acquaintance with gorillas, they fonn an 

 important feature of the work. There could be no 

 better gift-book for the coming Christmas-time 

 than the volume before us. 



Tlie Story of Boolis. By CiERTRUDE Burfobo 

 Rawlixgs. i"! pp., () in. x 3^ in., with fron- 

 tispiece and 1(3 other illustrations. (London : 

 George Newues, Limited. 1901.) Is. 



This is another issue in the Library of Useful 

 Stories, and forms one of the most interesting. It 

 traces the history of bookmaking from the beginning 

 until recent times. The illustrations are quaint 

 and suitable, some of the ancient blocks and black 

 letter used in merliaeval times being reproduced. 



