232 Literary Notices. 



view that real words should always be employed, but in his artifi- 

 cially compounded words he preserves a suggestive portion of the 

 name of the person or incident to be remembered. At the close of 

 each chapter are some hexameter verses, in which the chief incidents 

 with their several dates are mnemonically epitomized, and though, 

 like all similar combinations, they look as if they would distress the 

 jaws that utter them, we cannot doubt their utility after many 

 proofs that have reached us that Mr. Travers' pupils really do use 

 them with success. 



Wayside Flora ; or, Gleanings from Rock and Field towards- 

 Rome. By Nona Bellairs, Author of "Hardy Ferns," "Going 

 Abroad," etc. (Smith, Elder and Co.) — The inexorable require- 

 ments of society compelled Miss Nona Bellairs to go to Rome, and 

 being fond of wild flowers, she provided herself with the necessary 

 apparatus for collecting and drying them. She enjoyed her trip, 

 and describes it in a pretty volume, giving the names of some of 

 the flowers that took her fancy, and of the pictures and buildings 

 that pleased her eye. A good-tempered reviewer — and those who 

 are admitted to our columns are all of that happy character — does 

 not know what to say of books of this kind. There is not enough 

 in them for especial praise, or description, and yet it would be hard 

 to blame them because they do not reach some ideal standard of 

 which their author's never dreamt. Miss Bellairs certainly merits 

 commendation for having a taste and a purpose, and her books, 

 though slight, may help other young ladies to acquire similar good 

 things. 



The Handbook op the Stars ; containing the places of 1500 

 Stars, from the first to the fifth magnitude inclusive, upwards of 

 200 of which are noted as Double, Multiple, or Variable : a list of 

 Star Names ; a Table for determining the position of the Constel- 

 lations on the celestial concave at all hours and seasons ; and other 

 Useful Tables. With an examination of the properties and pro- 

 jections used in mapping, and hints on the selection, use, and con- 

 struction of Star-Maps. By Richard A. Proctor, B.A., F.R.A.S., 

 late Scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge, and King's College, 

 London. Illustrated by maps and diagrams. (Longmans.) — The 

 voluminous title of this little book amounts to a catalogue of its 

 chief contents, and, from the merit of Mr. Proctor's previous works, 

 the scientific public will be prepared to receive this with favour. 

 Some of the chief topics have been recently discussed in our pages, 

 so that all we need say now is, that the explanations of star maps 

 and their principles will be found compendious and valuable. Tbo 

 sixth of the tables supplied by Mr. Proctor strikes us as particularly 

 useful. It is easily understood, and gives by simple inspection the. 

 names of the constellations occupying the zenith, and other parts 

 of the heavens, at any hour for any day of the year. As a guide ta 

 a knowledge of the constellations, and to their changes in position, 

 according to the time of the year, this book will be found remark- 

 ably useful. The list of double-stars, though not going below the 

 fifth magnitude, will also be of service. In a few instances, we 

 think, an error has been made in giving their distances. Thus, the 



