HARD WICKE' S S CIENCE- G SSIP. 



247 



may also be found. Cornus mascula (L.) is here a tree, 

 putting forth early and tiny clusters of yellow flowers 

 on eveiy branch. Coronilla emenis (L.) is a 

 leguminous shrub with yellow flowers. Bellidiastrum 

 Michdii (Cass.), a large daisy, fills the clefts in the 

 rock, with splendid spikes of solidago, Virga aurea 

 (L.), which last is in flower almost to Christmas. In 

 the month of May, or in late seasons June, the flora 

 of this accessible ravine is at its best. I note those 

 plants which are most likely to attract attention ; but 

 they by no means exhaust the list. 



C. Parkinson. 



NOTES OX NEW BOOKS. 



'/ " HE Migration of Birds, by Charles Dixon 

 J- (London : Chapman and Hall). We con- 

 gratulate Mr. Dixon on this, his latest book. He has 

 turned out several good ones, but none more original 

 than the above. Indeed some of the chapters are 

 daringly original. It is now more than twenty years 

 since we ventured to suggest that the northerly 

 and southerly migration of birds in our hemisphere 

 might be connected with the great physical changes 

 in the Glacial Period. Mr. Dixon fairly demonstrates 

 this proposition, and works it out in an admirable 

 manner. The author is a philosopher, as well as a 

 scientist ; and he is eminently clear, logical, and 

 terse. Nevertheless his book is charmingly written, 

 and excels in grace and freedom of style. Many 

 years ago, Mr. Dixon made some of his earliest 

 appearances as an ornithological writer in the pages 

 of " Science-Gossip," and we therefore congratulate 

 him on his well-earned success. The present volume 

 runs to three hundred pages, is well bound, and 

 printed in capital type on good paper. It contains 

 twelve chapters, from the titles of which our readers 

 may form a good idea of the extensive ground Mr. 

 Dixon has worked, and of the vast amount of know- 

 ledge he has here accumulated. The chapters are as 

 follows: — "Ancient and Modern Views on Migra- 

 tion ; " " Glacial Epochs and warm Polar Climates ; " 

 "The Philosophy of Migration;" "Routes of 

 Migration;" "Emigration and Evolution;" 

 "Internal Migrations and Local Movements;" 

 " Nomadic Migration ; " " The Perils of Migration ; " 

 " The Destinations of the Migrants ; " " The Spring 

 Migration of Birds;" "The Autumn Migration of 

 Birds ; " and "Migration in the British Islands." 



Experimental Evolution, by Henry De Varigny, 

 D.Sc. (London : Macmillan & Co.). This is one of 

 the well-known "Nature Series" volumes. Dr. 

 Varigny is a distinguished French Biologist, foremost 

 in the French school of Evolutionists. He has 

 evidently a skilful command of ;English, insomuch 

 that he was invited to give a course of lectures on 

 the above subject to the summer School of Art and 

 Science in University Hall, Edinburgh, in August of 



last year. The present volume is the result of Sthose 

 lectures. The literature of evolution has been accu- 

 mulating for years past, and is doubtless far from 

 being completed. "All the rivers run into the sea, 

 yet is the sea not full," said Solomon. Human 

 life is too short to expend itself in discussion, 'on a 

 practically accepted principle. The chief value of 

 Professor Varigny's book is its practical side, namely, 

 Experimental Evolution. It is crowded with jmost 

 interesting facts and experimental details, both in the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms. It is probable that 

 before long an Experimental Institute will be founded 

 in one of our Universities, on the lines that Professor 

 Varigny here recomends. We cordially recommend 

 this most interesting book to all our readers. 



Missouri, Third Atimial Report of the Botanical 

 Garden (St. Louis, Mo. : published by the Board of 

 Trustees). The chief value of this handsomely got 

 up annual volume, are two monographs, one by 

 Professor W. Trelease, " Revision of North 

 American Species of Rumex, (illustrated by thirty- 

 three highly artistic full-page plates), and Professor 

 Riley's "Yucca Moth and Yucca Pollination" 

 (illustrated by twenty-one plates), both admirable 

 examples of scientific research. 



The Fauna and Flora of Gloucestershire, by Chas. 

 A. Witchell and W. Bishop Strugnell (Stroud: 

 printed and published by George H. James, Russell 

 Street). This handsomely got-up work is in every 

 respect — binding, paper, type, and illustrations — a 

 volume de luxe. The Editors are thoroughly up to 

 their work, and the list of articles contributed are 

 from the pens of upwards of fifty Gloucestershire 

 Naturalists, each of whom speaks upon his special 

 subject. Each contributor appears to have worked 

 up his subject as thoroughly as possible, and most of 

 them give a short bibliography of papers and articles 

 published by other authors upon them. The 

 Mammalia and Birds of Gloucestershire are particu- 

 larly well handled, and more fully dealt with (very 

 naturally) than any other division of the Fauna of the 

 county. The descriptions of the reptiles and amphi- 

 bians occupy twenty-five pages ; the fishes sixteen, 

 the crustaceans five, mollusca six, and the ants 

 nineteen. The aculeate hymenoptera are very 

 lengthily dealt with — a somewhat unusual feature — ■ 

 the paper on them running to fifty pages. The 

 article on macro-lepidoptera is richly supplied with 

 lists, which must be of great local value. That part 

 of the book devoted to the Flora of Gloucestershire 

 has two interesting articles on celebrated trees, and 

 celebrated plants. A special paper is given to the 

 local orchids, local fems, and aquatic plants. There 

 are others on the edible fungi of the county, as well 

 as articles on the mosses, liver-worts, etc., winding 

 up with a valuable catalogue of Gloucestershire 

 plants. 



Amid Natures Realms, a series of zoological, 

 botanical, and geological essays, by Edward Alfred 



