472 



SCIENCE, 



[YoL. VI., No. 147. 



welcome this new work on botany as a most 

 acceptable contribution to our resources for in- 

 struction. Part i., devoted to histology, has already 

 been noticed {Science, vol. v. p. 157), and it only 

 remains for us to direct attention to the larger 

 part of the complete volume, part ii. , devoted to 

 physiology. 



The present volume is especially welcome from 

 the fact that it is the finest work of the kind 

 published in this country. The nearest approach 

 to it is the text-book by Dr. Bessey. Until now 

 we have been obliged to depend upon reprints 

 from the German for all text-books upon this very 

 important department of botanical science ; but it 

 is to be hoped that the issue of the work before 

 us is indicative of a permanent change in this 

 direction, and that for the future we may have 

 standard text-books capable of bringing the stu- 

 dent into intimate acquaintance with the most 

 recent acquisitions. 



In its general make-up, the book is very credit- 

 able, and a decided improvement upon the usual 

 appearance of text-books. The paper and letter- 

 press are good ; while the figures, of which the 

 publishers have granted the author a fanly hberal 

 allowance, are fresh, — an evident effort having 

 been made to avoid stereotyped illustrations, — and 

 in most cases admirably well executed. The refer- 

 ences to the literature of the various subjects treated 

 are quite full, and will be found a most valuable 

 aid to the student, as also will the large amount 

 of additional matter embodied in the footnotes. 

 The student is also provided at the end of the 

 volume with a large number of suggestions as to 

 the apparatus and materials required in both 

 histological and physiological studies. Also, as 

 of special advantage to those wishing to follow 

 an independent course of study, there are many 

 valuable suggestions as to the subjects which may 

 be most profitably considered. Valuable as such 

 suggestions are, however, they can only serve as a 

 basis ; and tlie student must of necessity outline 

 his own course to a very large extent, since he 

 would otherwise find it physically impossible to 

 accomplish all that might seem desirable. 



The author has endeavored to leave no im- 

 portant physiological fact without discussion, 

 while his entire treatment of the subject as a 

 whole will commend itself to teachers generally 

 as clear and logical, although in many instances 

 there appears to be a lack in fulness of treatment 

 which would be highly desirable, but which would 

 hardly be practicable in the limits of a book de- 

 signed for an ordinary course of instruction. 



In some instances, however, this becomes a 

 fault, since the abbreviations are sometimes car- 

 ried to such an extent as to give the student an 



imperfect conception of the subject discussed. 

 Such, however, are minor faults, and are almost 

 inseparable from necessary curtailment of dis- 

 cussion. They all readily disappear under the 

 guidance of a competent teacher, and the author 

 is certainly to be congratulated upon having re- 

 duced errors of all kinds to a minimum. While 

 giving the most recent views obtained, the author 

 wisely errs on the side of prudence in not allowing 

 himself to give too great weight to opinions which 

 are not fully justified. 



Our knowledge of both histology and physiology 

 is now advancing at such a rapid rate, that many 

 errors of omission, and possibly, in some cases, of 

 fact also, are almost inseparable from a work of 

 this kind. The time which elapses between the 

 reception of the manuscript by the publisher and 

 of the book by the public, is sufficient to make 

 many statements old, and often to upset previous 

 views. Bearing this in mind, the book is fully 

 up to the times, and we can commend it as 

 destined to meet in a most acceptable manner a 

 long-felt want. 



HORNADAY'S TRAVELS IN BORNEO. 



All things considered, this is one of the most 

 satisfactory books of its kind that we have seen 

 for many a day. Its author possesses to a marked 

 degree the happy but rare faculty of knowing just 

 how much science the general reader likes to have 

 mixed with his narrative, and also how to give it 

 to him without missing either the science or the 

 narrative. JVIr. Hornaday's style is none of the 

 best, but there is such a freshness, such a genuine 

 ring, and such a realness to his narration, that one 

 is willing to overlook his many deficiencies in the 

 art of expression, his numerous inelegancies, and 

 even his incessant use of slang words and phrases. 

 In fact, the most serious objection we have to the 

 book lies in another direction, and is something 

 for which the publisher is more to blame than the 

 author. We refer to its weight, — a little less than 

 thi-ee pounds avoirdupois. Now, there is no ob- 

 jection to printing dictionaries and other works of 

 reference in large, heavy tomes. Such books are 

 designed merely for reference, and can be used 

 when lying open on a table or book-rest. But 

 when it comes to asking one's readers to sit solemnly 

 down to a narrative of sport and adventure as to a 

 Webster's unabridged or a consular report, it is ask- 

 ing too much. 



Mr. Hornaday's journey to the jungle — which 

 simply means woods — was undertaken for the 

 purpose of procuring specimens for Mr. Ward's 



Two years in the jungle. By William T. Hornaday. 

 New York, Charles Scribner^s sons, 1885. 



