REVIEWS OF BOOKS. 



555 



Ecology, however, shows that, while the struggle for life goes on every- 

 where between different organisms, it has nothing to do with evolution. 

 He also says : " Natural selection has no doubt developed that part of 

 man's intellect which makes him cunning in devising means to ensnare 

 his prey and to get the better of his felbw-men." This is probably 

 correct, but it has not brought about a new variety of Homo. Speaking 

 of useless structures in plants and animals he says : " I do not see how 

 we can escape from the conclusion that all these so-called useless structures, 

 all that give us beauty and variety, have been specially designed for his 

 [man's] education." Spines give us "variety," but they are perfectly 

 useless on desert plants, and are merely the result of drought ; one does 

 not see what they have to do with education. " Evidently variation is 

 the result of very complicated conditions, and is not to be explained by 

 one overmastering principle." Response, with or without adaptations to 

 the influences of changed conditions of life, is as nearly a universal principle 

 as we are likely to reach — coupled with the principle of " directivity " 

 within the organism itself. 



The book gives a good account of Darwinism, both " new " and " old," 

 and of Lamarckism ; but it is deficient, as stated above, in the latest 

 application of the latter. 



" Outlines of Biology." By P. Chalmers Mitchell. 8vo., 297 pp. 

 (Methuen, London.) 6s. 



This book "has been determined by the syllabus of the conjoint 

 Examining Board of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of 

 England, issued for the guidance of candidates preparing for the 

 examination in Elementary Biology." It is a description of the usual 

 types required, with an abundance of illustrations. 



" Trees and their Life Histories." By Percy Groom. Large 8vo., 

 407 pp. (Cassell, London.) 25s. net. 



Whether for accuracy of illustrations or text this is probably the most 

 valuable book that has yet appeared on the subject of our woodland trees. 

 Certainly much more might have been said regarding each species that 

 has been treated of, but for the purpose intended a wise discrimination 

 has been shown, while the analytical method adopted has much to recom- 

 mend it. The distinctive features of each tree and shrub — for we can 

 hardly call the buckthorn, bullace, hazel, and Euonymus trees — are 

 well chosen, and give just sufficient clear points for purposes of ready 

 recognition. The differences between Pinus Laricio and the variety P. 

 austriaca are — from a purely commercial point at least — not well defined, 

 for the timber of the former is far preferable to that of the variety, 

 while the latter is more readily uprooted in stormy weather. But these 

 are minor matters, especially as the book is written for the lover of trees, 

 or, rather, to guide the interested observer of Nature, rather than to 

 attract the book lover, and with a view to concentrate the reader's 

 attention upon the tree itself, rather than to lure him from the woodland 

 to his book- room. 



