BOOKS RECEIVED. 



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imaginary fancy pictures which could not under any circumstances be 

 realised, but they are plain matter-of-fact representations of existing 

 specimens, and are all singularly beautiful. It is invidious to mention 

 any in particular where all are so nearly perfect, and yet we must direct 

 attention to the plates of Pinus Pinaster, and of the Lime in its winter 

 aspect, from either of which you may discern that nature can be more 

 beautiful than art. The letterpress of the work is as useful as the plates 

 are ornamental. It gives directions for planting each tree or shrub, the 

 situations they like, the method and time of pruning (if required), and 

 different modes of propagation. A delightful gift-book for any country 

 house. 



" Systematic Botany, A Handbook of." By Dr. E. Warming, with a 

 Revision of the Fungi by Dr. E. Knoblauch. Translated and edited by 

 Professor M. C. Potter. (Swan Sonnenschein, London.) 15s. 



This is a complete classification of the vegetable kingdom as far as 

 " Families " (equivalent of Bentham and Hooker's " Cohorts ") and Orders, 

 with excellent illustrations of types. In Dicotyledons the divisions are 

 replaced by two sub-classes : (1) containing the apetalous and polypetalous 

 orders, as Choripetalce ; sub-class (2) being composed of the gamopetalous 

 orders. Several orders are redistributed, e.g. under Curvembrya Caryo- 

 phyllecB adjoin several apetalous families, while Euphorbiacece stand by 

 Malvacece, &c. 



"Injurious and Useful Insects." By Professor L. C. Miall, F.R.S. 

 (Bell, London.) 8s. Qd. 



A most interesting little book, but it is more an introduction to the 

 study of entomology than a handbook of insects of economic interest. To 

 anyone wishing to learn something about the anatomy and life-history of 

 insects, and who has little or no previous knowledge of these subjects, 

 this book will be most useful. It is very well printed and is profusely 

 illustrated with very good figures. The author says in the preface : " This 

 little book has been written for beginners who are willing to take some 

 pains to acquire a practical knowledge of insects, and are specially inter- 

 ested in the application of entomology to agriculture, horticulture, and 

 forestry." There can be no doubt that the destruction of injurious insects 

 would be far better and more intelligently carried out if those who were 

 engaged in the work had some knowledge of the habits and life-history of 

 the various insects they were dealing with. At present the average gar- 

 dener and farmer, and many amateur cultivators, are lamentably ignorant 

 on this subject. Those, however, who only want a book to tell them how 

 to destroy the pests that are injuring their crops, without knowing or 

 learning anything about them, may find other works more suitable. The 

 present book is divided into four parts. The first answers the question, 

 What is an insect ? and gives directions as to how to dissect a cockroach, 

 and various details of its anatomy. The second gives an account of the 

 life-history, &c, of a few species belonging to each of the five principal 

 natural orders in which insects are classified, namely, those containing 

 beetles, butterflies and moths, bee-like insects, two-winged flies, aphides 



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