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BOOK NOTICES. 



The Naturalist's Diary: a Day-Book of Meteorology, Phenology, and 

 Rural Biology. . . . Arranged and Edited by Charles Roberts, F.R.C.S., 

 L.R.C.P., etc., . . . with a Chart showing the blossoming of spring 

 flowers in Europe, and an introduction on natural periodic Phenomena, etc. 

 London: Swan Sonnenschein, Le Bas & Lowrey . . . [1886]. 

 The object of this work is two-fold. It is a guide to the recurrence of the 

 periodic phenomena of nature, giving the average dates at which they may be looked 

 for, a large number of species both of animals and plants being thus referred to ; and 

 it also provides a blank half-page for each day of the year, on which to enter personal 

 observations of a similar character. Each page of this book is devoted to a day in 

 the year ; being divided vertically the left side of the page contains the indications 

 first mentioned, while the right side is left blank for the record of such phenomena 

 as may fall within the cognizance of the possessor. The introduction and the map 

 are largely based upon the German observations of Herren Hoffmann and Ihne, 

 of Giessen, and a perusal of it will show that the observers of periodic natural 

 phenomena are endeavouring to advance beyond the Gilbert White stage and to 

 search for the laws which regulate these phenomena. It is satisfactory to note that 

 greater rigidity and precision in recording the details is now to be aimed at, and 

 that therefore greater accuracy may henceforth be expected in the generalizations 

 based upon them. >O0< 



Hand-book Of Mosses, with an Account of their Structure, Classification, 

 Geographical Distribution, and Habitats. By James E. Bagnall, A.L.S. . . 



Second Edition. London : Swan Sonnenschein, Lowrey & Co 



1886. [Price is., 96 pages, small 8vo.] 



The Young Collector. British Fungi, Lichens, and Mosses, 

 including Scale-mosses and Liverworts. By E. M. Holmes, 

 F.L.S., . . . and Peter Gray, A.B.S.Edin. . . . London: Swan 

 Sonnenschein, Lowrey & Co. . . . 1886. [Price is. . . . 32 + 29 

 + 32 pages, small 8vo.] 



Sea-weeds, Shells, and Fossils. By Peter Gray, A.B.S.Edin.; and 

 B. B. Woodward. . . . London : Swan Sonnenschein, Le Bas & Lowrey. 

 [Not dated. Price is., 94 pages, small 8vo.] 

 These little books form part of a series of introductions to collecting in various 

 departments of natural history, and are all nicely printed and copiously illustrated. 

 In merit they are unequal, and decidedly the best is the admirable little hand-book 

 of mosses by Mr. Bagnall, whose methodical treatment of his subject within the 

 narrow limits assigned to him enables him to expound it to the best advantage. 

 As to the others we cannot pretend to admire the plan of treating upon such diverse 

 and comprehensive sciences as phycology, malacology, and palaeontology in a single 

 volume of no greater size than that allowed to Mr. Bagnall for a subject of much 

 less extent, nor can we conceive that these volumes will serve any more useful 

 purpose than that of whetting the appetite for works more advanced, more 

 detailed and precise in their treatment of the subject. The publishers are, however, 

 to be congratulated upon their evident desire to be of service to their fellow-men 

 by the production of low-priced manuals for collecting. 



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The Bradford Naturalists' Society have printed as a 16-page pamphlet the very 

 excellent paper on the ' History of Botany J which was read at one of their meetings 

 by Mr. J. Clayton. In it he carries the origin of the science back to very early 

 times, and treats graphically and well of its subsequent progress down to the time 

 of Darwin. >c0 ^ 



We have received for notice a copy of a penny pamphlet entitled ' Workmen 

 and Museums* ': being selections from a series of letters contributed to the ' Liver- 

 pool Mercury' during the latter part of 1885 and the beginning of 1886, by 'R.M.'? 

 It runs to 28 pages, and treats of Teredo and Pholas, then of silk-producers, the 

 growth of coal plants, whales, the nautilus as a prototype of modern shipping, and 

 the foraminiferal origin of our chalk rocks. 



Oct. 1886. 



