238 JOUENAL OF THE KOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



the author has realized the responsibility of writing on such a subject. 

 Nor do we think that any just idea of the scientific study of religions 

 can be derived from its perusal. 



"Germ Life: Bacteria." By H. W. Conn. Sm. 8vo., 206 pp. 

 (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1909.) Is. net. 



Some years ago a little book entitled "Story of Germ Life" was 

 published by Messrs. Newnes. The present is a reissue with a slightly 

 different title, unaltered so far as the type goes, printed on paper of 

 a different quality and with rather wider margins. The book is a useful 

 one but here and there requires revision in order to bring it up to date so 

 as to include more recent work. 



"The Balance of Nature." By George Abbey. 8vo., xlvii + 278 pp. 

 (Routledge, London, 1909.) 7s. 6d. net. 



The principal wild mammals, birds and reptiles of England are briefly 

 described in the first part of this book, classified under the headings " bene- 

 ficial," " neutral," and " harmful." The second part is devoted to methods 

 of scaring and trapping the harmful animals and birds, and this part seems 

 to have provided the raison d'etre of the book. A third part is given up 

 to a brief consideration of some domesticated animals, useful as destroyers 

 of vermin. The text is for the most part accurate so far as the facts dealt 

 with are concerned, but the expressions made use of are often of peculiar 

 (and sometimes ungrammatical) construction, rendering the book difficult 

 to read. The illustrations, 150 in number, are described as diagrammatical. 

 It seems very doubtful whether a diagram of a teal, or of a roebuck, or 

 a sparrow-hawk perched in a most uncomfortable position, is very helpful 

 to an understanding of the text, and, though some of them are not without 

 humour, it cannot be said that the book would have been of much less 

 value without them. 



"Life and Matter." By Sir Oliver Lodge. 2nd Edition. 8vo., 

 106 pp. (Williams & Norgate, London, 1909.) Gd. net. 



This well known little book now appears in paper covers. The chapters 

 are the same, but, as the author says, " to some extent simplified." There 

 is also a useful " Appendix consisting of definitions and explanations of 

 technical and philosophical terms." But the most important change is in 

 the preface. In the first edition the author wrote : " Incidentally it 

 attempts to confute two errors which are rather prevalent : — 



"1. The notion that because material energy is constant in quantity, 

 therefore its transformations ... are not susceptible of guidance or 

 directoral control. 



" 2. The idea that the specific guiding power which we call ' life ' is 

 one of the forms of material energy," &c. 



In the present edition Sir Oliver says : " It aims at upholding the 



theses : — 



"1. That the conservation of energy is quite consistent with its 

 guidance and control. 



" 2. That life is a guiding and directing principle, and not one of the 

 forms of energy." 



