BOOK EEVIEWS. 



413 



Miss Sophie Lyall, in dealing with the Hyacinth culture at Haarlem 

 in the eighteenth century, gives a free translation of Saint- Simon's " Des 

 Jacinthes," published at Amsterdam 1768, and deals with the fashion 

 and demand for the Double Hyacinths at that time, together with a 

 physical analysis of the Hyacinth bulb, and should prove welcome reading 

 to those to whom the work of Saint- Simon is a closed book. 



"Geography: Structural, Physical, and Comparative." By Professor 

 J. W. Gregory, D.Sc, F.R.S. 8vo. 305 pp. ; 32 coloured maps and 

 photographic illustrations, and 96 figs. (Blackie, London, 1908.) 6s. 

 net. 



Although this book is intended for use in schools, there is much that 

 will be found interesting and profitable to the general reader, for the 

 author, having set himself the task of stating the most important facts 

 concerning the structural geography of the earth without the use of 

 geological terms, has succeeded in presenting in a readable form some 

 of the more modern theories of contemporary geography. 



One might particularly mention the two useful chapters on the 

 " Influence of the Atmosphere and Oceans," and throughout Part IV. 

 occupying two-thirds of the book, and dealing with descriptive geography, 

 great stress is laid on the part which climate plays in the economic 

 development of countries. This important factor is ably described, and 

 clearly illustrated by an admirable series of coloured maps showing 

 isotherms, isobars, rainfall and winds. 



" The Making of Species." By D. Dewer, B.A., F.Z.S., and F. Finn. 

 8vo., 400 pp. 15 illustrations. (Lane, London, 1909.) 7s. Qd. net. 



In the preface the authors state the characters of four classes of books 

 on Evolution, viz. (1) " Wallaceism," (2) " Lamarckism," (3) De Vries' 

 views, and (4) "Books of a more judicial nature by men who decline to 

 subscribe to any of the above creeds. . . . All four are characterized 

 by defects. . . . Our aim has been twofold, to place before the general 

 public in simple language a true statement of the present position of 

 biological science, and to furnish scientific men of the day with food 

 for reflection." 



The eight chapters deal with the rise of and objections to the 

 theory of natural selection, variation, hybridism, inheritance, coloration, 

 sexual dimorphism and the factor of evolution. . . " We fear that this 

 book will come as a rude shock to many scientific men." 



The authors have much to say against each of the four classes of 

 writers, and begin with "natural selection." Darwin's theory, they 

 observe, " was enunciated at the psychological moment. . . . Most of the 

 leading zoologists were evolutionists at heart, and were only too ready to 

 accept any theory which afforded a plausible explanation" (5).* But 

 " it would have been a good thing for zoology had Darwin not obtained 

 so easy a victory" (7), for "it produced for a time a considerable 

 mental stagnation among zoologists" (12). This is witnessed by " any 

 popular book dealing with zoological theory ; for it leaves the impression 



* The numbers refer to the pages in the book. 



