BOOK REVIEWS. 



419 



sixty-four illustrations, charts, and maps. Numerous interesting episodes 

 are supplied, as, for example, the discovery of New South Wales, and the 

 first landing of Cook and Banks in Botany Bay. A chapter is devoted 

 to the Banksian botanist-librarians, as Solander, Dryander, Eobert Brown, 

 with interesting letters from various botanists, including Sir W. J. Hooker 

 (1810), R. Brown, J. E. Smith, &c. Another chapter tells of Banks as 

 President of the Royal Society, over the interests of which he " watched 

 in the most earnest manner." " He took a personal interest in all 

 elections, not hesitating to speak to members about the qualifications of 

 the candidates." It is not surprising that such conduct was distasteful to 

 some. A smouldering discontent broke out into activity, but when a vote 

 of censure was put, the non-contents were 39 against 139. 



The memoranda and botanical collections of Linnaeus were offered to 

 Banks for €1,000, but declined. Mr. J. E. Smith, then a medical 

 student, heard this, and obtaining the money from his father, bought 

 them. Then the Linnaean Society was founded in 1788. Besides being 

 a Fellow Founder of this, he was also a founder of the Royal Institution 

 in 1799. He is also named in the Charter of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society in 1809. Shortly after his death the Banksian Medal was 

 established. 



In the concluding chapters, Banks' interest in the progress of 

 Australia generally, and in the wool industry, will be found interesting. 



The book appears to be an exhaustive collection of all facts known 

 about him, and must be studied by anyone wishing to know the early 

 history of Australia. 



" A Textbook of Botany for Students ; with Directions for Practical 

 Work." By Amy F. M. Johnson, B. Sc. 8vo., 535 pp. (Allman, London, 

 1909.) 6s. net. 



This excellent Manual contains 535 pages, and is well illustrated. 

 First intended for her own pupils, " the subject-matter will be helpful " 

 for several public examinations enumerated. 



It has five parts — General Morphology, Histology, Physiology, Ecology, 

 and Systematic Botany. Each part is treated as concisely, but clearly, 

 as possible, and a well selected series of families is given for study. 

 Instructions for practical work close every part. The book is evidently 

 intended for the class-room, and for this purpose it is excellent. 



But book and laboratory alone have always a tendency to " cram," which 

 must be counteracted by plenty of " Nature Study " in the open. This is 

 the great educational value of Ecology. The author only devotes 24 pages 

 to it, containing a summary of some adaptations and observations of plant 

 associations, &c. But what one misses in this and so many other text- 

 books of a like character, is an appreciation of training the pupil, not only 

 to observe, but to generalize for himself. E.g., the author more than 

 once alludes to the supposed protective purpose of spinescent processes. 

 Ecology soon shows the fallacy of this hypothesis ; the author correctly 

 observes they are xerophytic characters, i.e. not only accompanied by, 

 but actually caused by drought. If such plants grow in moist conditions, 

 the spines soon disappear, as in cultivated pears and plums, rest-harrow, 

 barberry, furze, &c. In deserts, where they abound, the only quadruped 



