8o 



Reviews and Book Notices. 



is exceptionally large, and it is the cause of the remarkably rich 

 dark green colouration of those organs. Then again, the 

 proportion of lime in the ash is probably unparalleled in that of 

 our native Vvild plants not decidedly calcicolous, and this, 

 notwithstanding that it flourishes and propagates quite freely 

 and profusely in wet or dry soils, very poor in lime. Thirdly, 

 although the stem and leaves abound in mucilage, the deposits 

 of oxalate of calcium therein are very slight, a circumstance 

 which indicates that in the process of deassimilation, it is 

 malic or valeric acid rather than oxalic acid which is the com- 

 pound detached from the albumenoid molecule, and subse- 

 quently neutralized by the verj^ large dose of lime sucked up 

 and absorbed by the powerfully developed hydrophilous root 

 system. 



— 



Illustrated Index of British Freshwater Shells, by A. Q. Stubbs. 



Taylor Bros., Leeds, 1907. Price 3/6. 



On three plates, excellently produced, well mounted on stiff cards, and 

 bound in a strong cloth cover, are represented the whole of the British 

 species of fresh-water shells. With each plate is a ' description ' so 

 arranged and folded that each plate, with its description, can be seen at 

 one time. In addition to the illustrations of typical forms, full details are 

 given of the chief characteristics of sub-species, as well as particulars of 

 their relative scarcity or abundance. A valuable feature is the enumer- 

 ation and description of the varieties. This ' Index ' will be a great help 

 to the collector. 



Woodlanders and Field Folk, by John Watson and Blanche 



Winder. London: T. Fisher Unwin. 302 pp., 5/- 



In this well-produced volume almost every branch of popular natural 

 history is touched upon, and illustrated by a profusion of plates, which 

 make it a very desirable book for a young naturalist. The illustrations 

 vary in qualit3^ some are obviously from ' planted ' birds, etc. The one 

 we are kindly permitted to reproduce (plate xi), is an admirable example 

 of protective resemblance, the woodcock being almost invisible. The book 

 deals with perhaps too many subjects, resulting in inaccuracies being 

 rather too frequent. The matter also varies in quality — in some places 

 the language used being very pleasant — elsewhere it is too ' fine ' altogether. 



Birds of the Lock and Mountain, by Seton P. Gordon. Cassell & 

 Co 181 pp., 7/6 net. 



In this case the title of the book clearly describes its contents, and Mr. 

 Gordon deals with the Golden Eagle, Grouse, Capercailzie, Ptarmigan, etc., 

 his notes being illustrated by a very fine series of photographs of the birds 

 and their haunts. We notice some of the articles are reprinted from ' The 

 Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.' As seems to be the rule with 

 the army of writers on ornithological subjects nowadays, the author dwells 

 upon the hardships and trials of taking photographs. He sa3^s the photo- 

 graphing of the eyrie was rather a lisky preceeding, for the camera was in 

 constant danger of falling, 'and thz branch on ivhich I was standing was old 

 mid rotten i)i the extreme ' This may have been an achievement, but it 

 was not wisdom. The author also often sat up all night, etc. The illustra- 

 tions, especially of the golden eagle, are very fine indeed. We are glad to 

 learn that in one or two favoured localities the golden eagle is increasing. 



Naturalist, 



