Reviews a7id Book Notices. 



461 



then living in the district ; the evidence they give, therefore, 

 of a post-glacial depression, falls to the ground. 



It will thus be seen that this interesting book contains some 

 points upon which opinions may differ, but as we know Mr. 

 Wheeler welcomes criticism, we have not hesitated to offer the 

 preceeding remarks. When, however, we come to that part 

 of the book dealing with ' Tides, Currents, and Winds,' we find 

 him on surer ground (if we may use an ' Irishism '), and we shall 

 not cross swords with him there, as we should doubtless soon 

 be swamped I 



When Mr. Wheeler leaves his engineering sphere and 

 invades geological territory, it is a duty and a right, in view 

 ol Mr. Haldane's scheme, to defend our own land ! Hence these 

 wcrds. T.S. 







SOME NEW NATURE BOOKS. 



The production of volumes dealing with natural history proceeds 

 apace, and at the present moment our desk, which is rarely particularly 

 tidy, is almost covered with books of varying worth ; a few are sound, 

 scientific treatises, containing original information ; some are carefully 

 written in a popular style, and whilst they professedly contain little that 

 is new, they will doubtless further the study of nature. Others, however, 

 are obviously written to sell, and whilst they may not do very much harm, 

 they are not likely to further natural science. 



We have received part 16 (concluding part) of Kearton's * British 

 Birds' Nests ' (Cassell & Co., is.). It contains a large number of excellent 

 photos of nests and nesting sites, with suitable letterpress. 



Under the title ' The Adventures of Cock Robin and his Mate.' 



(Cassell & Co., 240 pp., 3/6), 'Mr. R. Kearton has produced an attractive 

 volume for young readers. Besides giving an interesting account of the 

 birds, the author endeavours to encourage his readers to be kind to their 

 feathered friends. There are reproductions of 120 photographs by the 

 brothers Kearton, which add much to the value of the book. The title, 

 however, seems to be a little elastic, as the book includes descriptions of 

 owls, rooks, swans, crows, gulls, cormorants, spiders, butterflies, beetles, 

 hedgehogs, daisies, etc., etc. 



Trees shown to the Children, by J. H. Kelman, described by C. 



E. Smith. T. C. and E. C. Jack. 131 pp. 



This is a welcome addition to the admirable ' Shewn to the Children ' 

 series, to which we have had the pleasure of referring on previous occasions. 

 The illustrations of the leaves, and other details of the trees are all 

 that can be desired. The paintings of the trees themselves, however, 

 though they may appeal to the ' impressionist,' will, in some cases, 

 hardly impress a young mind with a correct interpretation. The 

 oak (plate I.), more resembles a piece of lichen ; the elm (plate VIII.) 

 might be a cloud ; the white willow (plate XV.) Avould do for a snow scene ; 

 and the hazel (plate VL), might be anything. 



The Nature Book. A popular description by pen and camera of the 

 delig-hts and beauties of the open air. Cassell & Co., 372 pp., 12/- net. 



In this beautiful volume, Messrs. Cassell have bound together the 

 various parts [of ' The Nature Book,' Avhich appeared fortnightly, and 

 have been previously noticed in these columns. Quite apart from the 



1908 December i 



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