BOOK REVIEWS. 



291 



aesthetic dehght in " scenery," and inspiring to the student of geo- 

 graphy. 



Perhaps the most interesting chapter to the gardener will be that 

 on the vegetation of the sand and clay (chapter iii., pp. 52-97). The 

 photographs are well reproduced, but a little more care might have 

 been spent on editing, and we should like to enter a protest against 

 the use of such ' * common ' ' names as ' Upright Moenchia, ' * Dwarf 

 Silky Willow,' ' Narrow-leaved Prickly-toothed Shield Fern,' ' Awned 

 Nit Grass,' ' Starved Wood Sedge,' 'Plantain Shoreweed,' 'Ciliated 

 Pearlwort,' and so on. 



" Wonders of Plant Life." By S. L. Bastin. 8vo., x + 136 pp. 

 (Cassell, London, 1911.) 3s. 6d. net. 



In this popular and well-illustrated book some of the more inter- 

 esting phases of plant-life are interestingly written of. It contains 

 little that cannot be found elsewhere, but the " young person " 

 interested in natural history will find instruction mostly reliable. 



As in most books of the kind there are some rather inexact state- 

 ments. We read of the mistletoe, for example, " In the winter 

 the white berries are largely eaten by birds, and a certain number 

 of the seeds will be likely to adhere to their beaks. To get rid of 

 the encumbrance the bird cleans his bill by rubbing it backwards 

 and forwards on the bark of a branch. ... As the seed germin- 

 ates ..." As a matter of fact the berries are not ripe until winter 

 is past, and seed so sown at Christmas, say, would fail to germinate. 

 On a later page it is suggested that Elodea canadensis was rapidly 

 distributed over Great Britain by means of seeds, but only the female 

 plant is known in this country. 



"The Process of the Year." By H. H. Brown, F.L.S. 8vo., 

 x -1- 180 pp. (S.P.C.K., London, 1911.) 2s. 6d. net. 



Another of the now numerous books of nature-study, dealing with 

 the animals and plants which are most noticeable in the succeeding 

 seasons of the year. 



"Wild Flowers and their Wonderful Ways." By Eev. C. A. 

 Hah. 8vo., X + 88 pp. (Black, London, 1911.) Is. 6d. net. 



Some good illustrations, including coloured plates more true to 

 nature than many in such low-priced books, illuminate the text. The 

 latter contains nothing new, but is interestingly written. 



"Applied Biology." By M. A. and A. N. Bigelow. 8vo., 

 ix + 583 pp. (Macmillan, New York, 1911.) 6s. net. 



Apart from the rather greater amount of space given to physiology, 

 and some few notes on economic uses of animals and plants discussed, 

 this does not differ radically from other biological text-books. As an 

 elementary text-book of biology it seems to be excellent; as a book 



applied biology it scarcely covers the ground indicated by the 

 title. 



