The Scottish Naturalist. 



383 



NATURE AND WOODCRAFT.-By John Watson, F.L.S. 



In this, as in his earlier volume entitled " Sylvan Folk," Mr. Watson shows 

 in full measure the characteristic merits aud faults of a group of writers, who 

 have been prolific with their pens during recent years. Possessed of what may 

 be called a fatal facility of expression, they allow themselves to be carried 

 away too often by it, and mar what might be graphic as well as true descrip- 

 tions of nature with mere verbosity, slipshod English, or actual mis-statements 

 of fact, in the vain effort to heighten the effect. It would be a waste of our 

 space to quote more than one or two of the many examples of these faults that 

 are met with in the pages of Mr. Watson's books. Let one suffice. On page 

 15 of "Nature and Woodcraft "we read: — "We have ten tiny creatures 

 constituting an army in themselves, that, if not kept under, would quickly de- 

 vastate our fields. These ten species consist of four mice, three voles, and 

 three shrews — individually so tiny that any one species could comfortably 

 curl itself up in the divided shell of a chestnut." 



Mr. Watson can hardly mean seriously to class the shrews with, the mice 

 and voles as destroyers of crops ; while the chestnuts to which he is accustomed 

 must be considerably larger than those generally met with. Such blemishes 

 are the more to be regretted since the books give evidence of quick and true 

 perception of natural beauties, and their author shows the power at times to 

 bring vividly before his readers scenes and customs familiar to and loved by 

 himself. The faults are such as care will do much to preclude, indeed, the 

 later work is somewhat freer of them than is "Sylvan Folk." But, after all, 

 between White of Selborne and the school of writers to which Mr. Watson be- 

 longs, there is a great gulf. 



INTRODUCTION TO FRESH-WATER AL&ZE, WITH AN 

 ENUMERATION OF ALL THE BRITISH SPECIES. 



By M. C. Cooke, M.A., LL.D. 



{Being Vol. LXIX. of the International Scientific Series). 



In this work there is provided at a marvellously low price an introduction to 

 the study of an extensive group of microscopic plants, which are of the greatest 

 interest and value to the biologist as well as to the systematist in Botany. We 

 cannot doubt that it will be a great incentive to the investigation of the 

 organisms of which it treats, as its price will bring it within the reach of many 

 to whom the more expensive works that preceded it were not accessible. 



The title is rather too wide, as the great groups of Desmids and Diatoms do 

 not find a place in it ;— though, indeed, by some it may be held that the latter 

 group is not entitled to rank with true Algae. However, the reason for the 

 omission of these groups is evident, as their inclusion would have increased 

 the book to much too great a size. 



