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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
nearer the sun. Indeed, this is the most powerful of all his arguments, 
and we confess that it by no means satisfies us. We are dissatisfied with 
the whole theory, which we think rests on too little foundation. Still 
others may not think so, and they will do well to consult the volume, 
which is well written and amply illustrated. It contains, too, a paper 
on the meteoric theory of the sun, which we have not said anything about. 
BRITISH BUTTERFLIES* 
T HE British Butterflies have found a good friend in Mr. Newman, who 
has given us a history of their lives — from larva to imago , their habits 
and their whereabouts — which is one of the most perfect things of the kind. 
And we are glad to read the author’s statement that his work has attained, 
while in progress, a sale that is almost unattainable in English scientific 
works. Firstly, the work consists of a series of notices to the young who 
may be disposed to go butterfly-hunting. And in them we find the author’s 
great experience, and we commend this part of his work to our readers. 
The next part deals with the subjects of anatomy, physiology, and embryo- 
logy of the insects ; and finally we come to the separate account of each 
species. This latter is admirably given. First comes a capital engraving, 
life-size, of the species ; and then follows in order the life, history, time of 
appearance and locality, occupying from a page to a page and a half or two 
pages of a large quarto (or nearly so) volume. All this is done well, as /we 
might expect from the author ; it is clear, intelligible, and devoid of much 
of the rubbish which abounds in books of this kind generally. We had 
intended to have quoted some passages from the introduction, but we have 
not space to do so ; therefore we must conclude our notice by expressing 
the hope that all who are interested in insects will make themselves 
acquainted with the volume. 
CASSELL’S TECHNICAL EDUCATOR. t 
T HIS is considered as a work uniform in aim with the “ Popular Educator,” 
but having of course, as the name implies, a more special application. 
It is generally very fairly done, some of the authors being very well 
qualified for the task of instruction, while others are as certainly very little 
adapted to their task. We notice that a good many of the contributors are 
Irishmen. This we think is a new feature of an English work, and by no 
means a bad one. Those whose names are down from Ireland constitute 
about the best of the whole of Messrs. Cassell’s authors. As regards the 
quality of the matter, it is passable, some of the articles being very good 
* “An Illustrated Natural History of British Butterflies.” By Edward 
Newman, F.L.S., F.Z.S. The figures drawn by George Willis, and engraved 
by John Kirchner. London : William Tweedie, 1871. 
t “The Technical Educator; an Encyclopaedia of Technical Education.” 
Yol. I. Cassell, Petter and Galpin, 1871. 
