SHORT NOTICES OF BOOHS. 
197 
later writer does this too, frequently ; but he likes human society of the right sort 
— that of “ the robust and kind-hearted people, the woodmen of the forest-lands " 
— of gamekeepers and other country folk. With some of the gamekeepers, by the 
way, he is hardly in sympathy ; as with the “authority in the velveteen jacket,” 
who told him that goat-suckers* “sucked cows when they was asleep.” “ I did 
not contradict him,” he says, “his case was hopeless.” The description of 
“ the gable-end of a dog-kennel covered with beautiful creatures, the ornaments of 
the woodlands,” reminds me of the “ gamekeeper’s museum,” described by the 
Rev. F. O. Morris many years ago in one of the most useful of his books. 
It would be easy to extend — indeed, the difficulty lies in curtailing — the notice 
of this delightful book. But it is before all things desirable that readers of 
Nature Notes should procure it for themselves, and I have tried in this short 
notice to make it incumbent on them to do so. 
J. B. 
SHORT NOTICES OF BOOKS, 
Our Country's Flowers , and how to Know Them , by \V. J. Gordon, with an 
Introduction by the Rev. George Henslow, M.A., 6:c. Illustrated by John 
Allan with over one thousand examples in colour and outline, Svo, pp. vi., 154 ; 
thirty-three plates. London : Day and Son, 6s. 
This handy little volume is crammed with information regarding our English 
Flora, and has been well received by the press. The author deserves all credit 
for his conscientious and painstaking compilation, and the artist has show n much 
skill and ingenuity in crowding 510 coloured figures into thirty-two plates. The 
book holds a position midway between the chatty little volumes of which we have 
already an abundance — some good, some bad, most indifferent — and the scientific 
handbooks of which also there are several, each good in its way. Mr. Gordon’s 
book is in the main accurate, but we fear it will be considered “ dry ” by many 
of those for whom it is intended, and it is not only in their colouring that the 
plates leave much to be desired. 
The “ Index to the Species ” is, we think, likely to entangle the unwary, for 
the order followed in both genera and species is alphabetical, and the particulars 
given are hardly sufficient to “distinguish one from another,” in accordance with 
the aim of the author. But it is only fair to say that Mr. Gordon only claims to 
help his readers to “ a nodding acquaintance with the wild flowers ; ” and Mr. 
Henslow in his introduction, points out to the beginner the need of some recognised 
“ Flora,” if he wishes to advance further. 
The list of what Mr. Gordon calls “local,” or “ordinary English names” is 
mainly derived, directly or indirectly, from the English Dialect Society’s Dic- 
tionary of English Plant Names, or Dr. Prior’s book, and stands in need of much 
revision. As it stands it contains obsolete words, others which are of doubtful 
application, some which have never been in actual use, and at least one (“ Yever- 
ing Bells”) which is not a plant-name at all. There are more misprints than 
there should be, and the spelling of names iike Buxbaumii with a small initial, 
although not absolutely unknown in botanical books, is contrary to custom. 
Mr. Gordon has shown praiseworthy industry in his compilation, but we doubt 
whether Selbornians will find his book one after their own hearts. 
An Introduction to the Study of Flowcr’ess Plants, by Alfred \V. Bennett, 
M.A., B.Sc. London: Gurney and Jackson, Svo, pp. S6, thirty-six cuts. Price 
is. 6d. 
This selection from Henfrey’s Elementary Course of Botany has been made at 
the request of the National Plome Reading Union for the use of their reading 
circles. It is somewhat advanced for the ordinary reader, but Mr. George 
Murray will write for the Union Journal a series of papers which, it is hoped, will 
prove a valuable introduction to this branch of study. 
* “ Heave-jar ” is given as one of the names of this bird; Mr. Swainson has “ Eve-churr," bat 
I have not seen the former version elsewhere. 
