54 
NATURE NOTES. 
heavenly bodies, and their relation to and effect upon the earth in which we live, 
yet are unable or unwilling to go deeply into the science of astronomy. For such 
it is well suited. Mr. Hopkins tells his story simply, clearly, and in an interest- 
ing manner, interweaving many historical incidents with his explanations. The 
solar and sidereal systems are treated in an introductory chapter, perhaps less 
fully than some “ everyday ” students might desire, and we have not found any 
mention of multiple stars, an interesting subject to most students. On the other 
hand day and night, the phases of the moon, the tides, eclipses, have each a 
chapter to themselves, and meteors, shooting stars and comets are also treated 
at comparative length. The explanations are, as we have already stated, clear 
and interesting, and there are several useful illustrations. Perhaps the author’s 
observations of the Hebrew account of the creation would not meet with universal 
assent, and exception might be taken to one or two other points, but we can 
safely recommend Mr. Hopkins’ book as a useful primer of astronomy. The 
prefatory biography of the author, interesting as it is, might, we think, have 
been omitted with advantage. W. H. C. 
We have delayed our notice of the Rev. H. D. Rawnsley’s Notes for the Nile 
(Heinemann) because we had hoped to devote more than a paragraph to it. But 
the pressure on our space does not lessen, and we must not further postpone the 
mention of this very interesting and readable volume. Mr. Rawnsley needs no 
introduction to our readers, who know him as a warm friend of the Selborne 
■Society and its magazine. Even in Egypt he was able to emphasise Selbornian 
principles. He “examined every donkey for the ‘ raw,’ and refused the whole 
twenty rather than encourage donkey-boy brutality.” Here, again, is a pleasant 
passage : “ It was the bird-life of Ra Hotep’s time that charmed me. The great 
man’s three hawks were there, but these were of small account when compared 
with the interest of the wagtails drawn to the life. For the wagtail befriends 
every Nile traveller to-day, lights on the deck of his dahabieh, comes into his 
cabin, and as they are in colour and dress to-day, so I gather from Ra Hotep’s 
tomb they were in the days of Seneferu ; they have not changed a single fe.ather 
of their dress, and 'they are the beloved bird of the family of those who dwell 
beside the Nile to-day, as they were then.” It is a very interesting book, but 
we like Mr. Rawnsley’s original verses better than his translations. 
Messrs. Cassell have published an introduction to the collection and preserva- 
tion of Beetles, Butterflies, Moths, and other Insects, by Messrs. .K. W. Kappel and 
W. Egmont Kirby. It is a handsome small quarto, with twelve capital plates, and 
is very cheap at its price of 3s. 6d. A great deal of care has been shown in the 
selection of types, and there is a capital introduction dealing with the classifica- 
tion, structure, metamorphoses and collection of insects. The cover is the least 
pretty part about it, but there are two excellent indexes (we should have pre- 
ferred them in combination), and that in itself is no small recommendation. It 
is just the book to give to a young Selbornian. 
“ Voices from Flowerland ; original couplets by Emily E. Reader : a Birthday 
Book and Language of Flowers, illustrated by Ada Brooke” (Longmans, 2s6d), is 
■one of those little volumes that make one wonder why they are produced, and 
who buys them. Do any sane persons employ “ the language of ffowers ”? Do 
they really burden their minds by remembering that “basil” means “ hatred,” 
for example, or that a “ red primrose ” signifies “unpatronised merit,” or colts- 
foot “justice”? Why should “wild sorrel” signify “ill-timed wit,” of which 
Miss Reader observes : — 
“ Ill-timed jests like darts at random fly. 
And wound alike both friend and enemy.” 
The bilberry — that harmless if somewhat insipid fruit — signifies “ treachery” : — 
“Around you treachery binds her burning chain 
To cut your soul and tear your heart in twain.” 
If anybody wants 366 couplets of this kind, here they are. Some of Miss 
Brooke’s designs are pretty (the frontispiece is not), and the volume is beautifully 
printed. 
