66 
Reviews and Book Notices. 
One other advantage has been to have our headquarters close 
at hand. We have never yet been able to obtain anything like 
the same combination of facilities in any other district. 
: o : 
The Holiday Nature Book, by S. N. Sedgwick. London : C. H. 
Kelley, 3s. 6d. net. This compilation deals with the various and 
numerous aspects of natural history, principally relating to the sea shore, 
and has evidently been prepared to attract the eye of the ‘ young natur- 
alist,’ or his parents. There is a monthly nature calendar, with spaces 
to be filled in by the reader. The author has attempted too much and 
hardly comes down to the level of his readers. For. instance, ‘ among the 
beetles,’ we find that Hydrobius fnscipes is black, common in stagnant 
water at roots of plants. Berosus affinis, dark brown, common in water." 
There is a chapter on ‘ Nature Photography ’ illustrated by poor photo- 
graphs. There are many useful illustrations, but they frequently lack 
definition. 
The Earth : Its Genesis and Evolution, considered in the light of the 
most recent scientific research. By A. T. Swaine. London : Charles 
Griffin & Co., pp., 277, price 7s. 6d. net. We cannot find that this book 
contains anything new, nor does the author claim that it does ; he merely 
professes to give an account of the geological history of our planet in 
non-technical language. He is ‘ strong ’ on ‘ cycles ’ — sedmentary cycles, 
organic cycles, the Siluro-Devonian cycle, and so on, though in some cases 
the use of the word is not quite apparent. The first chapter deals with 
the earth’s beginning, ‘ stellar cycles ’ and the inconsistency of the v ebular 
Hypothesis; by Chapter IX. we have reached ‘The Primary Earth’; 
The ' Coal Measures ' in Chapter XIII. ; Chapter XVI. deals with ‘ Cause 
of the Glacial Episode ’ ; XVII. with ‘ The Jurassic Seas ’ ; and so on to- 
Chapter XXYI., ‘ Transgression : General.’ The chapters are split up 
by series of sub-headings which should enable the reader to obtain the drift 
of the argument. There are some points of detail with which one must 
differ, for instance, seeing that the mounds on Flamborough Headland 
are on the top of the cliffs, over 400 feet above the sea level, they can 
hardly have been in the shape of a bar ‘ such as is formed at the mouth of 
large rivers, where the current meets the tide.’ 
Prehistoric Times, as Illustrated by Ancient Remains and the Manners 
and Customs of Modern Savages. By the late Lord Avebury. Seventh 
Edition. London : Williams & Xorgate. 623 pp., 10s. 6d. net. The late 
Lord Avebury, better known under his first name, Lubbock, was in many 
ways a remarkable man, and was the author of numerous books on a 
diversity of subjects. His best known work was probably his ‘ Prehistoric 
Times,’ the first edition of which appeared so long ago as 1865. That 
was the time when the foundations of prehistoric arch ology, as a science, 
were being laid. He had the fellowship of Evans, Prestwich, Tyndall, 
Boucher de Perthes, and others. He personally examined critical sections 
and all the important collections therefrom. His book was based on a 
series of articles which appeared in The Natural History Review, dealing 
with Danish Shell Mounds, Swiss Lake Dwellings, Drift Implements, 
Cave-men, and North American Archaeology. The progress of scifence 
has resulted in many of his conclusions being proved to the hilt ; some 
suggestions have been modified or dropped. And in any case much 
that appeared in 1865 would be unnecessary to the student to-day. We 
understand from the publishers’ note that only a few months before his 
death Lord Avebury thoroughly revised his book, omitting much 
unnecessary material and adding details of recent discoveries, even 
including references to the Piltdown skull. The book is remarkably 
well illustrated, has a very good index, and is very cheap. 
Naturalist. 
