NOTES AND COMMENTS. 
4i 
THE CAMBRIDGE SHILLING MANUALS. 
The Cambridge University Press continues to publish its 
wonderfully cheap shilling Manuals of Science and Literature. 
The latest we have received are on the Flea, by H. Russell, 
which deals with the flea and others ; a charming and much 
needed ‘ Life Story of Insects,’ by Professor G. H. Carpenter ; 
and a useful monograph on Pearls, by W. J. Dakin, which 
deals fully with the life history, origin, etc., of these objects. 
Each volume is quite unique in its way, contains about 140 
pages, and is well illustrated and well bound. Naturalists 
are indeed grateful to the Cambridge Press for enabling these 
works to be obtained at so reasonable a figure. 
THE GANNET.* 
There can be no question that great strides are being made in 
the scientific study of birds, and a few years ago it would have 
been little anticipated that a volume of nearly 600 pages 
would be devoted to a discussion of one species. However, 
such being the case, we are not surprised that the author is 
Mr. J. H. Gurney, and the publishers, Messrs. Witherby and 
Co., who have produced so many important ornithological 
works in recent years. Whether dealing with the Gannet 
historically, from prior to the sixteenth century, its geo- 
graphical distribution, nesting sites, life history, its economic 
uses, plumage, or osteological or anatomical characters, or 
even its parasites, the volume is surely the last word. While 
there is nothing but praise generally for the thorough way in 
which the book has been written, most ornithologists will 
marvel at the vast amount of information the author has been 
able to gather together in reference to the bird’s early history. 
There is no padding, every sentence is of value ; the illustra- 
tions are perfect ; we are permitted to reproduce one (plate 
I-)- 
THE YORK MUSEUM. 
As we have more than once expressed in these columns, 
the collections in the Museum at York are worthy of more 
suitable accommodation than they have at present, though 
doubtless the resources of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society 
have not permitted this. The announcement has been made 
that by the will of the late Tempest Anderson, the Society 
will receive about £50,000, a princely sum, which will doubtless 
enable it to make many needful changes and additions. We 
understand a further £20,000 has been left to the Percy Sladen 
Memorial Fund, established by Mrs. Sladen in 1904. 
* 
27s. 6d. 
1914 Feb. 1. 
! pp. lii. + 567. 
C 
