787 
x88oj Analyses of Books, j 
Nature's Bye-paths. A Series of Recreative Papers in Natural 
History. By J. E. Taylor, Ph.D., F.L.S., &c. London: 
David Bogue. 
We have here a collection of pleasant, chatty essays, whose con- 
nection with natural history in the ordinary sense of the term is 
not always of the closest. Thus the chapter entitled the “ County 
Palatine ” is devoted to a description of Lancashire life and 
manners rather too eulogistic, but otherwise so correa that we 
could almost suspecft Dr. Taylor of being a native of the county 
he celebrates. There is a very fair account of the working class 
entomologists and botanists of the Northern counties, who, how- 
ever, if we are not mistaken, are neither as numerous nor as 
eager in their researches as was the case forty years ago. 
The “ Story of a Recent Scare ” is devoted to the redoubted Colo- 
rado beetle. The author does not apprehend that it will become 
naturalised itself in England. Indeed, it is remarkable how few 
American species, animal or vegetable, have succeeded in estab- 
lishing themselves in Europe. The current of emigration seems 
to set in the opposite direction. To what extent our insectivo- 
rous birds would rid us of an invader which appears to be 
poisonous is of course open to doubt. We may be very sure 
that the sparrows will not attack him so long as there is corn or 
fruit in the neighbourhood. 
“ Old Wine in New Bottles ” is a dissertation, not on plants or 
animals, but on popular traditions. . 
“ Scientific Pilgrims,” as the reader will doubtless expedt, is 
devoted to the British Association, painted, perhaps, rather too 
strongly in rose-colour. The author seems to forget that if this 
Association has proved a model for other countries to copy, it 
was by no means the first body of its kind. As part of ^ the 
excitement created by these great gatherings, mention might 
have been made of the sermons which are invariably preached at 
— or rather against — Science and her followers, sometimes by 
local divines, and sometimes by dignitaries who come down for 
the especial purpose. We are thankful to find here no reference 
to Prof. Tyndall’s “ Belfast Address.” 
A “ Naturalist on the Tramp ” opens pleasantly with an 
account of the geology and botany, and the glorious, though 
scantily visited, scenery on the west coast of Ireland. He takes 
us then to North Wales, and expatiates rather too much on the 
slate quarries — concerns very lucrative to their owners, but which 
are disfiguring the country in a way not pleasant to contemplate. 
Lastly the said naturalist finds— or loses— his way into the Black 
Country, where the flora has disappeared, the fauna has been 
reduced to colliers and bull-dogs, and where, save for the geolo- 
gist, there is nothing left to observe. . 
Much more agreeable reading is to be found in the sections on 
the “ Geological Dispersion of Animals and Plants,” on the 
“ Time of Catkins,” the “ Flowers of the Prime,” “ Violets 
