42 Analyses of Books. [January, 
gical difference between species and races still exists unrefuted.” 
He adds, in comment, “ This is indeed the great stumbling-block 
to all theories of Evolution.” To us this objection seems merely 
an imperfedt, and therefore false, generalisation.” Mr. Seebohm, 
in his interesting work “Siberia in Asia ” (see “Journal of 
Science,” vol. v., p. 36), mentions the interbreeding of the car- 
rion crow and the hoodie, which takes place on the large scale. 
The evidence of the fertility of these hybrids is quite conclusive. 
It is no less certain that the half-breeds between the American 
bison and the common cattle are prolific. These instances alone 
are sufficient to refute the objection cited. 
In the chapter on Homology we find notice of one of the errors 
which on careful search may be found in the Duke of Aygyll’s 
over-rated “ Reign of Law.” The Duke writes — “ In his (man’s) 
frame there is no aborted member. Every part is put to its 
highest use.” Mr. Kirby, in reply, mentions the vermiform ap- 
pendage in man, not only useless, but even dangerous. 
Under the head Embryology we read — “We may hope that 
the adtual length of human life will continue to increase until it 
ultimately reaches this limit ( i.e ., 120 years).” So long as men 
and women are at a discount, as at present, increased longevity 
is anything but desirable, unless accompanied by other changes 
of which we see little immediate prospecft. 
In speaking of Geographical Distribution the author makes a 
remark which will be novel to many of his readers. He writes : 
— “ The tropical representation of widely distributed genera are 
frequently inferior in size and beauty to those of temperate 
climates, and rarely surpass them, for the magnificent productions 
of the Tropics usually belong to groups entirely unrepresented 
in colder regions.” It is noteworthy that specimens of Chcero- 
campa Nerii from South Africa are less beautiful than those 
from Europe, the green in the former being more of an olive 
cast. At the same time we must remember that such wide- 
spread groups as the Buprestidae and Cetonidas attain their 
greatest size and splendour in hot climates, those of Europe, 
North Asia, and North America being comparatively small and 
dull in coloration. 
The author refers the facft that the African Negro does not, 
like the other inferior races, tend to die out in presence of 
Europeans, to climate. We doubt the sufficiency of this ex- 
planation, since the Negro multiplies rapidly in the healthy 
regions of South Africa and in many of the States of North 
America, where, indeed, the possibility of his ultimate prepon- 
derance is regarded not without apprehension. 
We are heartily with Mr. Kirby when he protests against 
Mr. Galton’s “ ranking Socrates and Phidias above all who have 
suceeded them in Europe.” Phidias we cannot profess to esti- 
mate, but the working and influence of Socrates and of his 
school were, we hold, decidedly pernicious. He blighted the 
