1884 .] 
Analyses of Books. 367 
Elizabeth Marsden, saw, in trance, cinnamon in the stomach of 
a certain patient who had been advised by his physician to 
eschew all spices. It turned out afterwards that this young lady 
had learned the doctor's orders, and had seen the cinnamon being 
grated into a rice pudding for the patient’s dinner. 
“ Science Corner” is a collection of novel fadts compiled by 
Mrs. Besant. 
Mr. C. T. Bingham writes on “ Bird Architecture ” and 
“ Strange Nests.” He points out an error in detail in one of the 
zoological galleries at the British Museum. The jays are not 
merely badly stuffed, but their nests are “ fixed in the forks of 
naked branches glaringly unconcealed.” This the writer justly 
pronounces contrary alike to observation and to the well-known 
character of the bird. But Mr. Bingham points out, in addition, 
an error in principle : — “ As for any knowledge to be obtained of 
the course evolution has taken in the development of their forms, 
a visit to the British Museum, and, as far as I know, to any 
museum, is quite in vain.” 
Mr. J. Horner discusses caves and their formation, and the 
cave men by whom they were once inhabited. As might 
naturally be anticipated, he does not accept the eager pleadings 
of Principal Dawson for a term of six or seven thousand years 
as the extreme limit of the existence of man. 
In the February, March, and April parts of Vol. III., Dr. E. B. 
Aveling — who seems equally at home in biology and in dramatic 
criticism — discusses, with unquestionable ability, the relations 
betweeen flowers and insedts, a subjedt on which the last word 
has by no means yet been said. 
Almost the only point which we disapprove of in “ Our Corner,” 
limiting ourselves of course to questions upon which we are free 
and competent to express an opinion, is the question of higher 
education. We find here no word condemnatory of cram and 
examinationism, and of bureaucracy in science. 
