REVIEWS. 
89 
If? 
The Colours of Flowers, as illustrated by the British Flora. By Grant 
Allen. 119 pp. Nature Series, 1882. Price Ss, 6d. 
This ably written little book is a valuable addition to our botanical 
literature. 
The leading idea of the work, “ the derivation of petals from 
flattened stamens,” is well sustained, and ably supported by examples 
from most of the leading Natural orders of British plants. However 
much the reader of this work may differ from some of Mr. Allen’s 
conclusions, he will be compelled to acknowledge that throughout the 
work there are abundant evidences of close and patient study, not 
• merely of written books, but also of the plants themselves in all their 
various phases. He will see that although he may have collected 
every British plant, he has still much work of interest and importance 
awaiting him on every hand, and that time which has possibly been 
spent in endeavouring to understand the innumerable varieties 
into which some of our plants run might have been better employed 
in endeavouring to trace the descent of many of our wayside weeds. 
This work will be found to teem with suggestions in this direction, 
and may be read with interest and instruction by every botanist. “ If 
the botanical reader will provisionally accept the principles laid down 
in this little book, and will then test their validity by applying them 
to the flowers which he meets in his daily walks, he will find many 
other confirmatory examples occur to him at every step. He will 
find that close inspection reveals some unexpected answer to a super¬ 
ficial difficulty, some solution for the problem of an apparent exception, 
which can only be obtained by personal examination of the specimen 
with that particular object held definitely in view.” 
The work is written in a very pleasant style, and will be charming 
to even non-scientific readers. The illustrations, of which there are 
forty-five, are very good; the price so extremely moderate as to place 
it within the reach of all; and the matter of such extreme interest 
that Mr. Allen will be sure to have many followers. 
This work will be found to be a valuable companion volume to Sir 
John Lubbock’s interesting little book on “ British Wild Flowers in 
Relation to Insects.” J. E. B. 
Other Worlds than Ours. By R. A. Proctor. Fifth Edition. 318 pp., 
14 plates. Price 10s, Od. Longmans & Co. 
This is a new edition of one of the most fascinating works on astronomy 
that has ever been written. Mr. Proctor’s rich imagination, curbed 
aud guided by his sound mathematical knowledge, has led him to form 
new theories on many points concerning the physical condition of our 
fellow-planets—theories which subsequent research has justified and 
maintained. The chapters on the Sun, on Meteors and Comets, and 
