Nature's Fairyland. By IL W. S. Worsley-Benison. (Elliot Stock).—The writer
takes us with him on numerous rambles, sometimes botanising, sometimes exploring on the seashore, where, in that most interesting of all pools, a " half-tide pool," we find such countless curiosities, from the avaricious anemone to the speckled goby. The exquisite provision for securing food with which the anemone is armed is truly wonderful, and the writer dilates with evident delight on its many niceties. So strong are the poisonous and barbed threads, that a bee, mistaking a dahlia wartlet for a flower, has not escaped capture and subsequent death ; yet these formidable weapons when coiled in their capsules occupy 3415 of an inch only. The eggs of fishes, Mr. Benison shows us, are arranged with an equally marvellous adaptation to circum- stances, as for instance the " mermaid's purse," the egg of the dog-fish, with the curling tendrils which serve to anchor it to sea- weeds at the sea-bottom. The nests of fishes, too, must excite the admiration of all lovers of Nature and her children. We must agree with the writer that the question " Do fishes enjoy life ?" can most certainly be answered in the affirmative. If a life of travel and variety may be called enjoyable, surely the salmon finds life anything but dull; as also should the climbing-perch, the flying- fish, the frog-fish, and last, but not least, the archer-fish of Japan, which shoots its prey (flies) with a drop of water, at a distance of sometimes six feet. Who will say now that a fish's existence is joyless ? Reverting to the land, the class of araehnidae receives plenty of attention, especially the argyroneta, the spider with the diving-bell, and the large raft spider. Though Mr. Benison is thoroughly acquainted with his subject and loves it, yet the absence of illustrations somewhat dims the attraction we should feel for a volume of this kind—not that we doubtthat com- pelling the reader to furnish his own illustrations is really the best plan by a long way.
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