The Boy's Own Annual. (SG Paternoster Row.)—This annual is never
complete without a story from Jules Verne in it. "Claudius Bombarnac" is indeed as good, if not better, than the later tales of the French writer, and touches new ground— such is the amazing fertility of Jules Verne. A story from the pen of Talbot Baines Reed—among writers of school-tales facile princeps, and now alas ! no longer with us—is also included. Among other tales we have a story of the slavery conflicts in the Southern States. We have stories too, by Ascott R. Hope, Paul Blake, George Perry, Rev. A. N. Malan, David Kerr, and a tale of the Sahara by G. Demage. Natural history figures consistently, wider which heading we may group mis- cellaneous papers on Eggs, Homing Pigeons, Insects ; Puzzles, Engineering Papers, and toys of all sorts,—a fascinating series to boys of mechanical tastes. There are descriptive articles on Lifeboats, Yachting, Gymnastics, Scilly Islands, Orchid Growing, the itinerary of a cycle tour in Normandy. We must mention that there are quite an alarming number of snake-stories, and some dog-stories. There are two articles on the late Messrs. R. M. Ballantyne and Talbot Baines Reed. We cannot enumerate the various odd and miscellaneous articles on all the things interest- ing to boys of all tastes and persuasions. Some capital papers on fishing must be mentioned.
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