BOTANY, BIRDS, AND BEES.*
EVERY ONE who cares for alpines knows M. Henri Correvon, of Geneva, gardener, botanist, and, above all, protector of Alpine plants. His book, The Alpine Flora, is now pre- sented to the English reader fairly translated, by Mr. E. W. Clayforth. The " wee loveliness " of the Alpine flora is im- pressed upon us. " These winsome children of the woods " does not seem a particularly happy description of the ferns; but the translator is perhaps not to be held responsible for the gushing style of his author. In a short general intro- duction M. Correvon writes on the nature of the Alpine vegetation, the culture, and the propagation of alpines. He has also some notes of interest on famous gardens where alpines are grown, both in this country and in his native land. The attractive feature of the book is a series of very clever coloured plates by M. Philippe Robert. In 178 figures the more familiar of the Alpine plants are beauti- fully represented in a most effective and unconventional style. Whether we call the artist's work art nouveau, or " impressionist," or "Japanese school" is of little moment. The result is very pleasing and original. At the end of the volume we have a systematic description of orders, genera, and species, which includes many of the best-known Alpine plants and many, of course, of which no figures are given. Here folk-lore and poetry are occasionally inter- spersed among the botanic descriptions. Although the serious field botanist will find the descriptions too vague, and the absence of any analytic key a serious defect, the tourist in Switzerland and the rock gardener at home can- not fail to be delighted with a book which owes so much to M. .Robert's quaint and charming figures of favourite plants.
In Sub-Alpine Plants, by Mr. H. Stuart Thompson, we have another book for the amateur botanist in the Alps. Mr. Thompson, moreover, also has chapters on cultivating alpines and on the Swiss Alpine gardens, of which the best known are at Bourg St. Pierre, on the Great St. Bernard, and at Pont de Nant, above Bex. His knowledge of botany is sound, and the present volume forms a companion to a book of his on The Alpine Plants of Europe, which we noticed not long ago. Indeed, the two books some- what overlap. Ball made the sub-Alpine region coterminous
• (1) The Alpine Flora. By Henry Correvon and Philippa Robert. Trans, latecl into English and enlarged under the author's sanction by E. W. Clayforth. With 180 reproductions of Studies in Water-colour. London : Methuen and' Co. [16s. net.]—(2) Sub-Alpine Plants, or the Flowers of the Swiss Woods and Meadows. By H. Stuart Thompson, F.L.S. With 33 coloured plates (168 figures) by George Flemwell. London : G. Routledge and Sous. [7s. 6d. net.] —(3) The Perpetual Flowering Carnation. By Montagu C. Allwood,
London : Cable Printing and Publishing Co. [3s. net.]—(4) Birds of North. umberland and the Eastern Borders. By George Bohm. Alnwick Henry Hunter Blair.--(5) A Hand-List of British Birds : with an Account of the Distribution of each Species in the British Isles and Abroad. By Ernest Hartert, F. C. R. Jourdain, H. F. Tice-Mara, and H. F. Witherby. London : Witherby and Co. s. 6d. net.]—(6) Bees Shown to the Children. By Ellison Hawke'. Illustrated. London : T. C. and E. C. Jack. [2s. ad. net.]
with the region of conifers. Mr. Thompson makes it begin where the vine is no longer cultivated and end at 5,000 feet. There are, of course, few purely sub-Alpine species. Mr. Thompson's descriptions ar•e short, and some knowledge of botany is needed before the tourist plant-collector can use the book. There is, however, a glossary which will be helpful. The book does not, we take it, pretend to be complete. For instance, only one Chenopodium and one Mentha are described. Mr. Flemwell, who is well known as a clever painter of plants, has contributed thirty-three coloured plates, on each of which are figured several species. It is a great misfortune that he has not arranged his figures systematically. It is trying for the beginner who seeks to identify his find from the plates to see a Campanula, a Luzula, and an Epilobium in a group on one plate, and on the next a Bartsia, a Centaurea, and a Cares. The figures are so cleverly painted and well reproduced that one regrets this unfortunate mistake. The perfect handbook for the Alpine English tourist still remains to be compiled.
We pass from botany and wild plants to horticulture and the cultivated carnation. Mr. Montagu C. Allwood is an enthusiast who wishes that he had "the pen of a Ruskin" to do justice to his favourite flower. But his monograph on The Perpetual Flowering Carnation is exceedingly well written, and at the same time deals most thoroughly with the sub- ject which is dear to him. His life has been given to carna- tions. He began as "crock boy" to a nurseryman, and now, though still a young man, he is a partner in the well-known film of carnation growers at Hayward's Heath. He devotes some space to considerations which should be attended to by those who grow for the market. His brother, Mr. George W. Allwood, contributes a chapter on the American system of growing, having held responsible positions in some of the large carnation-growing establishments in the United States. The American method of cultivation is to plant the young stock out of doors in early spring and lift and replant in the greenhouse in the summer. Many nurseries in the United States never use a flower-pot. When the perpetual flowering carnation, which used to be known as the "British Tree" variety, was first known in this country appears to be doubtful. A little wild Dianthus, which Mr. Allwood regards as the original carnation, was described by Theophrastus 300 years Ex. It used to be thought that Dalmais of Lyons raised the first winter-flowering carnations about 1844, but there is evidence that French gardeners knew them before the middle of the eighteenth century. Mr. Allwood's book is excellently illustrated with photographs. Some show various greenhouses, others typical flowers, and others specimen plants to illustrate healthy and unhealthy, well- grown and ill-grown individuals. The text is written with minute and abundant knowledge based on practical experience. There is no detail in the culture of carnations, growing for profit, or raising new varieties which has not been treated in the work. Mr. Allwood's unaffected enthusiasm for his subject has led him to print " Reflections of a Carnation Grower" in verse at the beginning of his book ; but the main portion will be of real practical service.
We pass from plants and horticulture to birds and orni- thology. In Birds of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders, by Mr. George Bolam, we have the book which is to be expected from an enthusiastic field naturalist. He knows his district and his birds thoroughly. His journals go back to the year 1874, and he is an active member of the respectable Berwickshire Naturalists' Club. He does not pretend to investigate sub-species nor trouble about the pioblems of nomen- clature. He is content to follow the Latin names which Howard Saunders used. The district of which Mr. Bolam writes is associated with the names of many active ornitho- logists, from John Hancock to Abel Chapman, whose friendship he has enjoyed, and in an introductory chapter he gives a sketch of the work done by various worthy predecessors and of the records to which he has had access. Most of the bulky volume follows the usual lines of local ornitho- logical histories, and treats of each species under its heading. The result is satisfactory, for a vast mass of interesting matter is now collected together. No one will regret the many per- sonal recollections or the familiar north-country rhymes about birds which Mr. Bolam has been tempted to print. He makes excuses for prolixity. In some cases he might have sifted his records more critically. We have a statement that a cuckoo was seen in a certain vicarage"garden on February 4th, 1877, followed by Mr. Bolam's remark that " nc one who knows these gentlemen will cast a doubt on" the record. Although Northumbria has lost some species which once were abundant, it is worth noting how many birds appear to be extending their northern breeding range. Of migration Mr. Bolam does not specially treat; but he refers frequently to the interesting work which Miss Baxter and Miss Rintoul carry on at the lighthouse on May Island. Mr. Bolam'a book will be welcomed by many local ornithologists. His volume contains a number of photographs which are, for the most part, taken from exceedingly well- mounted specimens.
Our next book also deals with British birds, but we are transported from the old school of ornithology to the new represented by the well-known names of Messrs. Hartert, Jourdain, Ticehurst, and Witherby. We cannot help wonder- ing whether they ever chuckled together at the thought of the flutter which their " sub-species " and their "revised nomenclature" would raise in the old-fashioned camp. The result, however, is a work on British birds which should be not only on the shelves, but constantly in the hands of every British ornithologist. Every one who follows ornithological affairs will know exactly what to expect in A Hand•List of British Birds, where Dr. Har•tert is responsible for nomen- clature; Mr. Witherby (helped by Mr. Ticehurst and Mr. Jourdain) for British distribution; Dr. Hartert, assisted by Mr. Jourdain, for distribution abroad ; whilst Mr. Ticehurst deals with migration. The result is an excellent, careful, accurate, laborious, and much-needed piece of truly scientific work. But we have the rules of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature strictly observed. Trinomials and sub-specific distinctions figure on almost every page. There are still a great number of old but active British ornithologists who have not seen the importance of separating nearly allied forma of the same species, and who have never even understood the ' use of trinomials for sub-species or geographical races. To all of these the arguments used in the Introduction of the present volume may be recommended for careful study. We can imagine the indignation and dismay that some will experience when they find the song-thrush now called Turdus philotnelus, because Linnaeus, by the name T. musicus, clearly designated the redwing. And what rage and horror will be felt at seeing the sand-martin called Iliparia riparia riparia (L.) and the swift Aims apus apus (L.) and the garden warbler Sylvia borin. (Bodd.) Not many of the names which Yarrell and Saunders used are left unaltered. The pages of the Spectator are no place for serious scientific discussion ; but, since the rules have international authority, it seems clear that only by follow- ing them absolutely and implicitly can uniformity ever be attained. If the old evil of individual choice is once allowed to enter, it is clear that uniformity will be lost again. It would be worth paying a heavy price and suffering some temporary inconvenience if uniform scientific nomenclature could be got throughout the world. The scheme of the book, as its name implies, is to provide a hand-list, brought up to date, in which the geographical distribution will show whether the bird is worth recording when it is observed at a particular season or in a particular place. For this reason some species are much more fully treated than others. The geographical distribution at home and abroad bas been very carefully done. Migration is more shortly dealt with, for the reason, possibly, that we are only just beginning to have any real knowledge of the subject. This new list, which includes 469 species and sub-species, begins with the crows and ends with the game birds. The minute studies which Dr. Hartert has made of large series of skins have enabled him in a great many cases to distinguish the British or insular form from the Continental. So, for instance, the nuthatch we know in this country becomes Sala europaea britannica ; the British bluetit is Rola caeruleus obscurus; the Continental is P. c. cacruleus, and so forth. Many old- fashioned persons who think that there is no more work for British ornithologists to do may profitably ponder over some of the problems which even this hand-list suggests. Let us, however, hasten from this contentious subject to the more peaceful one of the bees. A small volume, profusely illustrated • and pleasantly written, is the last addition to the " Shown to the Children " Series; with which most of our readers are probably acquainted. In Bees, by Mr. Ellison Hawkes, we have a great mass of facts about bees, their structure, habits, and work in fertilizing flowers. The life in the hive and all the ingenious devices of modern beekeepers are described with many photographs. Mr. Hawkes writes fairly simply, so as to attract the young; and we believe that a child who reads this little book, or hears it read aloud, will have its mind opened to a wonderful phase of insect life about which it probably knew very little. More than 3,000 years B.C. the Egyptians kept bees, yet not till the seventeenth century did men discover that the mother-bee was not a king but a queen. Mr. Hawkes is never tiresome or didactic, and he writes for children what Virgil and Maeterlinck have attempted to write for their elders. The little book is excellently done.
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