The Student and Intellectual Observer

Abstract

THE volume now before us is in every way worthy of the reputation of its predecessors. Four papers on poison are contributed by Mr. F. S. Barff, and Dr. Carpenter contributes two interesting papers on the “Deep Sea,” the first on its physical, and the second on its biological condition. The author's experience in these matters, owing to his connection with recent explorations, make the papers the more interesting, because they are the words of an actual and accurate observer. Dr. Collingwood also gives a very readable paper on a kindred subject, “The Sargasso Sea and its Inhabitants,” in which the Sargassum or Gulf-weed comes in for a good share of attention, being, as it is, the home of multitudes of Polyzoa, Polyps, Crustacea, Molluscs, and similar creatures. Mr. Shirley Hibberd talks about Cycads under the very misleading title of “Sago Palms.” At one time the Sago of commerce was supposed to be the produce of the Cycads, but now we know that the bulk of this useful article is yielded by two or more species of Sagus, true palms; it is, to say the least, advisable that an old term proved to have been wrongly given, should not be perpetuated. The author, however, does attempt to qualify its use in the following sentence:—“By ‘Sago Palms’ is to. be understood the great group of gymnospermous plants, of which the Cycads and their allies are representatives, a group possessing powerful morphological relations, and, of course, a correspondence within certain limits in all their biological characteristics”. The volume contains many other interesting papers in various branches of science, and we conclude this short notice by wishing well to an old-established monthly in its new quarterly form.

The Student and Intellectual Observer.

A Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature, and Art. Vol. 5. (London: Groombridge and Sons.)