, 1879-02-08


mattc criticism can understand how deficient
the biographical dictionaries and otller books
Of reference are In notices of prominent stage
pe,plc. 90 long as actors md actrcsacs III!
large space In thu public Sye anil occupy an i,u-
portant place In public cslitnutIoi,, II ought to
bo possible easily to learn all the facts concern
Ing them that the general reader has tic right
tu know. But as matter Of fact tlcro Is no
good biographical dictionary Ut American urtors
iu existence, and until vrry recently tic
British stage has been equally neglect
Cd. The latter want l,us bern in
part supplied by Tie publication Of "The Dra-
Mastc. List" complied nni edited by CharIes
Eyro Pascoc. Thts llook IL Intended to c.nbraee
only sketches of living actors nl,d Actresses vi
tur British stage; but 1t has been litlcult to keep
have. during tlr lust generation, been prot,,i-
pcnt OH tic London stage, whatever their M
tivtty " present reafla'lce or occupation, aru
included. Among The ncturs OF AMcrcan birth
Hermann VczIn, und Gcneyieys Ward. Charles
Fechtcr, who Is a FrcnclIman by birth,
and an American by clo!ce Ia writtcll Of quite
at length; and sotheFu. Barry Sullivan. ". ii.
Chippenaalc, Dion Boueicanlt, ,liss Nellson,
anti CartotsA Leclera, WIN nre nlnost IA lnuc!i
American u British celebrities. arr, OF coursu,
Included. Ada Caysudisll, uo,x lllIlng m en-
QAgeIncat IN thts city has place n tie volume,
hut the two e:oghlana arc singu1as!y omitted.
Tic book, 1t will be observed, tins large inter
est for Americans. Tic author has given ex-
tracls from. newspapcr criticisms, Instead
Ut venturtuR' 'upon remarks Ut ha own, on
the methods and performances OF the acturH a,Al
actresses mentioned; and, though Tho plan IL
a superficial our. We arc not surc that It has not
been we'll carried out In thls instance. Few per
sons havo tho largo experience atl lullefous
tastc which caa6led Or. Doran to tldRs falrly on
y os afSsaf i's PSssa4 Sso n Il Se fstofs P11
of tic Drittsh stags. with CTitlcta,l.a Ut Con.
temporary Journais.h Compiled M'll Edited by
Charlie. Eyre pascoe. Dostou: Roberts Bros.
FEica. $5.)
MANUAL or vEnTHBRATEs,
Within the tast twenty years tho study OF
zoology has rapidly advunced, until !ts various
branches haya nearly attained scicntillc Nc
euraey. Tbs works Of pioneer zoolnefsta aus.
tain about the sa,ne relation TO the magnificent
works of the pEescnt thus Is the wiudsuIsl to
the steau1 engine. While tile older works arc
Invaluable to tile working scientist, they In no
way take tho place or represent tho moro correct
Ideas Ut the latcs'day publications. The sYslesn
Of identilratiou of slrcts by nirans Of ''key II
has recently coma Into general use. BY mems
Of these keys any one With ordinary Knowledge
VI nature u,ay easily datsrtulue na.nea of most
animals I'M! properly classify tlltu. TO eutn-
bina ttlesc keys In ore volume. aud place
iu the halda Ut thu student nnfl practical
worker Tho most reeent untl simple methods,
has been The task Of lrof. Jos.lan. His auc-
cess ID happily aghlcycA, To furnish u book
that tuetts wnnt at nulalcur a.tA professional
workers Ii triumph Tor any man. Prof. JQr-
dan ID uuo OF Amerka's hard wurklug scientists.
1Ha C0ntrtbut!ous u our 9uowledg0 OF tltiles OF
the United States have = knowu Faluu III the
commercial us we'll A. tho seicut!tlc interests ot
tha,count!Y. ia ylcw OF tl,rse larss. tlH Man.
uul> nf fcEtcbrstes" .nay bs commended to
sciiouls, scientific Investigation. nnd those inter-
ested III nature, ~ tu every way trustworthy.
Alauy Itersuus who would iike IL stuly tue anl.
matc liio around thcus are prevented Iron. SO
doing BY tho high price of the works On special
branches Ut xou!orv. Whits tttss worxA should
Ds Obtained possible, yst 'ley my BE- ,!sleussa
t.'Manual Ut Yertcbratcaof the Northern uu!te.i
States, Including thu ulstrgt east ot the Miss!s.
stppi River xll.i nort! VI North Carpliua uli,l
'rcnlcxace, exclusive Of nnrtus sprrlrs." by
David Starr 1ordau, FL, D., 81. D., Professor Vi
N4iusal !ltstury In Butler university. SecoutI
e.iltluu. revised an.t enlarged. Chicago: Jansen,
McClurg j. Gu. lois.) ". II. y.