New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-09
SCIENTIFIC FAlRY-lORE
Natures Progress Through the
Year.

THE BIOLOGY OF THE SEASONS. By By j
Arthur Thomson, NJ. A., Regiqs ITO
fessor Of Natural History III IN, III. Wiilian-
Smith. svo, pp. tx, SA. Henry Holt "
| Co.
This is an exceptionally valuable anu
interesting contribution TO the popular
literature of Nature, and delighttully
readable one as well. 1t goes lar oe-
vond the natural history Of the general
itv of books Of this kind. Strictly scleh-
fife in the most modern sense OF inc
word. IT yet succeeds in retaining 'he
charm of the age-old nature myths anu
folktaIes while translating them INTO
terms of present-day knowledge. sleep
ing Beauty appeals all the more 10 US
when Professor Thomson simply cahS
| her Nature, and Prince Charinihs'
Snr,nc. Facts as he presents Them gen
ordinations as he illustrates them win
concrete Instances. acquire meaning
far wider and deeper to the modern
mind than that inherent in the allegories
Of old. Science. In the hands Of sym
nathetic familiar Of her secrets ana proc
esses. almost popularizes herself the
more so in this case because 1t is EVIL
dent that Professor Thomson has writ
ten this book as much to please ana
| entertain himself as to guide and inter
! est others.
The rhythm Of life is his main SUBJECT
the rhythm that is visible all around US
the alienation of work and rest, OF eN-
penditure and repair, the ebb ana 10"
of Il thousand processes that outwardly
are influenced and determined by en-
vironment itself changing with the sea-
sons Of the year. This is what Profess
sor Thomson means by THE Biology OF
the Seasons"
While his field of observation is nom
inally that of England. he wanders FAR
abroad. from arctic TO the tropics, thence
TO the antarctic regions, as In the case
Of the protective coloration of fur-bear-
ing animals or in that of the migration
of birds. From his pages devoted TO the
latter subject may well be quoted pas
| SAKE tildl IIluSlld NllN NAAe'A ~ ~ 800
manner:
If we are convinced that there is war
rant for speaking of migratory IN
stinct, we may pass 10 the next queS-
| ton: What conditions led to the estao-
| lishment Of this instinct? When we
| think back imaglnatively to the begin
ming of migration, we see the emerSence
of a new idea, which is called, in the
/ technical language of biology, muta-
ton A new constitutional type arose
the revolutionary, who would not take
hard times lying down, who was sensi-
tive. alert, restless, unconventional, ad-
Venturous, who was a genius, in short,
! q Columbus bird.
TO meet q difficulty-such as hard win
! ters-there may be detailed readjust-
ments Of what has already been estab-
! lshed: the plumage may turn white, for
! instance, which always helps. or thick
| layer OF fat may accumulate beneath the
skin. But there is another way OF meet
ing a diIiculty-by evading it altogether.
| and that requires genius, and that was
| how migration was started by num-
| Der OF highly original birds who dis
! covered that the prison doors We're open.
and who thought it was worth while
trying whether Lands End in Cornwall
or elsewhere was really Lands End.
Professor Thomson's manner is as
felicitous when he talks Of what the
modern naturalist still ignores as when
he writes Of what has already been dis
covered. There are many problems vet
10 he solved concerning this very matter
of migration. and concerning Information
as well. The scope of this book ranges
from the lowest forms of marine animal
life and plants to man. after the syn
thetic manner, even though the lord
Of creation Is set apart in the modern
scientific sense that differs so far from
the old theological one. Constantly the
reader comes upon passages that fix
themselves III the memory everywhere
he gathers bits Of information, as where
he learns that, according TO one in
genious theory, the turning Of the
leaves is an instance of the economy of
nature, the green chlorophyll being re-
absorbed by the plant In the autumn. a
saving in nitrogen and magnesium by
which 1t greatly benefits. And through
out the lesson is impressed upon us that
summer is Natures season Of work. not
Of play.
Professor Thomson has been deserved
ly fortunate in finding an illustrator.
Mr.. Smiths water cdors, excelently re-
produced. really illustrate the text. This
is u book that will hold the attention of
the most casual of nature lovers. as well
as of serious students Of her ways.