PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 85

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

The Girls' Realm for February is a very pleasant number, full of the kind of literature, articles, information, and topics likely to interest and attract girl readers of varying ages. The opening article on the " Babies in. the Zoo,"' is unfortunately somewhat spoilt by the indistinctness of the photographic reproductions. In " A Dress-ing-up Ball," there are a number of admirable suggestions for an impromptu fancydress ball, such as constitutes a great success in a country house; while the little original play, " Aunt Grundy," will be welcomed as very suitable for production at winter eocials, or home entertainments. There is a good deal of humour in both letterpress and illustrations to " The Evolution of the Cook." Needleworkers and home dressmakers will both find "something to their advantage " in charming and useful designs, neither will the general feminine reader go empty away. The Windsor Magazine for February is up to the best Windsor standard, which renders further praise, as praise, needless. The opening article on "The Art of Edward Long. R.A." will be found for those who like that sort of thing, just the sort of thing they like, so lavish and technically excellent are the illustrations of the artist's carefully calculated compositions. The fiction of the number is led by No. 3 of Robert Barr'e excellent series " Young- Lord Starrleigh," which promises great poularity in the field of the episodical adventure story. Short stories are excellent: For humour, Frank Richardson's delightful " Tomlinson Letters"; for pathos, Frances River's "In the Consulting Room" stand out with prominence, but as a matter of fact, all the stories are remarkably good. Of the articles, two are moat notable, far surpassing in excellence and interest the usual standard of magazine articles. These are respectively, " The Occanographic Expeditions of the Prince o£ Monaco," with its wealth of illustration, by Claire de Pratz, and "Brain and Body." by William Hanna Thompson, M.D. The Editor's Scrap Book contains some very sparkling instances of humour, verbal and pictorial. The New Idea is full of interest and in- . formation to women readers of town and country alike, but especially perhaps to the latter, since its notes on needlework and dressmaking are much increased in practical value by the accompanying cut-out patterns. Household interests and topics of all kinds vie with cookery, needlework, n^nmniift^tY^ft^fa competitions in

affording themes for much' wise selection 1 from all kinds of sources— excepting, perhaps, the last item, competitions, and that being a home industry is entirely original and is the theme which, with endleje varia.tions-, appears and re-appears -throughout , the number. There is a great deal to note with regard to these same competitions, and also in regard to the proposed rise in the subscription to the New Idea, and the various methods by which such use may be successfully evaded with the goodhumoured assistance of the directorate.