MISCELLANY. 



509 



hand, a precise definition from the side of 

 mental science is acknowledged to be impos- 

 sible. Taken in its broad sense, the word 

 simply denotes a marked degree of mental 

 disorder. What that degree is, depends upon 

 the practical issue presented in each case. In 

 highly-civilized countries a moderate degree 

 only, more or less incapacitating for the due 

 performance of the social relations, consti- 

 tutes insanity, and entitles its subjects to the 

 charity and protection of the state. Where 

 it is claimed to excuse from the punishment 

 of crime, a high degree of mental disorder is 

 required to be shown. Other degrees are 

 necessary in order to make void a will, or 

 excuse from the performance of a contract. 

 A slight degree only may constitute a medi- 

 cal case of insanity, of the greatest interest 

 and importance. In a narrower and techni- 

 cal sense, insanity denotes chronic mental 

 disorder not obviously belonging, as a symp- 

 tom, to some recognized form of bodily dis- 

 ease." 



Animal Physiology : The Structure and 

 Functions of the Human Body. By 

 John Cleland, M. D., F. R. S. New 

 York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. 12mo, 325 

 pages. Price, $1.50. 



In the first chapter of this work the 

 author gives a brief account of the relations 

 of physiology to other departments of sci- 

 ence ; a description of the composition and 

 properties of organic matter ; definitions 

 of the principal functions ; and a couple of 

 pages on the neucleated corpuscle, which 

 he is disposed to regard as the ultimate 

 physiological unit. Connective tissues ; the 

 skeleton and its function, with the minute 

 structure of bones, ligaments, and carti- 

 lages ; muscles, their structure and mode 

 of action; andthe structure and functions 

 of the skin and mucous membrane, form 

 the subjects of the four succeeding chap- 

 ters. Alimentation, and the apparatus and 

 process of digestion, are next treated ; and 

 then follow in the usual order chapters on 

 the blood, the circulation and its organs, 

 and respiration. The structure and func- 

 tions of the glands are next disposed of; 

 and three chapters are given to the anatomy 

 and physiology of the nervous system, in- 

 cluding the organs of special sense. Voice 

 and speech are next treated ; and the book 

 closes with a chapter on the subject of re- 

 production and development. The matter 

 of the work is largely anatomical, too much 



so, in our opinion, for a book on physiolo- 

 gy ; but, as the author says that it is in- 

 tended for those " previously unacquainted 

 with anatomical details," this feature may 

 be exactly suited to their needs. In this 

 case, however, the physiology should have 

 been similarly graded, which it is not, being 

 much too advanced for pupils ignorant of 

 anatomy. The work is mainly a compila- 

 tion, the author claiming originality only in 

 his method of grouping the facts. The style 

 is clear, the illustrations are numerous and 

 well executed, and both a glossary and in- 

 dex are appended. 



Elements oe Zoology for Schools and 

 Science Classes. By M. Harrison. 

 New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons. 16mo, 

 172 pages. Price, 75 cents. 



The title of this book is doubly mislead- 

 ing. It is called a zoology, when, in fact, 

 it deals with only one department of that 

 great subject, viz., comparative anatomy ; 

 and, instead of giving the elements of this, 

 goes rather to the opposite extreme, being 

 little more than a bare statement of those 

 later generalizations embodied in modern 

 systems of classification. The book is not 

 adapted to the wants of beginners, and is, 

 therefore, quite out of place in an "element- 

 ary series." Those, however, desiring a 

 brief summary of this branch of zoological 

 science will find it of service, though the 

 works of Huxley, from which it is mainly 

 derived, put the subject in a much more at- 

 tractive shape. The book is copiously il- 

 lustrated, has a series of questions attached 

 to each of the chapters, and is provided with 

 a glossary. 



MISCELLANY. 



Observations of the Transit. So far as 



heard from, the numerous expeditions which 

 went out to observe the recent transit of 

 Venus met with a fair measure of success. 

 By the wise liberality of the various gov- 

 ernments, the contingencies of fair or foul 

 weather were provided against, and the 

 view, which at one point was obstructed 

 by clouds, was more successfully had at 

 some other station in the same latitude, 

 where the skies were more propitious. At 

 Wladiwostock, the most northern station 



