SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE, 



709 



to the neuroses of the heart, and the portion 

 on valvular affections also deserves special 

 mention. The next two articles, Diseases of 

 the Blood-vessels, by Dr. A. Ernest Sansom, 

 of London, and Diseases of the Lymphatic 

 Vessels, by Dr. Bertrand Dawson, also of 

 London, seem to be complete, and to bring 

 the subject up to date. The closing article 

 is one of especial interest, by Dr. George 

 Murray on diseases of the thyroid gland, in- 

 cluding myxoedema, cretinism, exophthalmic 

 goitre, and goitre, as well as inflammation and 

 neoplasms. 



A Revision of the Deltoid MofJis, by John 

 B. Smith, forms Bulletin No. 48 of a series of 

 Smithsonian publications which are intended 

 to illustrate the collection constituting the 

 National Museum. Under the general term 

 deltoids there are usually grouped in lists, 

 catalogues, and collections the moths of a 

 series of species and genera which have a 

 somewhat distinctive appearance and habitus, 

 but for which we have as yet no exclusive 

 characters. The home of the group is in 

 that region extending from Maine through 

 Canada, west to the Great Lakes, southward 

 along the Mississippi, and eastward through 

 Ohio along the southern boundary of Penn- 

 sylvania to the Atlantic coast. All the 

 species fly at night and are readily attracted 

 to light and sugar. The book is well made, 

 but will only be of interest to the specialist. 

 It is illustrated with fourteen plates. 



The third edition of Mr. Alfred DanieVs 

 Text-hook of the P r'mciples of Physics (Mac- 

 millan & Co., $4) has recently come to us. 

 It maintains the characteristics of the pre- 

 vious editions, of clear statement and sim- 

 ple arrangement, and improves upon them 

 in the correction of some minor errors which 

 recent researches have brought to light, and 

 in the adoption of a uniform notation, which 

 will prove a great help to the student. Every 

 equation is considered from the point of view 

 of its dimensions, and this has necessitated 

 the modification of some of the original text 

 accordingly. The book is intended either 

 as a preparation for the more valuable 

 laboratoiy work of experimental physics or 

 for those who have no access to a laboratory, 

 and who must derive their physics entirely 

 from book reading. Any one having a fair 

 knowledge of mathematics ought to have 



no difficulty in following the text, which is 

 illustrated wherever clearness is gained. 



A valuable little textbook on Alternat- 

 ing Currents, by E. J. Houston and A. E. 

 Kennelly, is the latest volume of the Electro- 

 Technical Series to reach us. This subject 

 of alternating currents is probably the most 

 important and most difficult portion of mod- 

 em electrical science. It is the department 

 in which most of the advanced experimenters 

 are working, and from which new and valu- 

 able results may at any time be expected. A 

 very clear and simple explanation of the two 

 forms of currents is first given, their differ- 

 ences explained and accounted for, and the 

 means by which one may be transformed 

 into the other described. The more im- 

 portant commercial applications of the alter- 

 nating current in electric lamps and motors 

 are then described in detail. Chapter XVII, 

 which closes the book, discusses multiphase 

 motors. (W. J. Johnston Co., N. Y.) 



The Fourteenth Annual Report of the 

 United States Geological Survey, for the 

 years 1892-1893, consists of two volumes, 

 the first of which contains the general reports 

 of the director and heads of divisions. The 

 second consists of a series of monographs 

 on geology and related subjects. The first 

 paper, by W J McGee, discusses the potable 

 waters of the eastern United States. He 

 first points out the large part which water 

 takes in our dietaries, and the dangers which 

 arise through its contamination ; and then 

 gives a general history of the methods which 

 have been employed for storing and purify- 

 ing it. In the next article A. C. Peale deals 

 with the natural mineral waters of the United 

 States. The different varieties are named 

 and classified, and the paper is closed by an 

 extended index of the mineral springs, ar- 

 ranged according to States. The Results of 

 Stream Measurements is the title of the 

 third paper, by F. H. Newell. The methods 

 and special instruments by which the meas- 

 urements are made are first described, and 

 then the data resulting from their emplo)'- 

 ment on various rivers are given. Besides 

 these there are articles on the Laccolitic 

 mountain groups of Colorado, Utah, and 

 Arizona ; The Gold-Silver Veins of Ophir, 

 California ; Geology of the Catoctin Belt ; 

 Tertiary Revolution in the Topogi'aphy of 



