626 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



closes with a " Summation of Coincidences " 

 sixty-one in number, which are supposed to 

 support the author's position. From what 

 has been said it will be evident that we 

 doubt the willingness of a cautious person 

 to follow the author in his conclusions ; and 

 we must regret that the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution has given this book the sanction of 

 its high name as a " contribution to knowl- 

 edge." 



Geological Survey op Alabama. Report 

 of Progress for 1874. By Eugene A. 

 Smith, Ph. D., State Geologist. 



This Report is the first of a series 

 promised, giving in detail the geology of 

 the State, to be followed by a general sum- 

 mary, with maps, charts, and illustrations. 

 The final report will comprise the physical 

 geography, geology, and paleontology, eco- 

 nomic geology, agricultural relations, bot- 

 any, and zoology, and will inaugurate a new 

 era in the industrial progress and develop- 

 ment of that State. 



In the present Report several counties 

 are considered separately, giving their to- 

 pography, geology, and mineral resources, 

 with a chemical report, and appendix of 

 altitudes, mining statistics, etc. The Re- 

 port of Prof Smith is excellent in matter 

 and method. 



Catalogue of the Fishes of the East 

 Coast op North America. By Theo- 

 dore Gill, M. D., Ph. D. 



This is one of the invaluable series of 

 publications issued by the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, and is a revision of the catalogue 

 prepared by the author in 1861. In that 

 catalogue the number of species of fishes on 

 our coast, from Greenland to Georgia, was 

 given as 394, but accompanied by the re- 

 mark that the number might be reduced by 

 further observation. That has been done, 

 and only 351 nominal species are enumer- 

 ' ated in this catalogue, notwithstanding fifty 

 species have been added since then. 



Our vast extent of coast is divided in 

 the catalogue into geographical areas, 

 with boundaries more or less perfectly de- 

 fined by the fauna characteristic of each. 

 Thus the Arctic Fauna or realm is confined 

 to the Arctic and Greenland seas. The next 

 in order is called the Syrtensian Fauna, in- 

 cluding the coasts of Labrador and New- 



foundland. The Acadian Fauna extends 

 thence to Cape Cod, but more southerly in 

 deep water. The Virginian Fauna extends 

 from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, and the 

 Carolinian Fauna extends thence to the 

 reefs of Florida. 



Prof. Gill has done eminent service in 

 recognizing the great public want of popu- 

 lar names to species of fishes. Throughout 

 the catalogue popular or common names 

 are appended to the scientific ones, and, in 

 many cases, new names have been framed 

 for species having no other distinctive ones. 

 At the close of tlie catalogue is a very full 

 bibliography of " East Coast Fishes," also 

 an index to the catalogue of both scien- 

 tific and popular names. 



A Manual of Diet in Health and Dis- 

 ease. By Thomas King Chambers, 

 M. D., Oxon. 310 pages, 8vo. Phila- 

 delphia : Henrv C. Lea, 1875. Price, 



$2.75. 



The aims of this hand-book are purely 

 practical, and therefore it has not been en- 

 cumbered by the addition of the chemical, 

 botanical, and industrial learning which 

 collects round every article interesting as 

 an eatable. Space has been thus gained 

 for a full discussion of many matters con- 

 necting food and drink with the daily cur- 

 rent of social life, which the position of 

 the author, as a practising physician, has 

 led him to believe highly important to 

 the present and future of our race. The 

 book is divided into three parts. Part I., 

 " General Dietetics," treats of " Theories of 

 Dietetics ; " " On the Choice of Food ; " " On 

 the Preparation of Food ; " " On Diges- 

 tion," and "Nutrition." Part IL, "Special 

 Dietetics of Health," treats of the " Regimen 

 of Infancy and Motherhood ; " " Childhood 

 and Youth ; " " Commercial Life ; " " Lit- 

 erary and Professional Life ; " " Noxious 

 Trades ; " " Athletic Training ; " " Hints 

 for Healthy Travelers ; " " Effects of Cli- 

 mate ; " " Starvation, Poverty, and Fast- 

 ing ; " " The Decline of Life ; " and " Alco- 

 hol." Part in., "Dietetics in Sickness," 

 comprises " Dietetics and Regimen of Acute 

 Fevers ; " " Dietetics and Regimen of Cer- 

 tain other Inflammatory States ; " " Of 

 Weak Digestion ; " " Gout and Rheuma- 

 tism ; " " Gravel, Stone, Albuminuria, and Di- 

 abetes;" "Deficient Evacuation;" "Nerve 



