u8 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



hills are familiar to all visitors among the 

 mountains of Pennsylvania. These hills are 

 cones of more or less regularity, common- 

 ly of ten or twelve feet in circumference at 

 the base, and from two and a half to three 

 feet in height, though in some instances 

 they have dimensions twice or thrice as 

 great. The author has studied the prin- 

 ciples of architecture which guide this ant 

 in the construction of its mounds ; also its 

 system of engineering, whereby it over- 

 comes natural obstacles in the construc- 

 tion of its works. Further, he has observed 

 in these ants a curious mode of feeding a 

 troop of foragers going out, and coming 

 back with abdomens swollen with honey- 

 dew, which they give up to the workers on 

 their return to the mound. The whole 

 memoir gives evidence of very patient and 

 conscientious research. 



Mechanics of Ventilation. By G. W. 

 Rafter, C. E. New York : Van Nos- 

 trand. Pp. 96. Price, 50 cents. 



Mr. Rafter lays no claim to originality 

 of ideas in this little treatise, his object being 

 rather to reduce to systematic form the ex- 

 isting fund of knowledge with respect to the 

 important problem of warming and ventila- 

 tion. His essay is in every way worthy of 

 the attention of civil engineers and archi- 

 tects. 



Engineering Construction. By J. E. 

 Shields, C. E. New York : Van Nos- 

 trand. Pp. 138. Price, $1.50. 



The four general heads under which the 

 author of this work distributes his subject- 

 matter are : " Foundations," " Masonry," 

 "Tunnels," and " Engineering Geodesy." 

 His aim is to expound the true principles of 

 construction, as ascertained by the highest 

 authorities in that branch of science ; but 

 no theory, he assures us, is here set forth 

 which has not received confirmation from 

 practical test. 



Foundations. By Jules Gaudard. Trans- 

 lated from the French by Vernon Har- 

 court. New York : D. Van Nostrand. 

 Pp. 104. Price, 50 cents. 

 This is another valuable monograph of 

 Van Nostrand's "Science Series." It is a 

 study in the art of civil engineering, and' gives 

 a compendious account of the construction of 



foundation-works for bridges, piers, viaducts, 

 and all buildings where the weight of the 

 superstructure is so great that the question 

 of foundations is fundamental. 



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Meteorological Method. Pp. 15. Causes of 

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Our Public School System. By C. W. Bar- 

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Ventilation. By Dr. W. C. Van Bibber. An- 

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Economic Tree-Planting. By B. G. Northrop. 

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European and American Climatic Eesorts. 

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Eeport of the Connecticut Agricultural Ex- 

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The New Eocky Mountain Tourist (illus- 

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Primitive Property. By E. de Laveleye. New 

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