374 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



they have unlimited food and though they cannot possibly destroy their offspring, 

 do not concern him ; and he reaches his proofs and demonstrations with the 

 security of those who start with preconceived ideas. If the man of science should 

 be defined as one who is engaged on the laborious task of fitting theories to many 

 facts, his opposite, the dogmatist, may be defined as one who is engaged upon the 

 easy one of fitting facts to many theories. Surely his theory of the destruction of 

 the young by the males is, if anything, more revolting than the most horrible 

 struggle for existence suggested by Darwin ; and the attempt to fix a charge of 

 immorality upon scientific theorems with which we do not agree is itself of doubtful 

 morality. 



O. A. Craggs. 



A Beginner's Star-Book. By Kelvin McKready. [Pp. 148 ; 70 illustrations, 

 including charts, etc.] (London : Knickerbocker Press, 1912.) 



This book is written for the use of beginners whose instrumental equipment 

 ranges from an opera-glass to a 3-in. telescope. It contains a series of night- 

 charts of the sky at intervals throughout the year, which, together, practically 

 serve as a planisphere. For any given date there are two charts, depicting the 

 sky as seen by an observer looking north and south respectively, each accom- 

 panied by a concise general description of the constellations and stars in it. 

 Opposite each chart is a corresponding key-map, with notes of the objects of more 

 especial interest to observers with a field-glass, a 2-in. or a 3-in. telescope. For 

 more detailed information cross-references are given to a compact but very useful 

 Observer's Catalogue. It is hoped that by this method the beginner will be able 

 more easily to identify the various objects which he sees than when he has only 

 the usual form of printed map, covered with lines and symbols, with which to 

 compare the sky before him. 



Subsequent chapters describe simply and briefly the chief points of interest for 

 the observer in the sun, moon, and brighter planets ; and tables are given of the 

 position in the sky of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn month by month until 

 the year 1930. Practical hints are also given as to the choice of a field-glass or 

 telescope. 



The paper and printing are both good, while the many beautiful reproductions 



of recent astronomical photographs cannot be too highly praised. Those of the 



moon may be specially mentioned. It is to be hoped that this interesting and 



practical book will achieve the author's purpose in stimulating the interest of the 



beginner sufficiently for him to pursue the study of the subject further, and to seek 



fuller information elsewhere. 



H. S. J. 



Qualitative Determination of Organic Compounds. By J. W. Shepherd, 

 B.Sc, A.R.C.S. [Pp. xvi + 347.] (London : W. B. Clive, 1913. Price 6j. 6d.) 



The volume is one of the numerous examination text-books issued by the 

 University Tutorial Press, and is intended for the advanced science student. It 

 is divided into two parts, dealing respectively with the tests for the various groups 

 of organic compounds and the various types of organic reactions. The scheme of 

 identification (Chapter XX.) is the result of many years' experience in this class of 

 work, and, with the scale of melting and boiling points, will probably be found to 

 be the most practically useful. 



It seems a pity, however, as the qualitative tests for organic compounds are 

 given so fully, that a short resume of the methods of quantitative determination was 



