7o8 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



It gives an excellent account of its subject, 

 supplementing Dr. Krause's paper, so that 

 the readers of the book will be able to form 

 not only a proper estimate of the man, but 

 the condition of science in his time. A life 

 of Erasmus Darwin, published in 1804, was 

 written by a Miss Seward, but it seems to 

 have contained certain gross misrepresenta- 

 tions of his character, which it iS one of the 

 objects of the present sketch to dispel. The 

 authoress of the biography was long an in- 

 mate of Dr. Darwin's family, and when his 

 first wife died would have been glad to take 

 her place. But the Doctor chose another 

 lady, and Miss Seward paid them both off in 

 her biographical book. She subsequently re- 

 tracted her objectionable statements, but the 

 erroneous impressions, created by her book, 

 were widely disseminated. 



Mr. Darwin writes unreservedly but ju- 

 dicially of his grandfather's traits, and re- 

 marks that perhaps there is no safer test 

 of a man's real character than that of his 

 long-continued friendship with good and able 

 men. Darwin's intimate and almost life- 

 long friends were such men as Josiah Wedg- 

 wood, Keir the chemist. Day, the author of 

 " Sandford and Merton," Bolton and Watt 

 the engineers, and Mr. Edgeworth. A 



force, aided by atmospheric and meteoro- 

 logical influences. ... Its force was ex- 

 pended in eroding, cutting down, and re- 

 moving mineral matter from a higher to a 

 lower level." He does not believe it is pos- 

 sible for glaciers to make erosions to so great 

 depths " as the beds of some of the great 

 Northern lakes." The volume contains an 

 excellent ^aper on archeology, a table of 

 altitudes, catalogues of fossils and of recent 

 flora, and, what is of especial value, "A 

 Catalogue and Check-list of the Trees and 

 Woody Shrubs of America north of Mexi- 

 co." This was prepared by John W. Byr- 

 kit, Esq., of Indianapolis. The volume has 

 a very full index. 



Modern Meteorologt. A Series of Six 

 Lectures delivered under the Auspices 

 of the London Meteorological Society in 

 1878. Illustrated. New York : D. Van 

 Nostrand. 1879. Price, $1.50. 



These lectures make a volume of 186 

 pages, and are a useful contribution to the 

 science of meteorology. The subjects are 

 treated in a somewhat elementary manner, 

 but in the light of the latest researches. 

 The first, and perhaps the most important 

 lecture of the series, is by Robert James 



likeness of Dr. Darwin accompanies the vol- | ^^^°' ^- ^•' ^- 1^- ^- ^•. ^tc, on "The Phys 



ume, together with engravings of his birth- 

 place, Elston Hall, and the Breadsall Priory, 

 near Derby, where he lived for many years, 

 and in which he died. 



Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Annual Re- 

 ports OF THE Geological Survey of In- 

 diana, for the Years 1876, 1877, 1878. 

 By E. T. Cox, State Geologist, assisted 

 by Professor John Collett and Dr. G. 

 M. Letette. Indianapolis, 1879. 



These reports make a volume of 541 

 pages, and are illustrated by numerous 

 diagrams and maps. The detailed reports 

 are of three counties — Wayne, Crawford, 

 and Harrison. These, as well as special 

 reports on clays, cements, building-stone, 

 etc., are well written, and show thorough 

 work. A general review of the geology of 

 the State by Professor Cox presents his 

 conclusions on several points of interest. 

 Of the glacial epoch, he says : " I see no 

 evidence of a subsidence of land to ter- 

 minate the glacial period, which continued 



ical Properties of the Atmosphere," and 

 is a model of lucid scientific statement. 

 Others are on "Air Temperature, its Dis- 

 tribution and Range " ; " The Barometer 

 and its Uses, Wind and Storms " ; " Clouds 

 and Weather Signs " ; " Rain, Snow, Hail, 

 and Atmospheric Electricity " ; and " The 

 Nature, Methods, and General Objects of 

 Meteorology." This last, by Robert H. 

 Scott, F. R. S., Secretary to the Meteorologi- 

 cal Council, is worth careful perusal by both 

 scientists and the general reader. 



The Great Fur Land, or Sketches of Life 

 in the Hudson's Bay Territory. By H. 

 M. Robinson. With numerous Illustra- 

 tions. New York : G. P. Putnam's Sons. 

 1879. Price, $1.75. 



The fact that much of the contents of 

 this volume first appeared in "Appletons' 

 Journal " and " Harper's " and other maga- 

 zines, does not detract from its value. It 

 is a picturesque and thoroughly readable 

 account of life and scenery in the region 



until brought to a close by its own erosive I occupied by the Hudson's Bay Company, and 



