1896. SOME NEW BOOKS. 6r 



intelligent remarks made by visitors on seeing gathered together the 

 animals which occur in their own country." 



We are sorry to record the death, after a brief existence of six 

 months, of the Scientific African, owing to the fact that its editor is 

 called elsewhere to seek his livelihood. It does not appear that the 

 editing of scientific publications is a more remunerative employment 

 in Africa than it is in other parts of the world. 



We announced some time ago that the Annuaire Geologique 

 Universe! of Paris was about to be discontinued from want of support. 

 We are glad to iind that this is only partially the case. The fact is 

 that the want of support makes it impossible to carry on the work as 

 heretofore, and the Editor, Dr. L. Carez, announces in his introduc- 

 tion that vol. xi. will be limited to the geology of France. We 

 are now, therefore, quite without a general Geological Record, and 

 likely to remain so until the example of the Zoological Society is 

 followed by geologists. 



The Classification of Physiology. 



We have received, too late to mention in our article on the Decimal 

 Classification, a report presented to the Societe de Biologic de Paris 

 by Messrs. Blanchard, Bonnier, Bourquelot, Dumontpallier, Dupuy, 

 Malassez, and Richet. It is an attempt to extend the numerical 

 classification of physiology, in accordance with Dewey's book, under 

 nos. 581. 1 and 612. No attempt has been made to deal with the 

 useful section 591. In what it has attempted the compilers have 

 followed the admirable example of Mr. Baudouin rather than the 

 harum-scarum methods of the Royal Society Committee. " We have 

 sought," they say, " so far as was in our power, to establish parallel 

 series. Thus, the general divisions of physiology are those which 

 agree with the other general divisions of the Dewey classification. 

 There is also a certain parallelism between the numbers : thus, 

 memoirs on comparative physiology carry the zoological numbers. 

 Absolute parallelism was impossible, since different subjects do not 

 always lend themselves to identical classification. Certain numbers 

 have been left blank in such a way as to permit future extension of 

 the classification. . . . To sum up, the classification of memoirs on 

 physiological work by the decimal system is, as a rule, extremely 

 simple, and in those cases where it is difficult, it is clear that the 

 memoir in question would be difficult to class under any classification 

 whatever." The classification is provided with a summary index, 

 which renders it of still greater value. We presume that those 

 interested in the matter can obtain a copy by applying to Dr. C. 

 Richet, 15 Rue Universite, Paris. 



Literature Received. 



Catalogue of the Madreporarian Corals, vol. ii., H. M. Bernard; Catalogue of Snakes, vol. iii., 

 G. A. Boulenger : Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.). Thoughts on Evolution, P. G. F. : Sonnenschein. How 

 Plants Live and Work, E. Hughes-Gibb : Grif&n. Eleuientarcurs der Zootomie, B. Hatschek and 

 C. J. Cori ; Sporozoenkunde, von Wasielewski ; Anatomie der Wirbelthiere, pt. i., A. Oppel : Jena, 

 Fischer. Flora of Dumfriesshire, G. F. Scott-Elliott : Dumfries, Maxwell. 



Report: Free Library, Bootle. Report: Colombo Museum. Report for 1S95 : Wood's HoU 

 Lab. Geology of Woodbury Co., Bain; Geology of Warren Co., Tilton: Ann. Rip. Iowa Gcol. 

 Survey. Studies from Psychological Lab. Yale University, iii. Proceedings Roy. Soc. Victoria, 

 vol. viii. Weasels of E. North America, Mammals from Lake Edward, Florida Deer, O. Bangs; 

 Lemmings of genus Synaptomys, American Bears, C. H. Merriam ; Violets of Atlantic Coast, C. L. 

 Pollard; Mammals of Columbia, V. Bailey; Additions to Flora of Washington, T. Holm; New 

 Species of Madagascar Plover, C. W. Richmond : Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington. 



La Naturaleza, ii.,nos.8 and g. The Ornithologist, June. Popular Science News, Jan. to June, 

 iSg6. Nature, May 21, 28, June 4, 11. Literary Digest, May 16, 23, 30. Revue Scientifique, May 16, 

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