1898] SOME NEW BOOKS 127 



Having thus considered the important interest of Mr Woodward's 

 work, and often in his own words, let us proceed to sketch his third 

 chapter, the one devoted to a practical and economic view of the sub- 

 ject. For instance, he points out that the disadvantages of living on 

 clay are lessened by elevation when there is a good natural drainage ; 

 where the clay -tract is much broken up hy coverings of gravel ; where 

 the clay has been deeply covered by artificial charges. Elevation and 

 situation often become of more importance than original soil. Clay 

 also prevents the water rising from strata below it, therefore, granted 

 a good capping of gravel or " made ground," a gravel and clay soil may 

 be much more healthy than a deep gravel through which deep-seated 

 waters can rise in times of flood. Many more interesting topics are 

 discussed in this chapter, and plenty of references are provided, as is 

 the custom of the author, to papers bearing on the medical and sani- 

 tary questions likely to arise. The needs of the builder are discussed 

 as well as those of the amateur gardener, and the views of Dr Poore 

 on the value of creepers, such as ivy, in keeping a house dry and pure 

 are referred to. 



The subjects of water supply and drainage are necessarily im- 

 portant to the householder, but Mr Woodward has only been able to 

 barely call attention to them in a pamphlet of this kind, though the 

 admirable sketch he provides is fully amplified by footnotes to other 

 authorities. He, however, says quite enough to wake up those cor- 

 porations whose neglect of simple sanitary precautions has drawn upon 

 them the calamitous epidemics of such recent date. 



Fogs and sunshine, rain and winds, all of which exercise the 

 Londoner, are pilloried in their turn, and their advantages or disadvan- 

 tages fully set forth. It is always irritating to hear it said by one's 

 friends — Why don't you come and live at so and so — grand morning, 

 this morning, when I left home ; and doubtless there are many who 

 will be glad to avail themselves of the hints and advice given by Mr 

 Woodward, Last but not least is a chapter on cemeteries, 



A Geologist's Diary. 



Kalendeu FiJR Geologen, Palaeontologex und Mineralogen fur das Jahr 1898, 

 Herausgegeben vou Dr K. Keilhack, Kgl. Landesgeologen in Berlin. 8vo, 16x 11 

 cm. : vi + 130 pp. printed matter ; diary ; 6 cash-ruled, 64 blank, 32 section-ruled 

 pp. ; cloth, pocket-book style, with pockets. Leipzig : Max Weg, 1898. Price, 

 3s. 6d, 



This useful and novel publication contains the following sections : — 

 I. An account of the personnel and publications of the official Geo- 

 logical Surveys of Europe. Does not mention the new Euglisli litho- 

 graphed maps, 4 in, to the mile. II. List of professors and lecturers 

 in Geology, Palaeontology, and Mineralogy in the universities and 

 colleges of Europe. States that the Oxford chair is vacant. III. 

 Account of the Geological, Mineralogical and Palaeontological societies 

 of the world. According to this the Proceedings of the Geologists' 

 Assoeiation is a monthly bulletin, and the Geological Society of 

 London publishes Memoirs. IV. List of German periodicals and a few 

 foreign ones, with geological, etc., contents, in addition to those already 

 mentioned under surveys and societies. We hope to find ourselves 

 included in next year's issue, and would also put in a word for the 



