Book Notices. 167 



Medical Jurisprudence." in which he showed the value of this instru- 

 ment in examining blood in trials, and treated the subject in an inter- 

 esting manner. 



THE STATE MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, OF ILLINOIS. 



The members of this society were recently entertained by the Calu- 

 met Club of Chicago. About eighty microscopes were exhibited, 

 besides other apparatus, and the evening appears to have been enjoyed 

 by all. Among others, the objects shown by Dr. W. T. Belfield and 

 H. F. Atwood, are worthy of more than a passing notice. These gentle- 

 men had been feeding Trichinae to some rats, and some pieces of 

 muscle from these animals were placed upon a warm stage, and the 

 worms were thus shown in the living condition, moving about. It is 

 claimed that this is the first time that living Trichinae have been shown 

 in public. The value of such exhibitions, in arousing a public inter- 

 est in scientific studies, must be very great, and we trust they will be- 

 come more frequent. 



TROY SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 



The officers of the microscopical section for the ensuing year are as 

 follows : Chairman, Dr. R. H. Ward ; Vice-Chairman, Rev. A. B. Her- 

 vey ; Secretary, C. E. Hanaman. At a recent meeting Mr. Hervey de- 

 scribed the development of the cellular structure of plants. The sub- 

 ject of micrometry was brought up and referred to a committee con 

 sisting of Dr. R. H. Ward and Prof. A. W. Bower. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



An Outline of General Geology, With Copious References to the 

 Best Authorities. Designed for the Use of Both General and 

 Special Students. By Theo. B. Comstock, B. Ag., B. S. University Press, 

 Ithaca, N. Y., 1878. In this volume. Professor Comstock has systematically 

 arranged such prominent facts and figures of geological science as ordinarily con- 

 stitute the groundwork of a course of lectures in our best colleges. It seems to 

 us well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed, and the system is the 

 result of several years of practical experience. 



A valuable feature of the work is found in the numerous references to authori- 

 ties, thus directing attention to the most accessible sources of information upon 

 particular subjects. 



Space is provided for additional notes and drawings by liberal interleaving with 

 blank pages. The work throughout bears evidence of great care on the 

 part of the author. A number of important tables are given, and many illustra- 



