January 4, 19 12] 



NATURE 



II 



not been attempted ; in fact, only nine species of 

 Carex are included, and the list of grasses is limited 

 to one species from each of eight characteristic genera. 

 But for the more interesting alpine g-enera the list is 

 nearly complete ; thus, under Saxifraga about fifty 

 species are described, and a few others are mentioned ; 

 this is very inclusive, although the species Rudolphiana 

 and Cliisii do not appear. 



Most botanists are aware that Mr. Thompson has 

 an intimate knowledge of the Alps and is familiar 

 with many of the floral rarities; they will therefore 

 be prepared to find the concise descriptions and useful 

 critical notes that form a prominent feature in the 

 book. Another subject on which Mr. Thompson is 

 equally qualified to advise is the cultivation of alpine 

 plants, and this aspect of the book, dealing with a popu- 

 lar hobby, is likely to attract so much attention that, 

 contrary to the opinion expressed in the preface, one 

 is inclined to say that it will be more sought after and 

 used by the enthusiastic cultivator of alpines than bv 

 the ardent botanist who wishes to find and identifv 

 alpine species. The latter would in the first instance 

 ])refer a local flora that includes all the plants of the 

 country; but subsequently he would find the present 

 work most desirable for corroboration, critical deter- 

 mination, and comparison with allied species from 

 other countries. There is a measure of inconsistencv in 

 the omission of generic descriptions for manv genera, 

 but this does not detract from a book which is primarily 

 valuable for its expert and critical information. The 

 three hundred coloured illustrations are on the whole 

 accurate in the matter of form and colour. Certain 

 general facts and the broad outlines of cultivation are 

 discussed in three interesting introductory chapters. 



\'ocabulaire Forestier : Franfais — Allemand — Anglais. 

 Par J. Gerschel, revu par \\'. R. Fisher. 

 Cinquieme Edition, considerablement augmentee. 

 Pp. vi+192. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1911.) 

 Price 5s. net. 



This is the fifth edition of a dictionary in F"rench, 

 (ierman, and English of the technical terms which 

 are usually met with in books on forestry in those 

 languages. Compiled by Dr. Gerschel, late professor 

 at the Xancy Forest School, the present edition was 

 revised by the late Prof. W. R. Fisher, of Oxford, 

 shortly before his death, and is now issued by the 

 Clarendon Press. The book contains 192 closely 

 l^rinted pages, and is very useful, as it not onlv in- 

 cludes the technical terms peculiar to the art of 

 forestry, but also most of the common terms of the 

 -ciences of botany, zoology, and geologv, and, in 

 addition, words pertaining to hunting and shooting. 

 I he German and French parts appear to be well done; 

 l>ut the English part requires to be thoroughly revised] 

 as it contains many curious errors and omissions. 

 A good many words are doubtful or obsolete English, 



- "imp" used instead of "graft," "wood-apple tree" 

 istead of "crab tree." " \'irginian climber," p. 149, 



- commonjy called " \'irginia creeper," and "forest 

 ionce," p. X49, should be "science of forestry." 

 Printer's errors are not uncommon, as, p. 20, "" Picea 



cxcclsa, Hjnk," should read "Link"; p. 142, 'Vh- 

 celsa"' should read '^ excelsa" ; p. 152, "Liquid- 

 amber" should read " Liquidamhar " ; and p. 175, 

 "Scot's fir" should read "Scots fir." The statements 

 made on p. 164 that the "durmast" is the "Turkey 

 oak" and that "Q. coccifera" is the "scarlet oak'"' 

 are erroneous. "Oseraie," p. 190, is not "willow 

 iture," but "osier-bed." 



An objectionable feature in the English part is the 

 nstant use of hyphens, where they are not usually 

 inployed, as "expectation-value.'' "coppice-with- 

 NO. 2201, VOL. 88] 



standards," which are usually printed "expectation 

 value," "coppice with standards." 



It is to be hoped that in the next edition these 

 obvious faults, which impair the value of this useful 

 book, will be removed. 



Reports from the Laboratory of the Royal College 



of Physicians, Edinburgh. Edited by Sir John B. 



Tuke and Dr. James Ritchie. Vols. x. and xi. 



(Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 191 1.) 

 These two handsome volumes are evidence, if that 

 were needed, of the activity of research in the labora- 

 tories of the Royal College of Physicians of Edin- 

 burgh. They are also a testimony to the valuable 

 work which may be done by means of the funds of a 

 private corporation, aided in this case by a grant from 

 the Carnegie Trust. The papers (which have all 

 appeared elsewhere) are divided into four groups, those 

 appertaining to anatomy, pathology, pharmacology, 

 and physiology. All appeal to the specialist, and it 

 is not possible to select any for special comment. 



Of some general interest is the dietary study of the 

 five halls of residence for students in Edinburgh, by 

 Miss J. D. Cameron. The average cost per man per 

 day (exclusive of condiments and beverages) is 15' i 

 pence, of which 66 per cent, is expended on animal 

 food. The waste varies considerably, from 24 to 70 

 per cent, of the total money spent on food, but is 

 about one-half of that in the American studies of 

 college residences. 



Dr. Berry Hart discusses the nature and origin of 

 the " free-martin " — an apparently sterile cow, co-twin 

 with a potent bull — of which John Hunter described 

 three specimens, the organs of which are preserved 

 in the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, 

 London. It seems to be established that the free- 

 martin, when the co-twin is a potent male, is a sterile 

 male, and not a sterile female. R. T. H. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 

 [The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions 

 expressed by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake 

 to return, or to correspond with the writers of. rejected 

 manuscripts intended for this or any other part of Nature. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications.] 



January Meteor-showers, 1912. 



The following are the computed particulars of the 

 meteor-showers which become due during nearly the first 

 fortnight in January : — 



Epoch 1912, January 4. iih. 30m. (G.M.T.), twenty-first 

 order of magnitude. Principal maximum, January 3, 

 2h. 55m. ; secondary maxima, January 3, qh. 50m., 

 i3h. 40m., and January 4, loh. 25m. 



Kpoch January 5, loh.. approximately ninth order of 

 magnitude. Principal maximum. January 6, 4h. lom. ; 

 secondary maximum, January 6, i.^h. 35m. 



Kpoch' January 7, oh. 30m., thirteenth order of magni- 

 tude. Principal maximum. January 5, i8h. 20m. ; 

 secondary maxima, January 6, gh. 40m., and iqh. 30m. 



F-poch' January 7, 6h. 30m.. fifth order of magnitude. 

 Principal maximum, January tS, 22h. ; secondary maxima, 

 January s. 2ih., and January 6. i5h. 45m. 



Epoch January 8, ah., approximately eighteenth order of 

 magnitude. Principal maximum, January 8, 3h. 35m. ; 

 secondary maxima, January 9. 2h. 30m. and 2oh. 4001. 



The first few days of January are comparatively quiet, 

 the greatest meteoric activity occurring during the period 

 January 5-9. The Quadrantid epoch of January 4, which 

 is not so strong as the corresponding epoch of 191 1, has 

 its principal maximum early on the afternoon of January 3, 

 but the other maxima will probably furnish some bright 

 meteors, notwithstanding the presence of a full moon. 



Dublin. December 23, 1911- John R. Henry. 



