November i i, 1897] 



NA TURE 



35 



not liable to definite changes with the seasons, but are irregular 

 movements difficult to account for. 



Dr. Otto Nordenskjold publishes a short preliminary 

 account of the recent Swedish expedition to Tierra del Fuego, 

 in Peterntantis Mittheihingen. The expedition consisted of 

 Dr. Nordenskjold, Herr Dusen (botanist). Dr. Ohlin (zoologist), 

 with two assistants and four porters, and its labours have ex- 

 tended over the summer seasons 1895-96 and 1896-97. From 

 the brief notice published, we gather that contributions of con- 

 siderable importance to various branches of science, especially, 

 perhaps, geology have been made, the regions explored being 

 of peculiar importance as a connecting-link with the great 

 Antarctic continent. 



In our issue of September 30 (vol. Ivi. pp. 520 and 5Z1) we 

 printed a short illustrated account of " The Progress of the 

 Steam Turbine," and many of our readers may like to know 

 that the current issue of the Electrical Review contains the first 

 instalment of a lengthy paper on the same subject, which was 

 read a few weeks ago by the Hon. C. W. Parsons before the 

 Institute of Marine Engineers at Stratford. 



Part 7 of " Among British Birds in their Nesting Haunts, 

 illustrated by the Camera," by Mr. O. A. J. Lee, has just come 

 to hand. It contains ten plates, and deals with the common 

 guillemot, mallard, razorbill, puffin, crested tit, and red- 

 breasted merganser. The work is published by Mr. David 

 Douglas, of Edinburgh. 



A NUMBER of new editions of scientific works have lately 

 been received. First among these publications is the third 

 revised edition of Prof. E. Strasburger's " Kleine botanische 

 Practicum fur Auianger " (Jena : Gustav Fischer). In the four 

 years which have passed since the appearance of the second 

 edition, new knowledge has been obtained and is incorporated 

 in the present issue. The work contains 121 figures reproduced 

 from drawings made by Dr. Strasburger, and the text likewise 

 represents the personal observations of the author. Students 

 of structural botany therefore will find the book a trustworthy 

 guide. — A second enlarged edition has been published of Dr. 

 W. Ostwald's text-book of analytical chemistry, entitled, "Die 

 wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen der analytischen Chemie " 

 (Leipzig : Wilhelm Engelmann). The book was reviewed at 

 length in Nature (vol. li. p. 482) when it first appeared, and 

 it has now been brought up to date. The chief addition refers 

 to electrochemical analysis. The work is not intended for 

 beginners, but to supply adequate theoretical .support to the 

 routine work of general analytical chemistry. — Messrs. J. and A. 

 Churchill have published the third edition of " Elements of 

 Human Physiology" by Dr. Ernest H. Starling. The first 

 edition of the book was reviewed in Nature in December 

 1892 (vol. xlvii. p. 146), and the chief changes which it has 

 undergone are in the account of the coagulation of the blood, 

 and in the section on the central nervous system. — The elemen- 

 tary stage of the examination in magnetism and electricity, held 

 by the Department of Science and Art, is well covered by the 

 " Elementary Manual of Magnetism and Electricity" by Prof. 

 Andrew Jamieson. The fourth edition, which has just been 

 published by Messrs. Charles Griffin and Co., provides teachers 

 of the subject with a very helpful text-book. — Messrs. Cassell 

 and Co. have sent us a copy of " Electricity in the Service of 

 Man " by Dr. R. Wormell, revised and enlarged by Dr. R. 

 Mullineux Walmsley. We notice that, though the title-page 

 is dated 1897, the preface is dated November 1893, With one 

 or two slight exceptions, the book appears to represent the 

 state of knowledge at the latter epoch. — A revised and enlarged 

 edition of "A Text-book of Physics," by Prof. Edwin H. Hall 



NO. 1463, VOL. 57] 



and Mr. Joseph Y. Bergen, has come to us from Messrs. Henry- 

 Holt and Co., New York. The book is an admirable text- 

 j book and laboratory manual for beginners in the systematic 

 study of physics. The course covered is that required for ad- 

 mission to Harvard College, where Dr. Hall is professor of 

 physics ; and it comprises the leading elementary facts and prin- 

 ciples of physics, and quantitative laboratory work referring to 

 them. Teachers of elementary physics in this country would 

 do well to provide themselves with a copy of the book, for 

 it contains numerous ingenious and instructive experiments. 

 — The second edition of " The Practice of Massage : its 

 Physiological Effects and Therapeutic Uses," by Mr. A. Symons 

 Eccles, has been sent to us by Messrs. Bailliere, Tindall, and 

 Cox. The first edition was reviewed at length in Nature of 

 September 3, 1896 (vol. liv. pp. 411 and 412), and we need 

 now only say that the work has been revised and altered to 

 make room for additional matter, especially with reference to- 

 the clinical uses of massage, without increasing the bulk of the 

 volume. — The first part of the second edition of the serial issue 

 of Mr. Howard Saunders's " An Illustrated Manual of British 

 Birds " has reached us from Messrs. Gurney and Jackson. This- 

 well-known work, which has undergone revision, needs no- 

 recommendation from us. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Sloth Bears {Melurstis nrsinus, 6 9) 

 from India, presented by Sir Henry D. Tichborne, Bart. ; a. 

 Macaque Monkey (Afacacits cynomolgiis, <J ) from Tonquin, pre- 

 sented by Miss Rachel Hunt ; two Palm Squirrels {Sciurus 

 palmarum) from India, presented by Dr. G. H. Nowell ; a. 

 Long-eared Owl {Asia otus), British, presented by Major- 

 General Alex. A. A. Kinlock ; a Salt-water Terrapin {Make- 

 ocletnmys terrapin) from North America, presented by Mr. 11. 

 Arthur Clifton ; five Tesselated Snakes (TV^/zV^/w/mj tesselatus) 

 from South-east Europe, presented by Herr Carl Hagenbeck ; a 

 Mediterranean Peregrine Falcon (Falco pincus), captured in the 

 Mediterranean, presented by Captain Watson ; ten Paradise 

 Whydah Birds ( Vidua paradisea), three Pin-tailed Whydah- 

 Birds ( Vidua principalis), four Crimson-eared ^ i.-^\A\%{Estrelda 

 phcenicotis), two Red-bellied Waxbills {Estrelda rubriventris), 

 two Yellow-rumped Seed-eaters {Crithagra chrysopyga), a 

 Singing Seed-eater {Crithagra musica) from West Africa, a 

 One-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius uniappendiculaius) from 

 New Guinea, two Jackass Penguins (Spkeniscus tnagellanicus) 

 from the Falkland Islands, a Black Wood-hen {Ocydromus- 

 fuscus) from New Zealand, deposited ; a Levaillant's Darter 

 {Plottcs levaillanti) from West Africa, purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Coming Total Eclipse of the Sun. — We must 

 congratulate the British Astronomical Association on the energy 

 they have displayed with regard to the coming eclipse in India^ 

 We hear that, in addition to the three official expeditions, a 

 fourth, but unofficial, expedition under their auspices will be sent, 

 and that no less than twenty-six observers have come forward to^ 

 take part in it. It must not be forgotten that considerable ex^ 

 pense is attached to such undertakings, and so large a number 

 of observers shows that the general interest taken in such aa 

 event is very considerable. 



Those who wish to combine an enjoyable winter's cruise in. 

 warm climes, with a view of the eclipse thrown in, may have 

 noticed that the Orient Liner's steamer Orotava is timed to leave 

 Colombo on January 20 next, and on her homeward voyage from 

 Australia she will be navigated with a view to being on the line 

 of central eclipse at the time of total obscuration. Passengers- 

 can thus proceed to Colombo, and after a short stay there, allow- 

 ing sufficient time to see Ceylon, return by this vessel home, 

 seeing the eclipse on the way. Particulars can be obtained froiik 

 the Company's offices in Fenchurch Avenue, E.C. 



