140 



NATURE 



[September 29, 192 1 



and ethnologists are eagerly awaiting some such 

 work from the pen of Mr. A. M. Hocart, whose 

 preliminary sketches give promise of so much to 

 come. 



The work under notice is, in its way, excellent. 

 In his treatment of psychology the author does 

 not follow the usual practice of accounting 

 for the beliefs and practices of uncivilised folk 

 by means of some extemporised psychological ex- 

 planation. On the contrary, his work contains 

 some of the soundest social psychology that it has 

 been our good fortune to read for many a day. 

 The author is keenly aware of the interrelationship 

 of social institution and behaviour. For instance, 

 he, along with the Rev. T. Williams, fails to 

 detect any element of wonder in Fijian religion, 

 but finds plenty of fear. He does not, however, 

 claim that this fear has been aroused in the Fijian 

 by his experience of natural phenomena ; on the 

 contrary, " the answer is to be found in his history 

 and past social life." The Fijian race has had a 

 warlike past, and the people have been at the 

 mercy of cruel, warlike chiefs. " He knew what 

 invasion meant, and he was a victim to the war- 

 terror by night and day. . . . Fear was ' bred in 

 his bone.' It is not wonderful, therefore, that 

 fear came out in his religious life ... at the 

 present time, fear is inseparable from the Fijian 

 nature, and . . . this fear is the result of his 

 history and past social environment." 



Again, in speaking of the moral character of 

 the Fijian, Mr. Deane says : " Many people are led 

 by erroneous or narrow conceptions of social life in 

 general to forget that the Fijian's past is crystal- 

 lised in his present social surroundings, and they 

 proceed forthwith to pronounce judgment upon 

 him as if he had had the same history as a Euro- 

 pean. The diagnoses of such people are, there- 

 fore, often unjust, caustic, and unscientific. For 

 they take single threads of his character, and 

 judge therefrom the warp and woof of all." In 

 some capital chapters on the influence of social 

 organisation on behaviour, the author sums up his 

 method of inquiry in terms that reveal his atti- 

 tude : "So far we have examined the Fijian char- 

 acter as expressed in certain religious beliefs, 

 social customs, and ceremonial symbols. We shall 

 now study it more directly as the outcome of par- 

 ticular social institutions." He proceeds forth- 

 with to give an analysis of the effects of com- 

 munism upon human behaviour that should be 

 read by some of our individualists, as well as by 

 the communists, for both will find there some- 

 thing to learn that will not entirely please them. 

 Fijian communism has its good, as well as its 

 bad, side. 



It is interesting to note that the great increase 

 NO. 2709, VOL. 108] 



of warfare and cannibalism in Fiji was due to 

 the introduction of firearms. Europeans have much 

 to answer for in the matter of stirring up strife 

 in various parts of the earth. "The ancient 

 legends describe a peaceful immigration of a few 

 half-shipwrecked and forlorn people. ... It is 

 not till long after that any serious war is even 

 hinted at " — a state of things that is apparentlv 

 typical of the early history of the Pacific. 



Altogether a readable and eminently human 

 book, with much reasoning on human behaviour 

 far in advance of that usually found in ethnological 

 literature. W. J. Perry. 



Laboratory Designs. 



Laboratories : Their Planning and Fittings. By 

 A. E. Munby. With a historical introduction 

 by Sir Arthur E. Shipley. Pp. xix-f220. 

 (London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd.,»i92i.) 25s. 

 net. 



AN up-to-date compendium of experience in 

 all that pertains to laboratory design and 

 fittings is provided by this volume, which is well 

 illustrated by plans and sketches of many of the 

 latest buildings for scientific work in schools and 

 colleges. It is accompanied by a criticism of dif- 

 ferent types, while useful suggestions will be 

 found for making the best use of laboratories run 

 on the more orthodox system of teaching science. 



A perusal of the book will well repay those 

 responsible for the extension of science teaching 

 in our educational establishments, and will help 

 to prevent those costly mistakes which, through 

 insufficient knowledge of what has been done else- 

 where, have in the past so often characterised 

 the building of scientific laboratories. The pub- 

 lishers, as well as the author, are to be congratu- 

 lated on the publication of a really useful book in 

 handy size, well bound, and with excellent letter- 

 press. 



The first chapter, "The Scope and Inception 

 of Building Schemes," deals with the factors 

 which affect the ultimate design of the building. 

 It is a suggestive presentation of the subject and 

 a comprehensive analysis of the problems that must 

 be considered before any plans can be set out. 



Mr. Munby in no way attempts to define the 

 actual requirements of any particular type of 

 school or course of work. His book is intended 

 rather to assist the designer in obtaining the best 

 and most efficient equipment within the limit pre- 

 scribed by funds available or methods of teach- ■ 

 ing. Naturally, this has led him to discuss details* 

 and designs for the most advanced courses in 

 various branches of science with all the elabora- 



