258 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [July 



esting- work on "The Crambida? of North America," by C. 

 H. Fernald, A. M., Ph. D. It is a ninety-three pag-e pamph- 

 let where the family Crambidae, its distribution, its nat- 

 ural enemies, its history, the enemies of these insects, 

 etc., are perfectly described. The book is made addition- 

 ally valuable by the addition of six plates in colors and 

 three in black and white. 



Microscopial Studies in Botany. — This is the name of 

 anew periodical published in Jersey, b}'^ James Hornell, di- 

 rector of Jersey Biological Station. The price is 3s. 6d. post 

 free. The annual subscription (post free) si 8s; or inclu- 

 sive of 50 illustrative nicroscopical preparations, 21s, post 

 free. This magazine is made interesting- on account of 

 orig-inal photomicrographs accompanying the subjects 

 described. Thus vol. 1, part 2, for March, 1896, contains 

 ten of these beautiful photos. 



Asiatic Cholera in India. — Mr. E. H. Hankin is the au- 

 thor of a book on "Cholera in India Cantonments, and how 

 to deal with it." The work consists chiefly in g-iving- di- 

 rections for preventing the disease. The author has had 

 an excellent opportunity for study during^ the various re- 

 cent outbreaks in India. The properties of the cholera 

 microbes as g-iven by Mr. Hankin are as follows : first, 

 org-anism when out&ide of the human body, only lives and 

 reproduces in water ; second, it is so small that it cannot 

 be removed by filtration throug-h ordinary domestic filters; 

 third, it is easily destroyed by boilings ; fourth, it is easily 

 killed by dessication ; fifth, it is very sensitive to acids; 

 sixth, it varies in virulence ; seventh, its g-rowth is 

 favored by the presence of small amounts of common salts 

 and nitrates. 



Books May Carry Contagion. — It is generally admitted 

 that books may carry contag-ion. Drs. DuCazal and Cat- 

 rin obtained positive results with Streptococcus, Pneu- 

 mococcus and Bacillus diptheria. Negative results were 

 obtained with Bacillus tuberculosis and Bacillus typhosus. 

 — Ann. Institute Pasteur. 



