178 



NA TURE 



[December 20, 1900 



great importance of the experiments which are carried 

 out by the munificence and public spirit of the Duke of 

 Bedford. Each year their value and importance will be 

 enhanced. If we might make one suggestion it would 

 be that a corresponding series of experiments, though 

 not necessarily on so large a scale, might be made on 

 barren sand or some soil less naturally fertile than that 

 at Ridgmont. Maxwell T. Masters. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Design in Nature's Story. By Walter Kidd, M.D., F.Z.S. 

 Pp. ix+165. (London: James Nisbet and Co., Ltd., 

 1900). 



Huxley pointed out that the Darwinian theory of 

 adaptations was incompatible with " the commoner and 

 coarser forms of teleology," but admitted that "there is 

 a wider teleology, which is not touched by the doctrine 

 of Evolution." But Dr. Kidd is not satisfied with this, 

 and has written a little book to protest against the at- 

 tempt of modern science to ignore what is called " Design 

 in Nature." He does not trouble himself to define with 

 any precision what he means by this phrase, but he 

 seems to mean what is called "the directive intelligence 

 of a personal God," and we can only repeat what has 

 been said so often, that with this the scientific mood, as 

 such, has nothing whatever to do, though it supplies some 

 of the data with respect to which the philosophic mood 

 may decide as to the validity and fittest formulation of 

 the conception. When Weismann says, to the author's 

 disgust, that the introduction of teleological principles is 

 the ruin of science, he simply expresses the general con- 

 viction that their introduction is incongruous with the 

 scientific method. Dr. Kidd does not seem to see that 

 to oppose scientific and teleological interpretations is to 

 oppose incommensurables. 



The author gives examples of adaptations in plants, 

 in animals, and in man, but Darwin's illustrations are 

 far more convincing. He emphasises also "the adapted- 

 ness of environments for coming organisms," though it 

 seems plain enough that only those organisms could come 

 to stay who were relatively fit to survive in the given 

 conditions. If the author will reconsider, for instance, 

 the position expressed by W. K. Brooks in his " Founda- 

 tions of Zoology," he may discover that he is tilting against 

 a windmill, that Darwin did at least as much for teleology 

 as Paley, and that our provisional theoriesof the rise and 

 progress of adaptations suggest no reason whatever why 

 the philosophers should not adhere to the teleological 

 position. But these discoveries should have been made 

 before publication. J. A. T. 



Penrose's Pictorial Annual. Vol. vi.. The Process Year- 

 book for \c)00. Edited by William Gamble. Pp. xvi 

 + 112. (London : Penrose and Co., 1900). 



This handsome volume will give the reader an excellent 

 idea of the way in which photographs can be reproduced 

 for illustration purposes. It is too often the case that 

 either copies of photographs have to be made quickly 

 or the paper on which they are printed is not of the most 

 appropriate kind, so that the " reproduction " is by no 

 means of a very high Order. In this annual, however, 

 the editor has taken great care that the art of reproduc- 

 tion should be given its full scope, and any reader cannot 

 but admire the results as here displayed. From the 

 beginning to the end of the volume we find innumerable 

 illustrations, dealing with all kinds of subjects and repro- 

 duced by nearly as many processes. The illustrations 

 are as nearly perfect as reproductions cain be, and show 

 that a sound practical knowledge has been utilised 



NO. 1625, VOL. tii\ 



throughout. The editor states that " We have tried tc^ 

 show what photomechanical processes can do at the 

 present time, and to present the specimens of the numer- 

 ous British and foreign firms in a style which will bring 

 out every quality in the plates." That this has been 

 carried out in a highly satisfactory manner cannot be 

 denied. 



Many hints may be gathered from the. numerous 

 articles scattered throughout the volume, especially from 

 that written by the editor on catalogue illustrations. 



In conclusion it may be stated that every one inter- 

 ested in the subject of process work, and who wishes to 

 know its position to-day, cannot do better than examine 

 closely the examples displayed throughout the pages of 

 this volume, which is a model of good printing and 

 get-up. 



Knowledge Diary and Scientific Handbook for 1901. 

 (London : Knowledge Office, 1900.) 



This publication is one which appeals more particularly 

 to those interested in astronomy, and will doubtless prove 

 a great convenience to actual observers for recording 

 their observations, and to others for use as a private 

 diary. There is a generous allowance of space for each 

 day, and provision is made for recording correspondence. 

 In addition, there are 120 pages of printed mattei', con- 

 sisting of the principal astronomical data for the year, a 

 calendar of notable events, a variety of useful tables, and 

 reprints of a few articles of more than passing interest 

 which have appeared in Knowledge. Star maps, showing 

 the aspect of the heavens for each month, are also given. 

 As the recognition of the planets is apt to be a source of 

 difficulty to beginners, it would be well in future issues t(^ 

 state the times of their rising and setting as well as of 

 their southing, and to indicate their places month by 

 month in connection with the star maps. 



A Short Course of Elementary Plane Trigonometry. By 

 Charles Pendlebury. Pp. xi-Hi6o. (London : George 

 Bell and Sons, 1900.) 



This short course is intended for those who do not 

 require more than a very elementary knowledge of the 

 subject. The treatment adopted is therefore very simple 

 and the language plain. The book is divided into four 

 parts. The first includes definitions, trigonometrical 

 ratios, and multiple and sub-multiple angles, &c. ; the 

 second contains a short account of the use of logarithms 

 and mathematical tables. In the third part the solution 

 of triangles, determination of areas of triangles, and the 

 treatment of circles and other figures associated with a 

 triangle are dealt with. Part iv. contains the solutions 

 of some of the more simple trigonometrical equations 

 and also numerous questions on bookwork and answers 

 to the many examples given in the book. As a first 

 course for beginners the book should prove useful. 



Lehrbuch der anorganischen Chemie. Von Prof. Dr. H. 

 Erdmann. Zweite Auflage. Pp. xxvi + 757. (Bruns- 

 wick : Viewig und Sohn, 1900.) 



The first edition of this book, published two years ago, 

 was noticed in these columns at some length. The 

 present edition does not materially differ from it, but 

 numerous additions of detail have been made in order to 

 bring the book up to date. Conspicuous among these 

 additions is information about the new gases— here called 

 Edelgase, presumably from their relegation to Mendeleef's 

 seventh group. A fine chromo-lithograph of the spectra 

 of the gases has been added. If there is a want of con- 

 nectedness and philosophy in Prof. Erdmann's book, 

 there is certainly an abundance of interesting detail 

 collected from a wide field, and on this must lie its chief 

 claim to recommendation 



