5^4 



NA TURE 



[October i 2, 1893 



bacteria to lose their power of producing pigment, either 

 temporarily, as in the case oi \.\\^ bacillus prodigiosus, er 

 even permanently, in the case of the bacillus ruber of Kiel. 

 We are, therefore, surprised at being categorically in- 

 formed, both in the introduction and in the appendix of 

 this work, that pigment is formed especially under the 

 influence of light, a statement which is entirely out of 

 harmony with the observations of Laurent, and for 

 which the experimental foundation should have been 

 carefully set forth. 



These and other points of a similar character will 

 doubtless be rectified by the translator in preparing a 

 second edition, which it would be well to amplify with 

 references to literature, with wjiich even an elementary 

 student in a new science must at once be made familiar. 

 The illustrations are in the majority of cases very good, 

 and contrast most favourably with those we have seen in 

 some recent works of the kind in which photographic re- 

 presentations have been attempted. The coloured prints 

 of cholera and typhoid bacilli are especially excellent. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Exploration of Mount Kina Balu, North Borneo. By 

 John Whitehead. (London : Gurney and Jackson, 

 1893-) 

 Mr. John Whitehead belongs to the much-maligned 

 class of field-naturalists. For the purpose of obtaining 

 a knowledge of the ornithology of Mount Kina Balu, he 

 spent nearly four years collecting in the region, and 

 accumulated a large number of new species. In addition 

 to visiting North Borneo, he stayed some time at Java and 

 Palawan, and made an expedition into the State of 

 Malacca. The rather cumbersome volume before us 

 recounts the story of these explorations. It consists of 

 192 pages of general description and 115 pages of matter 

 reprinted from the proceedings of various Societies. 

 Tnirty-two excellent plates illustrate specimens from the 

 extensive zoological collections made by Mr. Whitehead, 

 and the places and peoples seen by him. It need hardly 

 be said that these add considerably to the value of the 

 book. Several woodcuts are also included. It would be 

 ungracious to find fault with Mr. Whitehead for loose- 

 ness of expression, since he craves indulgence for his 

 "literary shortcomings.' He found it far easier to ex- 

 plore an unknown tract of country than to write an ac- 

 count of his travels. Like some other travellers who 

 have given to the world accounts of their wanderings, 

 Mr. Whitehead dwells too much on trivialities. But 

 for all that, there is much that is new and interesting in 

 the book, and one cannot but admire the indomitable 

 spirit which carried the author through numerous diffi- 

 culties, and enabled him at last to reach an altitude of 

 '3,525 feet on the mountain of Kina Balu. 



Pillow Problems. Curiosa Mathematica, Part II. By 

 Charles L. Dodgson, M.A. (London; Macmillan and 

 Co., 1893.) 



In these pages we have a series of problems worked out, 

 or, as the author says, "nearly all thought out during 

 sleepless nights." In the preface he informs us the exact 

 method of procedure, and the way in which he obtained 

 his results. The problems are about seventy in number, 

 and deal with many branches of mathematics, but chiefly 

 with algebra, plane geometry, and trigonometry. The 

 order of the three and only chapters is as follows : 

 questions, answers, and solutions ; and he explains the 

 reason for this peculiarity in the preface. Considering 

 the problems themselves, one is apt to think that some of 

 NO. 1250, VOL, 48] 



them at least are not so very hard, but the publication of 

 them will be found very interesting and perhaps useful to 

 those of ordinary mathematical powers, who may like to 

 follow the same routine way of thinking as that adopted 

 by the author. 



The ABC Five- Figure Logarithms. By C. J. Woodward, 

 B.Sc. (London : E. and F. N. Spon, 1893.) 



This small book of logarithms may be said to be a second 

 edition of the tables previously published by the author. 

 In addition to the tables of mantissas of numbers, the 

 same ABC system has been applied to logarithms of arc 

 functions, with only a slight difference in the method. 

 Besides these the square roots of numbers (from i to 100) 

 to three places of decimals are given, and a table of 

 "numbers often wanted," and of the densities of gases, 

 weights and measures, &c. To facilitate the finding of 

 the logarithms, &c., a lateral index is adopted. Besides 

 being a compact and convenient set of tables, the worker 

 will find them easy to use, and accurate enough for 

 such calculations as are generally met with in the 

 physical laboratory, the class-room, &c. 



Enunciations in Arithmetic, Algebra, Euclid and Tri- 

 gonometry. By P. A. Thomas, B.A. (London : Mac- 

 millan and Co., 1893.) 



In these pages one is treated to a selection of some of 

 the chief questions that relate to Arithmetic, Algebra, 

 Euclid, and Trigonometry. Stress is laid on the more 

 elementary parts of each subject, and several typical 

 problems are inserted. The latter relate chiefly to the 

 arithmetical and algebraical sections, while the Euclid 

 section is accompanied by important riders. The 

 book should prove acceptable to those revising these 

 subjects, whether for examination or not, and will be, 

 both for teachers |^and taught, a useful companion to 

 the text-books in use. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opiniovs ex- , 

 pressed by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake 

 to return, or to correspond with the writers of, reiected 

 manuscripts intended for this or any other part o/' Nature. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications. ] 



Thoughts on the Bifurcation of the Sciences suggested 

 by the Nottingham Meeting pf the British Association. 



The opening paragraph of the President's address contains 

 this sentence: "We have come to learn what progress has 

 been made in departments of knowledge which lie outside of 

 our own special scientific interests and occupations, to widen our 

 views, and to correct whatever misconceptions may have arisen 

 from the necessity which limits each of us to his own field of 

 study." 



A most worthy and attractive ideal. Something of this kind 

 of intersectional information does go on at these meetings ; but 

 to how small an extent ! It may be said, indeed, that except 

 for the presidential address and the two evening lectures, 

 everyone sticks to his own section, and discusses matters lying 

 in his own groove. 



This state of things is perhaps inevitable, but it is none the 

 less to be regretted. It is extremely difificult for anyone 

 actively engaged in the work of any one section to attempt to 

 attend any other. I myself used to make the attempt, but con- 

 cluded that the results were too precarious and uncertain to be 

 worth the dissipation of energy involved, and have now aban- 

 doned it. Yet there can be little doubt that if the state of 

 things postulated by the President were feasible in practice it 

 would IJe a distinct gain. 



But it would seem as if the modern tendency were all in the 

 other direction. Papers in the two great scientific departments 

 are read as far as possible on dilferent days at the Royal 

 Society, and are published in separate volumes. Such an arrange- 

 ment is decidedly convenient : I am nut repining at it. The 



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