January, 1906.] 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



335 



added, which give a detailed account of the theory of suc- 

 cessive'changes'and of its application to the analysis of the 

 series of transformations which occur in radium, thorium, and 

 actinium. The' disintegration theory, about which there was 

 much misgiving in many minds, still holds its ground as the 

 most effective of all theories in co-ordinating the multitudinous 

 experimental data which are known, and as pro\ iding a most 

 powerful and valuable method of analysing the connection 

 between the series of substances 'which arise from the trans- 

 formation of the radio-elements. ' Many of the results of the 

 researches during the past year have already been noted in 

 this Journal : and it will be recalled that for these results Pro- 

 fessor Rutherford is himself largely responsible. From the 

 beginning, when facts were few and theories conflicting, he 

 seems to have been marked out as the man possessing just 

 those qualifications required in a pioneer investigator — viz., 

 fertility of resources, and an adequate endowment of what 

 many would call crudeness, which enables a man to go for 

 and seize the main outlines of a subject while others are 

 groping in the dark after irrelevant minntia;. The result is a 

 magnificent achievement; and everyone will welcome this 

 fresh summarisation of the present state of knowledge by 

 one from whom so much of it has come. We cordially com- 

 mend this book both to the expert, to whom the possession 

 of it is a necessity, and to the amateur reader or speculator, 

 who. it not already acquainted with it, will be surprised at the 

 ease with which it will enable him to enter into a real know- 

 ledge of this fascinating subject. 



Instruction in Photography, by Sir William .Abney (Iliffe and 

 Sons; price 7s. 6d. netl. — The fact of an eleventh edition of a 

 book being published is in itself a complete proof of the value 

 and usefulness of the work. Abney's " Instruction " has before 

 now been aptly termed " a photographic classic," and contains 

 all that an amateur, or professional either, should know. We 

 should not like to go quite so far as to say that what is not in 

 this book is not worth knowing, but it is safe to say that any 

 matter omitted is beyond the scope of the ordinary photo- 

 grapher. Both the theory and the practice of this subject, 

 which is now becoming so greatly enlarged, are carefully gone 

 into. Besides considerations of the action of light on silver 

 compounds, tlie development of the resultant image, the theory 

 of len.ses and stops, the preparation of gelatine and other 

 emulsions, we have information on transparencies, enlarge- 

 ments, and copying. There are descriptions of the various 

 modes of printing and preparing sensitive papers, as well as 

 such more elaborate processes as photo blocks and three-colour 

 printing, which latter especially has been considerably enlarged 

 in this latest edition. 



British Rainfall, 1004, compiled by Hugh Robert Mill, D.Sc., 

 &;c. (luiward Stanford; price los.). — This annual, .so indis- 

 pensable to all meteorologists, is a most complete collection of 

 statistics relating to rain. Pari I. contains a report touching 

 on the work of " The Rainfall Organisation " — that is, the 

 organisation for observing and recording rainfall ; original 

 articles on the r.iinfall on ISen Nevis ; the driest October on 

 record; and twenty-four years' records. Tables are given of 

 the duration, lS;c.. of rainfall; and accounts of the staff of 

 observers, &c. Part II. deals exclusively with 1904, with dis- 

 cussions on the special characteristics of the year. The book 

 is well got up, and contains a number of excellent maps and 

 charts. 



The System of the Stars, by .Xgnes M. Gierke. Second 

 edition (A. and C. Black ; price 20s. net).— It is already fifteen 

 years since the first edition of this work appeared, and, as a 

 result of the progress which the science of astronomy has 

 undergone during that period, very extensive additions and 

 corrections have become necessary. .Xmong othc'r features a 

 number of excellent reproductions of photographs are now 

 included, which add greatly to the interest of the book. 

 Astronomers, and especially amateur astronomers, will wel- 

 come this up-to-date account of the stellar imiver.se, resting 

 assured th.it the inforiuation given is accurate and complete, 

 as well as the style and wording being attractive. .\s the 

 author remarks in the preface, " literary treatment is the foe 

 of specialis.ation," and that literary treatment which renders 

 clear and inviting the mysteries so often hidden beneath a 

 load of abstruse phraseology is to be encouraged. We would 

 .advise those ordering the book to insist on the pages being cut 

 before delivery. 



Quiet Hours with Nature, by Mrs. Brightwen (London : Fisher 

 L'nwin). — This little- book is probably one of the best that Mrs. 

 Brightwen has written. Herein she discourses on many sub- 

 jects — beasts, birds, and beetles, trees and gardens. Wide as 

 is the range of these pages, yet nowhere are they dull ; on the 

 contrary, there is a sparkle in them that is refreshing, espe- 

 cially when one recalls the twaddle and crude inaccuracies 

 that pass nowadays for '• nature-study," and find favour 

 with those who are supposed to possess a nice discrimination 

 in the choice of books for the young. This volume is one 

 which we hope will be largely read. The photographs from 

 nature are charming, but many of the original drawings are, 

 to say the least, unsatisfactory. 



Wild Wings, by Herbert K. Job (London : Constable and 

 Co. ; 11)05). — This book is unquestionably .a valuable contribu- 

 tion to ornithological literature. Though entirely concerned 

 with the ways of wild birds, many of which have been (racked 

 to their inner fastnesses, it contains many facts that will throw 

 light on the deeper problems of evolution and systematic 

 ornithology. The author displays not only a wide knowledge 

 of his subject but a rare discrimination in the selection of his 

 facts, a combination which is all too rarely met with in the 

 books of recent writers on this subject. Artists should find 

 this book a boon, for the illustrations, which are numerous, 

 may be described in many cases as superb, while their general 

 average is far above that which we are accustomed to meet 

 with. W. P. P. 



Trees, by H. Marshall Ward, Sc.D., F.R..S., &c. ; Vol. III., 

 Flowers and Inflorescences (Cambridge: The University 

 Press; 1905). — If the series of volumes on trees which Dr. 

 Marshall Ward has set himself to write do not exactly furnish 

 exciting or fascinating reading they will prove a very present 

 help in time of trouble. This volume, like its predeces- 

 sors, is in every way admirable. To the working botanist 

 it will prove an indispensable companion, while to those who 

 are desirous of taking up this study we cannot recommend a 

 better book. To tliese last, probably this book would appear 

 on a casual examination too technical, but a very slight 

 acquaintance with its contents will show not only that this 

 impression is quite erroneous, but that here, as in few other 

 similar volumes, they will find a key to mysteries and delights 

 which they had probably never suspected. The author calls 

 special attention to a feature of this volume which should prove 

 of value to the forest botanist. This is a supplementary (able 

 of classification, by means of which that most difficult of 

 groups — the willows — may be distinguished by characters 

 derivable from staminate or from pistallale tlowtrs respec- 

 tively. The illustrations which are profusely distributed 

 throughout its pages are extremely well chosen, and many are 

 of great beauty. 



We have received from Messrs. Newton and Co. their latest 

 catalogue of Optical Lanterns and Slides. This includes a 

 marvellous collection of views of all sorts and kinds, but we 

 would especially notice the complete series in astronomical 



and ill physical subjects. 



.\nother novelty has recently been introduced by this firm 

 and may be seen at their establishment in Fleet Street. It is 

 called the " Sympathetic Pemlulums," and consists of two 

 weights suspended by springs from a bar of wood. When one 

 weight is pulled down and released, it vibrates up and down 

 for a certain time, but then seems to impart its motion to the 

 other weight which starts bobl)ing up and down, while the 

 first rests perfectly still. Hut in due course the second weight 

 comes to rest and the first again starts its motion. 



We have received, among others, an interesting catalogue 

 of Meteorological Instruments from Messrs. Pa.storelli and Rap- 

 kin, with e<iiiipment sets for meteorological observations. Also 

 one frciin Messrs. Darton and Co. on Electrical Novelties, many of 

 which form suitable presents lor this season of the year. 

 Several new Electrical Instruments are described in a set of 

 leaflets issued by the Cambridge Scientific Instrument Com- 

 pany, Limited, and Messrs. Taylor, Taylor, and Hobson send 

 a new list of their Cooke Lenses which is worth perusal by 

 photographers. 



