286 



KNOWLEDGE. 



Jl-i.Y. 1911. 



46. GLOBE LK.HTXINc;. — I stated recently in 

 conversation as a positive fact the existence of the 

 phenomenon called " Globe Lightning," and described as a 

 luminous ball which moves slowly and finally explodes with 

 violence. The assertion was warranted by te.xt-books of 

 Meteorology, published not very long ago, Isut in the new 



edition of the " Encyclopaedia Britannica " I can find no 

 reference to the subject. 



Can you or any of yoiu' readers kindly inform me whether 

 the phenomenon is now discredited and must take its place, 

 " ith '■ the all-dreaded thunder-stone," among the myths of 

 popular science ? A. V. W 



REVIEWS. 



BOT.AXV. 



.4;; hitrodnction to \'cj>ctablc PUysiolojiy. By J. 



Km.Noi.DS Greek. 470 pages. 1S2 illustrations. 



9-in.X5^in. 



(J. & A. Churchill. Trice 10 6 net.) 



Professor Reynolds Green's book on Phvsiologv first 

 appeared some ten years ago, and the third edition which has 

 now been brought out has been altered considerably in the light 

 of the experience gained in the interval, while the progress of 

 science has rendered it necessary to re- write certain sections. 

 The chapter on the differentiation of plant body has been 

 expanded and, generally speaking, the author has set himself 

 throughout to combat an idea which has arisen during the last 

 few years that many alterations may go on in protoplasm 

 " without involving any interchange with its substance." 



CHEMISTRY. 



Science and the CniiiiiiaJ. — By C. 

 240 pages. Illustrated. 



(Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons. 



.AlXSWORTH MnCHELL. 



/■!. -in. X 5-in. 

 Price 6/- net.) 



Readers of " Knowledge " ha\e long been familiar with 

 Mr. Ainsworth Mitchell's writing, and know that he is an 

 expert on the subjects of inks and the age of handwriting. 

 They will thei'efore be prepared to find that Mr. Mitchell has 

 produced a very interesting and readable \olume, not only in 

 the directions indicated, but on the whole cjuestion of the 

 relationship of science to the criminal. 



In his introduction he cites a case where the whole of the 

 chemical and medical evidence in connection with a poisoning 

 trial was, on the advice of the judge, submitted to an independ- 

 ent scientific authority, with the result that six reasons were 

 given pointing to the guilt of the accused, while eight were in 

 the opposite direction. Mr. Mitchell claims that there is 

 abundant justification for the plea that the poor prisoner 

 should have the same advantages as regards scientific assist- 

 ance as he now possesses in legal matters, and thus be placed 

 on an equality with the wealthy prisoner. He further adds 

 that it ought not to be a dififlcuit matter to draw up a list of 

 men of recognised standing in chemistry .and medicine who 

 would be willing to serve in this capacity when selected b\- 

 the judge in a trial. 



The first part of the book deals with methods of detection, 

 capture and identification, and shows how science makes it 

 increasingly difficult for the guilty to escape. Interesting 

 details are given concerning trials in which scientific evidence 

 has proved of importance, and a chapter deals with identifica- 

 tion of human blood and human hair, which will prove of 

 interest to the biologist. The book, however, as a whole, 

 cannot fail to be attractive both to the scientific and to the 

 general reader. 



The Mechanism of Life. — Bv Dr. Stephake Leduc. 

 1 11 pages. 64 illustrations. ')-in. x 6-in. 



(Rebman Limited. Price 6 - net.) 



We have already reviewed Professor Leduc's " Theorie 

 Physico-Chimique de la Vie et Generations Spontanees," of 

 which the present volume is an English Translation made by 

 Mr. Deane Butcher, and revised and corrected, as well as in 

 many places re-written, by the author himself. Mr. Deane 

 Butcher has from the beginning taken the very greatest 

 interest in Osmotic gnnvths, which he has experimented with 



himself, and of them he says there is no more wonderful and 

 illuminating spectacle. " A crude lump of brute inanimate 

 matter germinating before our eyes, putting forth 'Dud and stem 

 and root and branch and leaf and fruit, with no stimulus from 

 germ or seed, without even the presence of organic matter. 

 For these mineral growths are not mere crystallizations, as 

 many suppose ; they increase by intussusception and not by 

 accretion. They exhibit the phenomena of circulation and 

 respiration, and a crude sort of reproduction by budding ; they 

 ha\e a period of vigorous youthful growth, of old age, of death, 

 and of decay." We congratulate Mr. Deane Butcher on his 

 successful attempt to put the question before the British 

 scientific public. 



ENTOMCJLOGV. 



Ttie Lore of the Honey liee. — By Tickner Edwards. 

 72 pages. 1 illustration. 7-in. x 4 {-in. 



(Methueu & Company. Price 1 - net.) 



To those who are interested in Natural History generally, or 

 in Bees in particular, this little \olume will prove most attrac- 

 tive. Although it contains much solid information it is j-et 

 written in a way that encourages one to read on. and it is 

 historical as well as biological and apicultural. 



Our Insect I-^'riends and Foes. --By F. Martin Duncan. 

 296 pages. 16 plates. 74-in. X5-in. 



(Methuen & Company. Price 6 -.) 



The facts of natural history never become dull, and though 

 writer after writer brings them before us and even chooses 

 the same themes, they never become tiring. For each 

 naturalist puts them before us in his own way, dwelling on 

 something which has not been emphasised before, adding 

 sometimes to the store of knowledge and, may be, putting a 

 new interpretation upon old and familiar observations. Mr. 

 Martin Duncan is well known to many as a lecturer who puts 

 before others the things which interest him in a quiet but 

 efl'ective and convincing way. In dealing with the subject of 

 insects (in connection with which he has done much work), 

 whether it be the useful burying bettles, mimicking butterflies, 

 the forms which are of value in commerce, or dangerous 

 by transmitting diseases, he is always lucid, accurate and 

 entertaining. 



GEOLOGY. 



Geo!of>y for Engineers. — By Lieut. -Cor,. R. F.Sorseie, R.E. 

 423 pages. 94 illustrations. 8-in. X a'r-in. 



(Charles Griffin & Co. Price 10/6 net.) 



This is an ill-balanced book. The first part, dealing with 

 theoretical geology, is a thorough and painstaking compilation 

 from authorities, many of which, as can be seen from the list 

 of works consulted, are antiquated and now only of historical 

 value. Consequently, this part contains many curious slips 

 which would have been avoided had the author kept his 

 knowledge of the science up-to-date. The second part treats 

 of the practical application of geology to various engineering 

 problems, such as water supply, building materials, roads, 

 canals, rivers, and coast-erosion. In this the author is 

 evidently at home, and has produced a practical manual of 

 the utmost value to engineers, who have too often to regret 

 their small amount of geological training. This part is indeed 

 so good that it is a matter for regret it was not expanded so as 

 to fill the entire \'olume. The need for which the first part 



