REVIEXWS. 



ARCHAEOLOGY. 



The I'trsf tit (iiir Duors : Or The Old in the Xcic arninid lis. 



B\- W'am'kk W. Skeat. M.A. I'KS pages. 52 illustrations. 



4viii. X 7-in. 



(Macinillan & Co. Price 16.) 



The second title of this book gives perhaps the better idea 

 of its contents for they deal with the story of our food, our dress 

 and of our home. To a great extent the origin and use of the 

 names comes in for attention, but those who like to trace the 

 history of the things around them from the small vestiges and 

 peculiarities which survive, will be charmed with the book. 



We learn the meaning of the dairy where bread was 

 originally kneaded : a hamper was once a basket to hold a 

 particular kind of drinking cup : the hearse took its name from 

 a framework of spikes like a harrow on which to stick candles, 

 and for that reason was given the same name as a harrow. 

 Even in connection with the story of our home, trade signs are 

 considered, while the subject of clothes is one that is always 

 attractive. 



HACTERIOLOGV. 



Aids to Bcictcriology. — By C. (i. M(ini;. M.A. 240 pa.ges. 

 4f-in. X 6rl-in. 



(Haillicre, Tindall ^: Cox. Price 3 net.) 



This little book, of whicli we welcome a second edition, 

 contains many useful hints both for those who are not 

 familiar with bacteriology and those who are working at 

 the science and want to find, easily, details as to methods of 

 preparation, staining, collection of samples, and the general 

 points to be borne in mind with regard to various diseases 

 wliiili .ire due to bacteria. 



kioloca: 



TIic Biolofiy of the Seasons. — By J. Arthiir Thomson. 

 J84 pages. 12 coloured illustrations. 5.j-in. X 8i-in. 



(.\iidreu Melrose. Price ID () net.) 



Professor Thomson's book is full of interest, because, not 

 only does he give us facts and put them before us in his own 

 way, but because he discusses theories and reminds us that 

 there are still differences of opinion in many liiological matters. 

 As the name implies, the treatment in the book is 

 seasonal, following that natural but informal sequence, which 

 is one of the great advantages of what is known as nature 

 study, which is scientific but not science. As may be 

 expected, birds come in for a good share of attention, the 

 meaning of their song for instance is discussed and the 

 question whether they learn to buikl their nests or instinctively 

 construct them is considered. 



We may mention also the chapter on the migration of eels, 

 and most particularly that dealing with adolescence. The 

 book is illustrated by a number of reproductions of coloured 

 sketches, which are certainly a change from the photographs 

 from which most popular books are now illustrated, but they 

 are mounted on paper which is so dark that it detracts from 

 their effect. 



We should like to see " The Biology of the Seasons " very 

 widely read. 



BOTANY. 



I^ife Histories of h'aniiluir I'hiiits. — ISy Joii\ J. Ward. 

 204 pages. 120 illustrations. .=i-in. x 7| -in. 



ICassell 6c Co. Price .! 6.) 



Iti natural history familiarity is far from breeding contempt, 

 and there is so much to learn about e\en the commonest 



creatures, that it \Miuld lie strange if Mr. Ward's book had 

 not proved successful, as the call for a popular edition shows 

 it to have been. The photographs are exceedingly good, and 

 reproduced plainly and simply without any of the fiunnnery or 

 inartistic combinations which occur in many nature books. 



CHICMISTK^'. 



Clieiiustry tor Mat neiitation. — Bv (".. H. Baii.kv. 



D..Sc. Ph.'n.'and H. W. Bausor. M.A. 54.S pages. 110 



illustrations. 7-in.X5-in. 



(University Tutorial Press. Price 5 (>.) 

 This book, as its title suggests, is intended to help students 

 across the pitfalls of the Matriculation Examination of the 

 Uni\'ersity of London. It is divided into four sections, 

 \'\/..: — I. dealing with the general principles of Chemistry; 

 II, with the non-metals ; III, with the more connnon metals and 

 including a chapter on electrolysis: ,iiid 1\', with chemical 

 calculations. 



Since the pass-list is the ultimate aim of the book, its 

 contents are of necessity rigorously compressed and all 

 extraneous matter is excluded, but the experiments are so well 

 chosen as to remedy to a large extent the usual bad effects of 

 such compression. The ground required for the examination 

 is certainly most efficiently covered, and even students who 

 are not working under the shadow of examination will find the 

 book of use to crystallise their knowledge. CAM 



Tlie Clieiinst ly and Testing of Cement. — By C. H. 

 Di-scH, n.S> . 2o7 + X. pages, 'j plates. 5n-in. X SA-in. 



(I'dw.ird Arnold. Price 10 6 net.) 



Dr. Desch's book is of interest to the scientific chemist 

 mainly, owing to its able discussion of the chemistry of the 

 setting of cement. 



In confining himself to the scientific side of the question, 

 Dr. Desch, in his book on " The Chemistry and Testing of 

 Cement," has filled an hitherto conspicuous gap in the ranks 

 of modern cement literature. There are many excellent works 

 dealing with the practical aspect of the industry, but none of 

 these deal iii an exhaustive manner with the questions so 

 efficiently discussed by Dr. Desch. 



The author has gathered the results of researches dating 

 from the time of Le Chaletier to the present day, and presented 

 them to his readers in a concise and masterly fashion. The 

 subject is thus shewn to be a fascinating one, and there are 

 still many opportunities for further research. The work under 

 review indicates the lines along which future work must 

 proceed. 



On experimental grounds the author finds himself unable 

 to accept the crystalline theory of setting advanced by 

 Le Chatelier. This theory supposes the setting of the cement 

 to be due to the interlocking of crystals of hydrated silicates 

 of calcium. Dr. Desch considers the experimental evidence 

 in support of this view to be insufficient. Microscopical 

 examination of a hardened cement, according to the author's 

 own researches, does not reveal the presence of a sufficient 

 proportion of crx'stalline constituent. By far the larger pro- 

 portion of the constituents appear to be amorphous. From 

 this. Dr. Desch is led to support the views of W. Michaelis, 

 who su.ggested, so far back as 1893, that "the calcareous 

 hydraulic cements owe their hardening mainly to the forma- 

 tion of colloidal calcium hydro-silicate." 



Dr. Desch says: "The theory (of Michaelis) so well 

 explains the phenomena observed, and is in such good 

 accordance with the results of microscopical investigation of 

 cements during and after setting, that it must be held to 

 contain at least a greater part of the truth." 



The hardening of cement Dr. Desch considers to be due to 

 the loss of water experienced by the colloidal bodies formed. 



Many interesting experimental data are given. 



328 



