August, 1911. 



KNOWLEDGE. 



329 



The mechanical and physical properties, their determination, 

 and the mechanical analysis of cement, also receive careful 

 attention. 



The book may be represented as containins,' the most 

 modern accepted views of the chemistry of cement, and is a 

 highly important and successful addition to existing literature 

 on the subject. It should find a place in the library of every 

 scientific chemist. 



\V. A. B. W. 



Modern I mbistnal Cliciinstry. — From the German of H. 



Blucher. translated by J. P. Millin-gtox, M.A. 779 pages. 



' 6i-in. X9i-in. 



(The Gresham Publishing Company. Price 30 - net.) 



This volume is really a chemical dictionary. Reference to 

 a number of the items considered in its pages shows that the 

 information contained in it is full, considering the amount of 

 space there is to spare, and we have no hesitation in saying 

 that it will prove most useful, not only to chemists but also to 

 the mass of educated persons who often wish to know more 

 about some substance or process of which they hear or read. 



simple language just the information required by those 

 interested in weather observation, and by following the 

 instructions given anyone will be able to bring his local 

 record into line witli others and thus greatly increase its 

 value. 



The volume includes a set of Meteorological Tables, together 

 with a particularly useful glossary of Meteorological terms. 



MICROLOGY. 



Animal Micralogy. — By Michael F. Guver. Ph.D. 

 240 pages. 71 illustrations. 6-in.X9-in. 



(Cambridge University Press. Price 7, ■ net.) 



Brief, practical and definite descriptions of the most 

 important modern methods of microscopic technique have 

 been prepared by Dr. Guyer and combined with a simple 

 account of the microscope and a consideration of standard 

 reagents, to form a useful book for those who are taking up 

 microscopical research. Methods of preparing material and of 

 examining particular kinds of creatures are also explained. 



MATHEMATICS. 



Orders of Infinity : the Infinitdrcalciil of Paul dii Bois- 



Reymond. — By G. H. Hardy, M.A., F.R.S. 62 pages. 



Sf-in. X5s-in. 



(Cambridge University Press. Price 2 6 net.) 



This work forms No. 12 of the valuable series of short 

 mathematical tracts entitled " The Cambridge Tracts in 

 Mathematics and Mathematical Ph\'sics." published under the 

 general editorship of Messrs. J. G. Leathem. M.A., and E. T. 

 Whittaker, M.A., F.R.S. 



As Mr. Hardy remarks in his preface, " with the pasticular 

 system of notation that Du Bois- Reymond invented, it is, no 

 doubt, quite possible to dispense ; but it can hardly be denied 

 that the notation is exceedingly useful, being clear, concise, 

 and expressive in a high degree " ; and mathematicians in this 

 country will, no doubt, be grateful to Mr. Hardy for 

 presenting them with Du Bois-Reymond's valuable ideas in an 

 English dress. Du Bois- Reymond, unfortunately, is at times 

 highly obscure, and many of his proofs can hardly be regarded 

 as conclusive. Mathematicians have further to thank Mr, 

 Hardy for largely remedying these defects, and for bringing 

 the " Infinitarcalciil " up-to-date. It is rather a pity that lack 

 of space has prevented him from discussing the various points 

 that arise in the book rather more fully than is done ; and it 

 would certainly have been an addition welcomed by readers 

 whose mathematical abilities are not of quite the highest 

 quality had the general proofs been more freely illustrated with 

 specific examples. 



There is an interesting paragraph on pages 25-2(i dealing 

 with the attempts (which do not appear to ha\e been 

 altogether successful) to represent orders of infinity by means 

 of symbols. The writer is inclined to consider this subject, in 

 its present condition, as being merely of the nature of a 

 mathematical curiosity : we venture to suggest, however, that 

 with further research it may prove to be of no little 

 importance. 



An appendix containing a bibliography of the subject, as 



w-ell as another containing some numerical calculations (made 



by Mr. Jackson, scholar of Trinity College) bearing on the 



subject of the work, add to the value and interest of the 



book. ,, ,, „ 



H. S. Redgrove. 



METEOROLOGY. 



Hints to Meteorological Observers. — By W. Marriott, 

 F,R.Met,Soc. 75 pages. 25 illustrations. 9s-in. X 6-in. 



(Edward Stanford. Price 1,6.) 



We are glad to see that a seventh edition of this very useful 

 little manual has been called for, and this fact is perhaps the 

 best testimony to its worth. Mr. Marriott gives in clear and 



NATURE STUDY. 



Nature's Pageant. — By Margaret Cameron, LL..A. 

 120 pages. Numerous illustrations. 6i-in. X Sj-in. 



(Blackie & Son. Price 1/-.) 



This book, which is intended for very young children, 

 carries out the nature study idea in so far as it deals with the 

 seasons. It is, however, open to the objection that in it the 

 animals are endowed with speech, and though fairy tales as 

 fairy tales are interesting and stimulate imagination, much of 

 the false sentiment of modern times is due to dealing with 

 animals as if they had exactlv our thoughts and feelings. 



PSYCHOLOGY. 



.4/; Introduction to E.xperinicntal Psychology. By 



Charles S. Myers. \LD.,Sc.D. 156 pages. 20 illustrations. 



6j-in. X 5-in. 



(Cambridge University Press. Price Is. net.) 



On the scientific merit of Dr. Myers' little book the verdict 

 of expert opinion will be favourable. The topics for treatment 

 are well selected ; the treatment itself is careful, lucid and 

 effective. Those who are not experts will probably turn to this 

 brief introduction to ascertain w'hat are the claims of those who 

 advocate the application of the methods of experiment in 

 psychology, and how far there is some promise of these claims 

 being made good. We fear their off-hand verdict may not be 

 so favourable. They will turn, perhaps, to the chapter on 

 memory, and they will find that the experimental work deals 

 with the associative linking and subsequent revival of pairs or 

 groups of nonsense syllables. They will wonder why such 

 emphasis is laid on the nonsensical, and ask, perchance, 

 whether this, then, is the new psychology. All suggestion 

 of meaning seems to be regarded as a disturbing factor, which 

 only ceases to give trouble " as the subject becomes more 

 expert." They should remember, howe\-er, that what we glibly 

 talk of as memory is a pretty complex business, and that the 

 only chance of dealing scientifically with such a complex is to 

 follow up in detail the several threads which are subtly inter- 

 woven. They should remember, too, that, in the course of 

 experimental work, the mere fact of endeavouring resolutely to 

 exclude meaning is a means to the realisation of how readily 

 some significance is apt to be suggested. Dr. Myers might, 

 perhaps, have insisted on the value of the experimental method 

 in stimulating that introspection to which the novice in 

 psychology is comparatively unaccustomed. The current 

 perusal of such a book in a spare hour will not enable the 

 reader to do justice to its merits, or to grasp how much real 

 psychological value there is in experimental work. „ . 



