March 1, 1901.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



65 



•■ ^YllAT i# LiFK ? " By F. HoToudeu, f.i..?., etc. (Chiiiunau 

 ^<- Hall. ^ Illustrated, lis. — No useful purpose would be served 

 by a descriptive or critical notice of this book. The author 

 has jieculiar ideas upon some physical and biological phenomena, 

 and he announces established truths as if they wore original 

 discoveries. AVe have not for some time seen a book to which 

 the remark could be more appropriately applied that "What is 

 new in it is not true, and what is true is not new." 



"The Stoi'.y of Xinktkkntii Cextcry Sciknce." By 

 H. S. WiUiauis, m.d. (^Harper Bros.) Illustrated. 9s.— Dr. 

 Williams is not omniscient, but ho has managed to survey the 

 tield of modern science in a very creditable manner. .So far as 

 we are aware, no other single volume exists in which such a 

 bright and connected account of the scientific progress of a 

 century is satisfactorily dealt w^itb in reasonable limits, and we 

 are glad to give Dr. Williams credit for making this available. 

 Practically every branch of natural knowledge is passed in 

 review in separate chapters, and though the book has an 

 American origin, there is little evidence of a more than natural 

 tendency to attach undue importiince to work done on the other 

 side of the Atlantic. The author appears to have exercised a , 

 wise discretion in the selection of material, and to be able to 

 weigh justly the value of the results obtained by various 

 observers, and in ditferent countries. He has the eye for broad 

 principles and suggestive generalisations essential for the 

 preparation of a successful book of this kind. The last chapter, 

 on •' Some Unsolved .Scientific Problems," is a view of questions 

 in physics and biology in the light of the results described in 

 earlier parts of the book, and it suitably terminates the story. 

 From internal evidence we conclude that some parts of the book 

 were not written very recentlj-, but we are content to let this 

 pass. The titles of the reproductions of star clusters, on pages 

 71 and 81, need revision, and the picture of star spectra, on 

 page 73. does not show a single spectrum line. The pictures of 

 clouds are also not worthy of the text, that of stratus clouds 

 being very bad. Notwithstanding these minor imperfections, 

 the book is one to be purchased by everyone who desires to 

 become acquainted with the main lines of scientific progress in 



the past century. 



►-*-• 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Matnculalion Directory. Xo. XXIX. Jauuarv, 1901. (The 

 Univeriitv Tutorial Series.) (Cambridgo : Burlington House.) Is. 



Sepori of the Hampsiead Scienlifc Society, 1899-19U0. :3d. 



Tie Pianist's ABC Primer and Gvid'e. By W. 11. Webbe. 

 ( London : Fors_i-th Brothers.) 6s. net. 



yiichael Faraday : Six Life and Work. (The Century Science 

 Series.) By Silvanus P. Thompson, D.sc, F.B.s. (Cassell.) 5s. 



Tramactionn of the Royal Scottish Arborictilfural Society. 

 Vol. XVI.. Part II. (Edinburgh : Douglas & FouUs.) 



Debrett's Botite of Commons and the Judicial Bench, 1901. (Dean.) 



The Complete Works of John Keats. Vol. III. Edited by H. 

 Buxton Forman. (Glasgow : Gowans i Gray.) Is. net. 



The Self-Educator in German. (Self-Educator Series.) Edited 

 by John Adams. M.A.. B.sc. (Hodder & Stoughton.) 2s. 6d. 



Detchanel's Xafural Philosophy. Part III. — Electricity. By 

 J. D. Everett. M.A.. b.c.l.. f.b.s. (Blackie.) Illusti'ated. 4s. 6d. 



The Self -Educator in Chemistry. (Self-Educator Series.) By James 

 Kuight.it.A.,B.sc.,F.c.3., P.G.S.. F.B.l.s. (Hodder & Stoughton.) 2s. Gd. 



Museums Association. Report of the Proceedings, 1900. Edited 

 by E. Howarth. F.R.A.S., F./i.B. (Dulau ) 



Advanced Exercises in Practical Physics. By Arthur Schuster, 

 IH.D., r.B.S.. and Charles H. Lees, u.SC. (Cambridge : University 

 Press. London : Clay.) Illustrated. 



An Introduction to Modern Scientific Chemistry. By Dr. 

 Lassar-Cohn. (Grevel.) Illustrated. 



Zooloycal Besults during the Years 1S93, 1S96 and 1897. By 

 Arthur Willey, D.sc.(loyD.), hon. m A.(cAyTAB.). Pait V. (Cam- 

 bridge : University Press.) Illustrated. 21s. 



Return. 1900. County Council Scholarships. (Eyre & Spottiswoode.) 



Symons's Meteorological, Magazine. February, 190] . (Sitaiiford.) 4d. 



The Studio. Vol. 22, No. 95. February loth, 1901. Monthly. Is. 



Differential and Integral Calculus for Beginners. By Edwin 

 Edser, A.B.c s., f.ph.s. (Xelson.) 2s. 6d. 



The Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation. December, 

 190"^. Edited by .John Macdonell, C.B., Ll.D., and Edward Manson. 

 (Murray.) 03. net. 



The Cambrian yatural Observer. Edited by Arthur Mee, f.b.a.s. 

 February, 1901. (Annual subs., 23. 6d.) 



A Manual of Elementary Science. By R. A. Gregory, F.E.A.8., and 

 A. T. Simmons, B.?c.(tovD.). (Slacmillan.) Illustrated. 3s. 6d. 



BRITPSR 



.^' 



OHNiTHOLOtilCAI^;- 



■NOTES;:^ 



Conducted by Harry F. Witherby, f.z.s., m.b.o.u. 



The MirtRATio>r of tjik Soso Thrush. — Refon-infj to 

 the note iu Knowledge for January, on the " ]\li!,'rations 

 of the Song Thrush," I am able bj recent observation to 

 confirm one statement made there, viz. : " In the winter 

 (from October to February) we have a different kind of 

 migration. These movements are entirely due to outbursts 

 ■»f cold or bad weather." During the evening and night 

 of January 8th one of these outbursts of cold weatlier 

 took place, and the next morning tlie whole country here- 

 aliout was covered with snow. During the morning, and 

 lasting for about two hours, 1 witnessed the largest migra- 

 tion of Thrushes that I have ever seen, and I called the 

 attention of several to the most unusual sight. The stream 

 of Thrushes was continuous but irregular, and it passed 

 directly over the town iu the direction of the sea coast — 

 about twenty miles distant. Some thousands of birds passed 

 over, sometimes in single stragglers, and at others iu dense 

 flocks of hundreds. — E. SiLLENcE.Romsey, February, 1901. 



Snowi/ Old in Co. Donegal {Irish Naturalist, February, 1901, 

 p. 50).— Mr. Robert Patterson records tliat a female Snowy Owl 

 (Nyctea scandiaca) was shot on December 15tli last by Mr. John 

 Olphert's keeper, at Bally-Connell House, Falcaragh. The remains 

 of a rabbit were in the bird's stomach. The Snowy Owl is a rare 

 and uncertain visitor to Ireland. 



King-Eider in Co. Down (Irish Xaturalist, February, 1901, p. 5U). — 

 Mr. Patterson also records tliat on Xovember 10th, 1897, a mature 

 male King-Eider (Somateria spectabilisj was shot in the Foreland 

 Bay, off Donaghadee, by Mr. Wm. H. Shaw. The King-Eider is a 

 verv rare winter visitor to Ireland. We believe that this is the first 

 adult male that has been recorded. 



A Young Cuckoo on Migration (Irish yaturalist, February, 1901, 

 p. 50). — Mr. Richard M. Barrington's systematic investigations into 

 the records made at his instigation by Irish lighthouse keepers of the 

 birds which strike the lanterns, have produced many valuable and 

 interesting results. The latest find he records liere. The leg and 

 wing of a young Cuckoo have been sent to liim from the Skulmartin 

 Lightship," Co. Uown. The bird was killed by striking the light on 

 Xovember 26tli, 1900. Young Cuckoos sometimes remain here until 

 October, and one was killed at the Tuskar Light, oti' tlie west of 

 Ireland, on November 2nd, 188.3 ; but November 26th is an extra- 

 ordinarily late date. It is probable that the bird was bred some- 

 I where up iu the liigh north. 



I Grey Phalarope in Lincolnshire (The Naturalist, February, 1901, 

 I p. 42). — Mr. J. Conway AValter records that a bird of this species 

 I was shot near Kirtou-by-Boston on November 9th, 1900. The Grey 

 I Phalarope is a rather irregular visitor to Great Britain, and when it 

 docs visit us it is extremely rarely found on the east coast of England 

 north of Norfolk. 



Long-eared Owls as Anglers (The Naturalist, February, 1900, 

 p. 42). — Mr. Max Peacock describes a very interesting angling per- 

 formance by Long-eared Owls which he witnessed some time ago in 

 the pai-ish of Bottesford, Lincolnshire. A pair of these Owls had a 

 nest in a fir-tree near a mill. In the evening when the water-wheel 

 stopped the Owls began to lish. The bird.- in turn swooped do» u 

 into the shallow water (some 2J inches deep), captured a fish — dace, 

 some 3 to 5 inches in length— and tlew off with it to the nest tree. 



All contributions to the column, either in the way of notes 

 or photoijraphs, should he forwarded to Harry F. Witherby, 

 at 1, Eliot Place, Blackheath, Kent. 



