Skpibmbek, li)01.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



207 



are subject, thus forming an introduoimn to more special studies 

 of the dise;ises and their reaiiedies. Particular emphasis is laid 

 on the necessity of trealini; the living plant itself as the central 

 ligure, and all the circumstances of its environment as subsidiary 

 though indisjK-nsalile subji'cts of stuily. The earlier portion of 

 the work is devotvd to plant physiology, which is treated 

 historically, and to plant chemistry. The important subject of 

 nmts and root-hairs is treated at some length, with a chapter 

 on the characters of soils, and on the leading factors of hybridi- 

 sation .■Mid selection. The second and larger jiart of the book 

 is devoted to the subject of disea.ses. and in it.s turn opens with 

 an interesting brief review of the history of the subject. As 

 to the causes of disease, stress is laid on the fact that very 

 complex problems are involved, and that no one factor works 

 alone either in health or disease, and that a full study of all 

 attenditnt conditions alone can in most cases lead to useful 

 conclusions. The various forms of disease are then brietly gone 

 through. In the final chapter tho author returns to the general 

 consideration of plant life. The book will furnish a very useful 

 intnxiuction to the study of plant disease, and is so written 

 that it can be read with interest by the lar^e circle of plant 

 growers who do not profess any special scientihc knowledge. 



"Thi MKntTF.RRAXEAN R.\CE : A Study of the Origin of 

 European Peoples." By G. Sergi, Professor of Anthropology 

 in the University of Rome. Illustrat<;d. pp. 320. (Loudon : 

 Walter Scott, Paternoster Square.) 1901. — Students of ethnology 

 will welcome this work, the latest volume of the C'ontemjxirary 

 Science Series as a valuable contribution to our knowledge of 

 the origin of primitive European civilizations. Professor Sergi's 

 well-known researches have already been publi.shed in Italy 

 in 1895, and in (iermany in 1897. In the Knglish edition 

 now before us the author iias carefuUv revised the results of 

 his earlier works, and has added to tliem some valuable data 

 bearing on the origin of the Xeolithic races of these islands. 

 The work h;us inany excellent feature's. The facts are well 

 marshalled, the exposition of current views on the subject are 

 simple and direct, and the problems are clearly and cogently 

 stated. 



In the opening chapters the theories in vogue relating to 

 the various phases of Indo Gemianism are dealt with. These 

 are stated impartially, but each is finally subjected to a de- 

 structive analysis. The author attacks, in particular, the orthodox 

 theories relating to the ancient conception of an Aryan civili- 

 zation, and concludes by proving that the Neolithic races of 

 Europe originated in Africa, and that the Mediterranean basin 

 was the great centre whence the African migrants reached the 

 centre and north of Europe. The main argument of the book 

 is that from the great African stock, which he calls Eurafrican, 

 originated the three varieties of people who inhabit Europe 

 and Africa at the present day, viz., the African variety, the 

 Mediterranean variety and the Nordic or North European variety. 

 He does not dispute the Aryan invasion of Europe, but con- 

 tends that the Aryan invaders were savages, and that they 

 destroyed the superior civilization which the Eurafrican peo])les 

 had introduced. From this the conclusion is drawn that the 

 Greco-I.«itin civilization is not Aryan, as is commonly sujjposed, 

 but that it was a product of the Mediterranean species of the 

 Eurafrican stock. 



The additions that have been recently been made to our 

 knowledge of the subject by archeological research in Cyprus, 

 Sardinia, and Sicily do not," in our opinion, receive that atten- 

 tion at the hands of the author which their importance merits. 

 The interesting discoveries that have been made during recent 

 years in the Maltese Islands might, too, have received some 

 mention. These islands have played a most important part 

 in the migrations of the prehistoric Mediterranean races to 

 and from Europe and Africa, and much valuable evidence of 

 this has been forthcoming from the caves and later Pleistocene 

 deposits of both Malta and Gozo. The megalithic ruins, too. 

 of Hagiar Chem and Mnaidra, and the rock tombs that honey- 

 comb the hillsides of the islands, are probably without rival 

 in the Mediterranean, both for their admirable state of pre- 

 servation and for the unique collection of specimens of prehistoric 

 art and of human remains that have been found within them. 



Several chapters are devoted to the migrations of the Eur- 

 african peoples and to their struggles with the Eurasiatic races 

 of whom the Aryans constituted a variety. From the racial 

 mingling which followed, the language-s of the Eurafrican and 

 the Eurasiatic became more or less transformed, and to this 

 the author attributes the changes in -the language of Italy, 

 Greece. _and elsewhere, and the introduction of the Aryan element 

 which is found in the Neo-Celtic of Wales. 



The last chapter deals with the evolution of Mediterranean 

 civilization, as showTi by the architecture of the tombs and 

 the culture, language and writine of the peoples of the area. 

 The book contains much that is both novel and suggestive, and 

 it is decidedly to be recommended 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Historii of Etiijlixh Literature. By A, Hamilton TliompTOii, n.A. 

 (Miirniv. ) 7s. lid. 



Bird Walrhiif] (Iladdon Hall Libmi-y). By Edimiml Scions. 

 (Dent.) lUiisf rated. 



Tex-t-liook- of Astronomii. By George C. Coni'^tock. (Ilii-selifeld 

 Brothers.) Illustrated. Ts. fid. net. 



Thermal Measurement of Energii. By E. IF. (Irillillis, M.\ , F.B.s. 

 (Cambridge : I'niversity Press.) :is. 



Was Alfred Kin;/ of Englan/I ' Ity X. Snxoii. (Harrison and 

 Sons.) 2s. 6d. 



The Photo-Miniature. June. I'.lJl. (Dawlmrn & Wanl.) M. 



Oexso ll'ori-. By Matthew \\'cbb. (l)awharn & Ward.) Pd. 



Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electririt;/. .July, 1901. 

 (Wesley.) 75 cents. 



Conference Aslrophotographique Internationale, Juli/. 1900. 

 (Paris ; Gaiithier-Villars.) 



Reports on the Administration of Hhode.iia, Isljs-lilOO. (Tlie 

 British South .Africa Co.) 



Iri.ih Topographical Jiotan;/. By R. Lloyd Praeger. n A., Ti.E., 

 M.B.I. A. (Dublin : The Acadeniv House.) lOs. 6d. 

 '-♦ 



ELEANOR A. ORMEROD. 

 Britisii economic science has suffered a loss, in-e- 

 parablc for many years at least, by the death of Miss 

 E. A. Ormerod, whose studies of insects in their relation 

 to the work of the farmer, the forester, and the 

 gardener, had brought her a world-wide reputation. She 

 was born on May 11th, 1828, at SedburV; Gloucester- 

 shire, a daughter of Dr. Geo. Ormerod. known in his 

 day as historian of Cheshire. Living a quiet country 

 life at Sedbury, afc Tildesley, at Isleworth, and finally 

 at St. Albans, she constantly occupied herself with 

 observations on plants and insects, and following in the 

 footsteps of Curtis, Westwood, and Riley, came to 

 occupy an unique position as an authority on economic 

 entomology. Her advice, freely given to practical men 

 all over the country, involved her in a laborious corre- 

 spondence, and the information thus elicited was incor- 

 porated in her '' Reports on Observations of Injurious 

 Insects, " which, commencing in 1877, were issued yearly 

 until 1900. An intimation in last year's Report that 

 failing health would prevent the issue of any more, has 

 been followed all too soon by her death, which took 

 place on July 19th afc her home in St. Albans. In 

 addition to the Reports she published several valuable 

 books, including " A Manual of Injurious Insects." " A 

 Text^book of Agricultural Entomology," and " A Hand- 

 book of Insects Injurious to Orchard and Bush Fruits." 

 Her life-work was greatly helped by her elder sister. 

 Georgiana, whose death in 1896 she felt deeply. For 

 several years she acted as Consulting Entomologist to 

 the Royal Agricultui'al Society, and she was examiner 

 in agricultiU'al entomology to Edinburgh University, of 

 which she was the first-made female LL.D.. an honour 

 only conferred a year before her death. Miss Onncrod 

 won the confidence of farmers and gardenei-s both by the 

 painstaking thoroughness of her work and by the 

 business-like nature of her suggestions. Herself a 

 skilful gardener, she never lost sight of the question 

 whether a certain remedy would be practicable and 

 profitable if employed on a large scale. Henco as an 

 exponent of applied science she succeeded better than 

 others whose scientific training and methods may have 

 been more modern than her own. Her caution is well 

 shown by her reluctance to follow American practice in 

 recommending such powerful poisons as copper arsenite 

 or carbon bisulphide as insec<>killers. She has well 

 served her day and generation. May her work be 

 can'ied on by those whom she has so gcnerouslj' cheered 

 and encouraged by advice and example. — G. H. C. 



