REVIEWS. 



ASTRONOMY. 



Daytime and Evening Exercises in Astronomy.— By S. F. 

 Whiting, Sc.D. 104 pages. 26 illustrations. 7-T-iuX5-in. 



(Ginn & Co. Price 3/6.) 



This book is written for schools and colleges. The aim of 

 the authoress is to encourage and direct the teaching of 

 astronomy during the daytime (and night also) instead 

 of waiting for night instruction only. The method proposed 

 is to make practical acquaintance during the daytime with 

 many objects and branches of astronomical work, by means 

 of the study of models, globes, photographs, and other 

 apparatus, as set out in forty-five exercises. She has certainly 

 succeeded in putting a good deal of facts and questions into 

 these hundred pages ; but the book is primarily an aid to study 

 and work, and should be useful to teachers. If the book is 

 intended to be used here we think that, in another edition, 

 the articles mentioned on pages xi-xiv should not be re- 

 stricted solely to U.S.A. goods ; but, as equally good apparatus 

 and books are known and can be readily obtained in this 

 country, we suggest that these be given as alternatives ; many 

 of the names now given are quite unknown here. We would 

 further suggest some considerable reduction in the price. 

 The Index is very meagre and of little use : we looked for six 

 important items given in the book — four were not in the index. 



F. A. B. 



Annates de VObservatoire Royal de Belgiquc. — Physique 



du Globe. Tome V., Fasc. III. 197-308 pages. 



12J-in.X9j-in. 



(Hayez, Bruxelles.) 



This is a continuation of a long series of observations made 

 at the Belgian National Observatory at Uccle. The present 

 part contains the Hourly Magnetic Observations made at Uccle 

 in 1911 and their discussion by A. Hermant, seventy pages 

 and two plates ; Observations of Atmospheric Electricity in 

 1910 and 1911 and their discussion by A. Hermant, twenty- 

 five pages and four plates ; and the Temperature of the Sun 

 (i.e., the Earth) at different depths in 1911. From this last 

 section it may be seen that thermometers placed at depths of 

 ra -l, m -2, m -3, m -6, l m -0, l n, -25 and l»-50 all record 

 the (mean) maximum temperatures in August, that at one 

 and a half metres being nearly the same in September ; while 

 the (mean) minimum temperatures occur in January for the 

 first four depths, at one yard the retardation or greater 

 deviation from the external air temperature becomes pro- 

 nounced, and the (mean) minimum is not reached until the 

 month of February ; the mean temperatures at all these 

 depths in March and September are very similar : the range 

 is within half and one degree (centigrade) respectively. But 

 we think the means for such periods as thirty days are much too 



long and mask interesting facts. 



F. A. B. 



L'Astronomie : Observations, Tlieorie et Vulgarisation 



Generate. — Par M. Moye. 396 pages. 4 plates. 



43 figures. 7i-iu.X5-in. 



(Paris : O. Doin et Fils. Price 5 francs.) 



This is one of an extensive series called " Encyclopedic 

 Scientifique," published under the direction of Dr. Toulouse, 

 Directeur de Laboratoire a l'Ecole des Hautes-Etudes. 

 There is a short account or preface of six pages on the 

 " Bibliotheque d'Astronomie et Physique Celeste," by J. 

 Mascart (Director of the Lyons Observatory, who is to be the 

 astronomical editor of the series), in which there is a 

 discussion of the influence of various other sciences upon 

 astronomical knowledge, the reasons given for these books, 

 and the lines upon which they will be written. It is intended 

 to publish twenty-nine volumes upon astronomical subjects, of 

 which this volume by M. Moye is No. 1 ; there are three 

 others already published. The series is therefore a composite 

 one so far as concerns authorship, and it is intended thai 



each volume shall contain about three hundred and fifty to 

 four hundred pages, with illustrations, in cloth, and be sold 

 separately at five francs. 



The spirit in which the book is written may be given in the 

 editor's own words: — " Une notion prevaut pourtant le 

 caractere mystique, ardu et rebartif, de la science astronomique, 

 science reservee aux plus savants des savants ct dont la 

 moindre teinture semble donner a ses adeptes figure de 

 profonds techniciens. Au risque de perdre notre aureole, 

 nous avons au contraire essaye de demontrer la facilite avec 

 laquelle on peut mettre l'astronomie a la portee de tous ceux 

 qui veulent en apprecier les philosophiques jouissances." 



The book is not a text book or handbook replete with 

 references, authorities, quotations, formulae, calculations, or 

 tables of figures ; nor is it quite of the scrappy popular form, 

 with speculations frequently bubbling out, appealing to the 

 senses. It takes its place as an introductory book to general 

 astronomy, and is just suited to young folks at high schools, 

 in their Continental sense ; for a university course it is too 

 popular and elementary. Most of the very numerous features 

 and facts in astronomy are referred to in a pleasant reading 

 and concise form. The type and figures are not too fine, 

 a frequent fault in French books ; the paper is poor. We 

 still notice the persistence of the use of French words for the 

 constellations. When will the French astronomers come into 

 line with the rest of the world and use the Latin designation ? 

 At the end there is a useful list of books consulted ; also an 

 index, which is very poor and incomplete. On page 277 the 

 author erroneously attributes the discovery of the crape-ring 

 to Bond and Dawes, and not to Galle ; and the date given, 

 1858, should be 1850. Galle's observation of the crape-ring 

 was made and published in 1838. FAB 



CHEMISTRY. 



Gas Analysis.— By Dr. Hartwig Franzen. Translated 

 from the German by F. Cali.an, M.Sc, Ph.D. 120 pages. 

 30 illustrations. 7j-in. X4j-in. 

 (Blackie & Son. Price 2/6 net.) 

 This little book should be found of great use as an intro- 

 duction to the larger works on gas analysis. Little knowledge 

 of the subject is assumed, and the directions for using all the 

 more simple forms of apparatus are sufficiently full and clear 

 for any beginner to follow, while excellent diagrams are 

 provided where necessary. The book is divided into two 

 sections, the first of which gives the methods of analysing the 

 common gases, while the second contains some of the 

 principal applications of gas analysis in the examination of 

 inorganic substances. By the way, the title of this section — 

 " Volumetric Gas Analysis " — is somewhat misleading. Tables 

 of the chief physical data required in gas analysis are appended, 

 but it is a drawback to an otherwise excellent book that no 

 index is given, and that the reader has to search through the 



list of exercises for what he requires. 



C. A. M. 



Qualitative Determination of Organic Compounds. — By 

 J. W. Shepherd, B.Sc. (Lond.). 348 pages. 20 illustrations. 

 7-in.X5-in. 

 (W. B. Clivc. Price 6/6.) 

 A successful attempt is made in this book to systematise 

 the analysis of organic compounds upon similar lines to those 

 followed in the examination of inorganic substances. The 

 arrangement is distinctly novel and gives a clearer view of 

 the principles underlying organic analysis than any other 

 book with which we are acquainted. The first part deals 

 with the characteristic reactions of the different groups of 

 organic compounds, while in the second part the reactions are 

 classified and illustrated by typical examples drawn from the 

 different groups. The class to which a given substance 

 belongs having been discovered by systematic tests, the 

 substance may then be identified by its physical properties, 

 and for this purpose a good tabular index is provided. 



277 



