Sept., 1905.] 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



233 



Notes on Volumetric Analyses, by J. B. Russell, B.Sc, and A. 

 H. Hell, B.Sc; pp. VIII. and 94 (London: Murray; price 2s.). 

 — This little book contains concise directions lor carrying out 

 most of the usual methods of volumetric analysis, and will be 

 found of great use by those who have made some progress in 

 analytical chemistry. It is a new and enlarged edition of the 

 "Notes" published in i8g8, the additional matter including 

 various methods of standardising acids. Working details are 

 given at some length in the earlier chapters, but are very wisely 

 curtailed in the latter pait of the book, with the object of 

 making the student do some thinking for himself. 



Elementary Experimental Chemistry, by A. E. Dunstan, B.Sc, 

 pp. VTII. and 173 (London : Methuen ; price 2S.). — If a book 

 on chemistry is to be anything more than a collection of dis- 

 jointed facts to the student each fresh step must be illustrated, 

 as f.ar as possible, by experimental work. This is never lost 

 sight of by Mr. Dunstan, and almost every page of his book 

 gives directions for simple experiments bearing upon the theory 

 of the subject. Though primarily intended to cover the 

 ground for such examinations as the Oxford and Cambridge 

 Junior Locals, the Chemistry is something more than a mere 

 " cram " book, and we can thoroughly recommend it also to 

 beginners who have not the goal of examination before them. 

 A small point by way of criticism is that a brief description 

 might have been given of the bearings of the recent dis- 

 coveries about radio-activity upon the atomic theory, for this 

 is no more abstruse than many of the subjects with which the 

 author deals so clearly. 



Modern Electricity, by Henry and Hora (Hodder and Stough- 

 ton ; 5s. net). — This book claims to be a practical working 

 encyclopaedia on the subject, and has been prepared with a 

 view of meeting every emergency that might confront the elec- 

 trical engineer and inventor. The object has been to simplify 

 the information without sacrificing its clearness or accuracy, 

 so that every apprentice and artisan will be able to gain a 

 complete knowledge of the fundamental principles and applica- 

 tions of electricity. These high claims are not alvvays justi- 

 fied. For example, it is not true always to say that an induced 

 charge is equal and opposite to the inducing charge ; and in 

 the particular example given they are not equal. On page 21 

 a question is propounded : Two spheres charged with 4 and 5 

 units respectively are placed two centimetres apart. What 

 force will they excite on each other ? The question is suc- 

 ceeded by the following enigmatical "solution." "Any result 

 equals the force divided by the resistance. The force is 4 

 multiplied by 6 ; therefore the resistance must be 2 multiplied 

 by itself. 



i-^ = 6 dynes. Ans." 

 2x2 

 This solution may be simple; it is certainly not clear. There 

 is too much of this kind oi thing in the book for us to be able 

 to recommend it enthusiastically. At the same time there is 

 a great amount of usetul information gathered together here in 

 connection with accumulators, decomposing vats, carborun- 

 dum, central exchanges, Crooke's tubes, lightning arresters, 

 lamps, cables, &c., &:c. ; and a large number of examples are 

 worked out which will be useful to those who want to get at a 

 result without caring for much refinement in the way they 

 reach it. 



The Electromagnet. Underbill (London: E. and F. N. 

 Spon. A new and revised edition). — It is introduced by a 

 capital portrait of Joseph Henry, of Philadelphia, who antici- 

 pated Faraday in many of his discoveries. It is an eminently 

 practical volume, and should prove of great service as a refer- 

 ence book to those who are concerned in the manufacture of 

 electromagnets. In the briefest possible space a succinct 

 account is given of all the details which the practician can 

 meet with in regard to choice of dimensions, wires. Sec. There 

 are a number of important tables, and also numerous problems 

 to which answers are given. It is very neatly and carefully 

 printed. 



Elementary Plant Physiology, by D. T. Macdougal, Ph.D. 

 (Longmans, Green, and Co., 1902. 108 illustrations. Pp. 

 138). — This is a useful guide in a small compass to the subject 

 with which it deals. Some of the illustrations are very sug- 

 gestive, and will be of use to the teacher of botany looking 

 about for striking methods of treatment. The chemistry of 

 respiration and digestion is dealt with in an interesting as well 

 as a scientific manner. 



ObservQction of the 

 ToIslI E^clipse. 



The following list shows the arrangements for observing the 

 total eclipse on August 30: — • 



Observers and Observatories 

 Represented. 



Labrador 



(Lake 

 Melville. 



spam. 

 (Burgos.) 



(T ortosa.) 

 (Oropesa.) 



Dr. King (Ottawa Obs.). 



Mr. E. W. Maunder (Greenwich). 



Mr. Perrine (Lick Obs.). 



Balearic 

 /^/l■s. 

 (Palma.) 



(Colum- 

 bretes.) 



Algeria. 

 (Guelma.) 



Tunis. 

 (Sfax.; 



Egypt. 

 (Assuan.) 



Mr. J. Evershed. 



Rev. J. S. Cortie (Stonyhurst). 



Prof. Callendar \ ,„ , ,- ,, 

 Prof. Fowler (^oyal College 



Mr. Shackleton ) °^ Science). 



Mr. Campbell (Lick Obs.] 



Sir N. Lockyer ) (Solar 



Dr. \V. J. Lockyer [ Physics 

 Mr. C. P. Butler ' Obs.). 



U.S. Naval Obs. 

 German Party. 



Mr. H. F. Newall (Cambridge). 

 M. Trepied (Obs. of Algiers). 



The Astronomer-Royal 1 ,^ 



Mr. F. W. Dyson ^^"f^ 



Mr. Davidson ) ^'^l^)' 

 M. Bigourdan (Paris). 



Prof. Turner (Oxford). 

 Mr. Bellamy. 



Mr. Hussy (Lick Observatory). 



Plan of Work. 



1 Search for Intramer- 

 curial planets. 

 Large scale photo- 

 graphs of corona with 

 40' camera. 



Prismatic reflector pho- 

 tographs of spectrum 

 of chromosphere and 

 • corona. 



f Experiments on coronal 



radiation. 

 Photography of red and 

 I green regions of spec- 

 trum of chromosphere 

 ^ and corona. 



> Search for intramer- 

 curial planets. 



Large scale photo- 

 graphs of corona with 

 40' camera. 



Polarisation observa- 

 tions. 



Spectroscopic photo- 

 graphy of chromo- 

 V sphere and corona. 



Prismatic camera (3 

 prisms) photography 

 of spectrum of chro- 

 mosphere and corona. 



Large scale prismatic 

 reflector (one prism) 

 photography of spec- 

 trum of chromosphere 

 and corona. 



Small scale photo- 



. graphs of corona. 



Spectroscopic and 

 polariscopic observa- 

 tions. 



1 Photographs of corona 

 on 4" and ij" scales. 

 Spectra of chromo- 

 sphere and corona 

 with Major Hills' 

 > spectroscopes. 



/ Polariscopic observa- 

 tions. 

 ) Corona photographs 

 1 with Abney doublet. 

 Large scale photographs 

 ^ of corona. 



/ Search for intramer- 

 I curial planets. 

 Large scale photo- 

 graphs of corona with 

 1 40' camera, 

 j Integrating speotro- 

 \ scope photographs. 



