280 



KNOWLEDGE. 



[DecEjfBBR, 1902. 



In the journal last mentioned (October 4th and 11th) 

 the same writer diseussoa the coloration of the laPfjer 

 niainmuls, and concludes that in most instances this is 

 (lo8ifi;ncil for the purpose of protection, by harmonizinn; 

 with the inanimate surroundini^s. It is pointed out that 

 roirst-dwcllinji; aniniivls niav nearly always he ilisi iimuislicd 

 by the larjre size of tiieir ears, as eonipired with those of 

 their nearest relatives. The need of accurate observations 

 in the fiehl with regard to the meaning and use of animal 

 coloration is urired, and the assistance of sportsmen and 

 travellers in clearing up matters of doubt invited. 



In a note on the Pleistocene fauna of Nebraska, 

 published in Vol. XVI. of the Bulletin of (he American 

 Museum, Mr. W. D. Matthew describes, under the name 

 of Ciipromenji; a new type of ruminant, which is regarded 

 as the direct ancestor of the American prongbuck (Aiililo- 

 capra). The author considers that both animals are 

 descended from a group of ruminants termed " antilopine 

 deer"; that group being characterised by the possession 

 of antlers approximating to those of the deer, coupled 

 with teeth more like those of antelopes. The antlers, 

 which are forked or several times branched, are provided 

 usually, or invariably, with a " burr," whence it would 

 appear that they were annually shed. On the other 

 hand, they are smooth, which suggests that they were 

 permanently invested with " velvet." In another com- 

 ninnieation to the same journal Mr. Matthew describes 

 the skull of a rodent from the Tertiary of Colorado 

 provided with three horns. Eor the animal to which it 

 belongs he proposes the name Ceratotjauhis. A horned 

 rodent is a type quite new to science. 



Number 4G6 of the Pmceedings of the Eoyal Society 

 contains an abstract of Dr. W. G. Eidevvood's important 

 memoir on the structure of the gdls of the bivalve molluscs. 

 No less than 215 species, referable to 118 genera, were 

 examined in order to determine the structure of the gills. 

 Speaking generally, neither the minute structure nor the 

 mode of arrangement of these organs is of much value in 

 classification ; although three main types of gill-structure, 

 apparently representing as many grades of complexity, 

 can be recognised. The first and simplest of these types 

 is met with only in the families Nurulidx and SoIe)Mmijid!v, 

 which have consequently been brigaded together under 

 the name of Protobranchia. 



The Gordon Memorial College at Khartoum, which 

 Lord Kitchener opened on November 8th, is now ready 

 for the Chemical and Bacteriological Research Laboratories 

 presented by Mr. Henry S. Wellcome during his recent 

 visit to the Soudan. The fi.vtures and appliances made in 

 England have already been shipped. The equipment for 

 scientific work is most complete and should be equal to 

 any similar laboratories in Europe. The Sirdar has 

 appointed as Dii-ector of these Research Laboratories, Dr. 

 Andrew Balfour, of Edinburgh. The Soudan presents 

 exceptional opportunities for the study of tropical diseases, 

 especially malaria, typhoid and dysentery, and the results 

 of the investigations of Dr. Balfour and his staff should 

 be of considerable importance. Dr. Balfour will also 

 assist the authorities in the investigation of the criminal 

 poisoning cases which are frequent in the Soudan. The 

 character of the poisons used by the natives is at present 

 often obscure, and it is possible that the work in these 

 laboratories may increase our knowledge of toxic agents. 

 Apart from the original researches and general sanitary 

 work. Dr. Balfour and his staff will devote their attention 

 to the study of the cereals, textile fibres, and various 

 matters affecting the development of the agricultural and 

 mineral resources of the country. 



i^otittn of ISooits. 



"Astronomy wftiiout a Tr.M'.scoPM." T?y R. Walter 

 M.iiinder, K.it.A.s. (KNowi.r.Dfii. Office.) Ilhistrated. Pp. xii. and 

 '2M0. .^is. — Thore are luany cl.isses of roiiders to whom, we believe, 

 Mr. Maunder's new book will appeal stroni^ly. Those wlio wish 

 to gain a close personal acquiiintance with the stirs will find 

 themselves provided with an excellent set of st;ir maps, and con- 

 ducted by one who has a thorough knowledge of the he.ivens ; 

 those interested in the names of stars and constellations will 

 find an admirable account of their origin and significance, as far 

 as they can bo traced ; and the many who will doubtless wish 

 to turn their knowledge of the stars to good account will find 

 numerous valuable suggestions as to fields of research in which 

 the unaided eye is not only competent to yield results of v.ilue to 

 science but is often the only suitable means of ob-servation. 

 " Astronomers without telescopes " may be roughly divided 

 into two classes, which m.ay be briefly described as " fireside 

 astronomers " and " open-air astronomers." Many useful in- 

 vestigations have been made by some of the former, and may 

 stiU be undertaken by them with advantage ; but it is to assist 

 those desiring to make observations for themselves that the 

 author's efl'orts are chiefly directed. Even if the observations 

 are restricted to phenomena which are already perfectly well 

 known and understood, the observer will in this way acquire a 

 knowledge which no amount of reading could ever supply ; but 

 with Mr. Maunder's guidance he will find it possible to go 

 further and take a share in various astronomical inquiries. 

 Following chapters on the constellations, full and thoroughly 

 practical directions are given for .astronomical exercises intended 

 primarily for the "education" of the reader, and these are appro- 

 priately followed by suggestions as to the systematic obsei'va- 

 tion of meteors, the Zodiacal Light, Auror.t, the Jlilky Way, 

 and other phenomena for which no telescope is necessary. That 

 there .are so many investigations open to the astronomer without 

 a telescope is perhaps one of the most important lessons which 

 the book brings home to us, and, as the author ]ioints out, there 

 is a real danger that such observations may be neglected in 

 view of the widespread attention attracted to the work of the 

 great instruments which have been set up in recent years. 

 Readers of Knowledge will recognise in the book much which 

 h.as already appeared in our pages, but it may be mentioned 

 that the original articles have to a large extent been rewritten 

 and new illustrations included. We think that many of those 

 who are thus already familiar with the general scope of the 

 work will be glad to have the papers in a collected form, and 

 it is confidently believed that the book will attract a wide circle 

 of readers, and materially contribute to the advancement of 

 several branches of astronomy. 



"BrRD.s IN THE Garden: Studies wiru a Camera.'' By 

 Granville Sharp, m.a. (Dent.) Illustrated. 7s. 6d. net.— Mr. 

 Sharp has written a very pleasing and entertaining little book 

 on a few birds to be found in almost any garden. With the use 

 of very simple photographic apparatus, and a few contrivances 

 for bringing the birds within range of the camera, he his 

 managed to secure an excellent series of pictures of the birds 

 about" which he writes. These photographs show very well 

 how varied are the attitudes of birds and how expressive those 

 attitudes often are. Photographs of this description .are so much 

 more interesting and valuable than those of birds and animals 

 in ordinary " quiet " attitudes. Take, for instance, Fig. 33, 

 where some young Great Tits are shown sunning themselves. 

 The author says, " They went about it quite deliberately, flying 

 over to a part of the garden that they otherwise neglected, 

 just where a slope in the ground caught the full blaze of the 

 sun. Here they would spread themselves out two or three at a 

 time, settling their feathers edgewise to the sun, so as to take 

 in all the heat they could." For the photographs themselves we 

 have nothing but praise, but Mr. Sharp has been most unfor- 

 tunate in the way the block maker has treated the results of his 

 skill and patience. The backgrounds have in most cases been 

 cut away, presumably by the mechanical " process engraver."' 

 In this work no discrimination has been made in many cases 

 between i)arts of the birds and parts of the background, and 

 ,as a consequence, in .some of the illustrations portions of the 

 background have been left as thongh they belonged to the birds, 



