148 



NA TURE 



[December 14, 189; 



Frank Rackland would have said, actually feed on the 

 larvae of a white butterrty which abounds in the pine- 

 forests. 



Some curious stories are related by Mr. Butler re- 

 specting Longicorn beetles, and Sirex gigus perforating 

 sheets of lead. Many years ago, a tin canister was ex- 

 hibited before the Entomological Society, through which 

 a stag-beetle had gnawed its way, and the marks of its 

 jaws were distinctly visible on the tin. 



In his remarks on the bed-bug, which is almost in- 

 variably, if not always, apterous, Mr. Butler makes some 

 general observations (p. 287) on the use of wings to in- 

 sects. It may be mentioned that the late Mr. Wollaston 

 has observed that most insects inhabiting the Atlantic 

 Islands, are either strongly winged, or practically in- 

 capable of flight. The explanation which he gives is very 

 curious and interesting. Insects living on small islands 

 exposed to gales are very liable to be blown out to sea. 

 Hence it is almost equally beneficial to them either to be 

 gifted with such strong powers of flight that they can 

 make their way back, in case of such an emergency, or 

 else that they should never fly at all, and thus never run 

 the risk of being blown away. 



There are many interesting subjects touched upon in 

 Mr. Butler's work, and much that would admit of further 

 comment ; but we have perhaps said enough to indicate 

 its general scope and character. Should it reach a second 

 edition, we think it might be made a little more compre- 

 hensive with advantage ; for the subject is a very large 

 one, and those who feel a real interest in it rarely find a 

 book too long or too much detailed. 



OUR BOOK SHELF. 



Text-book of Biology. By H. G. Wells, B.Sc.Lond., 

 F.Z.S., Lecturer in Biology at University Tutorial 

 College. With an Introduction by G. B. Howes, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S., Assistant Professor of Zoology, Royal College 

 of Science, London. Part II. Invertebrates and 

 Plants. (London : W. B. Clive, University Corres- 

 pondence College Press, 1893.) 



In dealing with a small number of Vertebrate types in Part 

 I. of this book (see Nature, vol. xlvii. 1893, p. 605), 

 the author showed distinct capability and promise ; but 

 we feel that he would have done well to wait and work 

 for a few years before publishing this second volume, 

 which covers a larger field. As the types of plants and 

 invertebrates treated of have already been described in 

 so many text-books, the writer had, at any rate, the oppor- 

 tunity of getting his facts and deductions second hand 

 and fairly correctly stated, even without an extensive 

 acquaintance with biological science. There is, therefore, 

 all the less excuse for the many errors and misstatements 

 which occur in this volume, the preface to which would 

 lead one to expect better things in this respect, as well 

 as in the selection and arrangement of facts. Prof. 

 Howes's introduction appeared in Part I. ; and before 

 inserting his name on the title-page of Part II. it would, 

 we think, have been only just to have at least submitted 

 the proofs to him. The book would certainly have 

 gained by so doing. 



Apart from the more serious faults, which are so nu- 

 merous that it is not easy to give a short selection of them, 

 awkward terms and misprints abound. Prof. Goebel 

 would probably be surprised to hear that he had written 

 a text-book on botanical " mythology " (p. 94) ! 



The illustrations are exceedingly crude, and are mostly 



NO. 1259, VOL. 49] 



rough copies of well-known figures. '^Itjis, however, only 

 fair to state that the author has purposely made them 

 " as simple and diagrammatic as possible." W.N. P. 



The New Technical Educator. Vol. ii. (London, Paris, 

 and Melbourne: Cassell and Co., Ltd., 1893.) 



In a notice of vol. i. of this useful work we pointed out 

 that it filled a want in our general technical literature, 

 and that its contents were of a high order. The present 

 volume is quite equal to its predecessor in this respect, 

 and forms a continuation of all the subjects treated in the 

 previous volume. 



Under the heading of the "Steam Engine" we find an 

 admirable series of chapters, by Mr. Archibald Sharp, on 

 the subject of valve gear generally, particularly the dia- 

 grammatical treatment of the subject illustrative of the 

 various movements of eccentrics, piston and valve. 

 " Electrical Engineering " is also in good hands, being 

 clearly treated by Mr. Edward A. O'Keefe. The many 

 explanations and descriptions given are of a high order 

 of merit. On the subject of " Cutting Tools " much use- 

 ful information is to be found from the pen of Prof. R. H. 

 Smith, who is an authority on this particular subject. 

 The other subjects embraced in the volume, includmg 

 practical mechanics, plumbing, photography, steel and 

 iron, drawing for engineers and carpentry, are all well 

 written and illustrated, forming a very useful collection of 

 articles on technical subjects. It is to be regretted, 

 however, that the various articles on different subjects 

 continue in this volume to be mixed together, thus 

 causing the reading of one subject to be a matter of 

 frequent reference to the page of contents. 



Heat, and the Principles of Thermodynamics. By Dr. 

 C. H. Draper. (London : Blackie and Son, 1893.) 



In these days of innumerable books, it is often a difficult 

 task to correctly appraise the value of a new work, and 

 this is especially the case with books intended for use in 

 classes. The only thing a reviewer can do is to judge 

 whether the volume under his notice differs much from 

 previous volumes on the same subject ; and if the author 

 shows no originality of treatment, it seems to us that his 

 book could very well have been left unwritten. Viewing 

 Dr. Draper's work in this light, we find as follows: ([) 

 Much more attention is paid to the principles of thermo- 

 dynamics than is usual in class-books of its kind ; (2) the 

 examples and exercises distributed throughout the book, 

 and at the end, are more numerous than in most text- 

 books of heat, and cover a wider range of examinations ; 

 (3) the mathematical section of the subject has not been 

 shirked. Little more can be said. The book is as good 

 as any of its class, and to the student who desires to 

 read up for an examination in heat it should be very 

 helpful. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. 



[ The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions ex- 

 pressed by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake 

 to returti, or to correspond with the writers of, rejected 

 manuscripts intended for this or any other part of Nature. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications.^ 



Systematic Nomenclature. 



With reference to Prof, Newcomb's suggested nomenclature 

 for radiant energy, which appeared in Nature, November 3c, 

 p. 100, it seems advisable to be rather cautious in adopting new 

 words, or rather terminations to words already more or less in use, 

 for at the present time the student beginning the study of physical 

 science is fairly bewildered wiih the various forms of words used 

 under the present system, or rather want of system, in nomen- 

 clature. 



If once for all some system of termination was settled upon 



