August 6, 1903] 



NATURE 



319 



Determination of Radicles in Carbon Compounds. 

 By Dr. H. Meyer. Translated bv J. Bishop Tingle, 

 Ph.D. Pp. xii+ 162. (New York : John Wiley and 

 Sons; London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 1903.) 

 Price 45. 6d. net. 

 Dr. Meyer has brought out a book of considerable 

 value to chemists engaged in research work; it is 

 hardly a book for students, unless working along re- 

 search lines. Such a work as this is very difficult to 

 criticise, because it is really a small dictionary of 

 methods; such dictionaries are naturally very useful, 

 provided they are carefully drawn up, which We con- 

 sider to be the case in the book before us. Take, for 

 example, the first chapter, which consists of 37 pp., 

 and includes practically all the methods which may 

 be used for determining the hydroxy-groups. One 

 might be inclined to think this rather an unnecessary 

 amount of space to devote to such an apparently simple 

 matter as the determination of the —OH radicle, but 

 as there is very little padding, it really points out that 

 ill organic chemistry conditions govern everything; 

 that a method which, under certain conditions, may be 

 applied with success is quite useless when these con- 

 ditions are altered or modified. 



In the next chapter we have the determination of 

 the methoxy- and ethoxy-groups by means of Zeisel's 

 method. Three diagrams of complicated pieces of 

 apparatus are given for the carrying out of this 

 important determination. It is a pity, considering 

 both the author and translator have evidently 

 taken considerable trouble to bring the book up to 

 date, and the importance of the method, that they 

 missed Hewitt's simple modification described in the 

 Journal of the Chemical Society for 1902 ; tins is prob- 

 ably an oversight, because at another place they give 

 a reference from the same journal. 



L'nder the determination of the carboxvl groups, the 

 method by means of the electrolytic conductivity of the 

 sodium salts is described. It is doubtful, however, 

 whether the description will be o!^ much value to anyone 

 who has not previously carried out such a determin- 

 ation. Not that this matters very much, because in 

 a foot-note a reference to Ostwald's work is given, 

 where a description of the parts of the apparatus may 

 he found. 



Dr. Meyer has evidently taken great pains in pre- 

 paring this book, and has considerably added to its 

 value by the copious references to original literature 

 which lie has added. For the rest the translator and 

 publisher have carried out their part of the work witn 

 discretion and care. F. M. P. 



A Laboratory Guide for Beginners in Zoology. By 

 Clarence Moores Weed, D.Sc, and Ralph Wallace 

 Crossman, B.A., M.Sc. Pp. xxiv + 105. (London : 

 D. C. Heath and Co., 1903.) Price 2s. 6d. 

 This handy and very moderately priced laboratory 

 guide will be useful in those courses of elementary in- 

 struction in zoology which aim at a fairly wide survey 

 of the types of animal life without going into great 

 detail in regard to any. Thus there are instructions in 

 regard to six Protozoa, two sponges, three Hydrozoa, 

 a rotifer, three Echinoderms, the earthworm and 

 Nereis, Cyclops, the wood-louse, the lobster, the crab, 

 the centipede, three insects and a spider, three molluscs 

 and three vertebrates, altogether thirty-two types. The 

 directions for study are for the most part really direc- 

 tions, and not little paragraphs of condensed informa- 

 tion ; many of them take the form of questions. The 

 student is not supplied with ready-made diagrams ; he 

 is asked precisely to draw certain things. There is a 

 directness and business-like clearness about the whole 

 book that we like, and its partiality is frankly admitted, 

 supplementary text-books being indicated. It would 



NO. 1762 NOI.. 6^] 



have been well if the authors had always stated what 

 particular species they had in view, e.g. what Tubu- 

 larian and Campanularian hydroid or hydroids. In 

 some cases the headings do not read very happily, if 

 the book is to be used in Britain, e.g. " The simple 

 Marine Sponge (Grantia sp.). This sponge is a 

 marine animal, found commonly along the Atlantic 

 coast of the United States." But we can recommend 

 the little book as a terse, unpretentious, and clear 

 guide to introductory studies of the structure of 

 animals. 



A Manual of Drawing. By C. E. Coolidge. Pp. iv + 

 200 (alternate pages blank). (New York : John 

 Wiley and Sons; London : Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 

 1902.) Price I dollar. 



The drawings and designs made by the professional 

 draughtsman in a good manufacturing workshop are 

 characterised by a style and completeness which easily 

 distinguishes them from the amateur productions 

 commonly met with in the technical school and college. 

 The object of the author in this book is to give to' 

 students precise and minute instructions relating to 

 the numerous small details of manipulation and draft-, 

 ing that must be followed if drawings are to be such ^ 

 as would command respect in a commercial establish-' 

 ment. 



Thus we find information about drawing and tracing 

 papers, black and coloured inks, printing processes, 

 drawing boards and squares, compasses, scales and 

 protractors, indiarubber, drawing pens and pencils, 

 and, in fact, about drawing tools and implements in 

 general. Instruction is given as to the proper way 

 of arranging the several views in a drawing, of insert- 

 ing the dimensions, printing the titles, &c. Various 

 types of drawing are described, including detail sheets 

 fully dimensioned, with the machining and materials 

 specified ; general views, with only leading features 

 exhibited ; patent office drawings made in conformity 

 with the United States' regulations, and suitable for 

 photographic reproduction, &c. 



The student is assumed to have obtained elsewhere 

 a practical knowledge of workshop processes, of 

 machine construction, and of the forms and propor- 

 tions of machine parts. The author gives that kind 

 of information which would be gradually acquired, 

 almost unconsciously, by any one working alongside 

 an expert in a commercial drawing office. The book 

 contains a useful index and a number of plates in 

 illustration of the text. Alternate pages are left blank 

 in order to induce and enable the student to collect and 

 record additional notes and observations of his own, 

 or which his instructor may impart. 



Zoologische Wandtafeln. Gezeichnet und heraus- 

 gegeben von Prof. Dr. x aul Pfurtscheller, Wien. 

 (Wien und Leipzig: A. Pichler's Witwe und Sohn.) 



This is a new series of large wall diagrams for lecture- 

 rooms, similar to those which we owe to Leuckart and 

 Nitsche. The two samples we have seen — of the sea- 

 urchin and the snail — command our admiration, 

 especially the former. They are boldly and clearly 

 drawn, with more shading than colour, and they stand 

 out admirably from a distance. Two of those on the 

 sea-urchin sheet are even beautiful. Our only criti- 

 cism is that it seems a mistake to mix up mere 

 diagrams, e.g. two simple figures on the snail sheet, 

 with the chief picture, which shows things more or less, 

 as they are. The mere diagram can be drawn on the 

 blackboard in a minute, and should not be put on the 

 same plane as the elaborate drawing of the half- 

 opened sea-urchin, which the teacher requires as a 

 permanent part of his illustration equipment. 



