October i, 1903] 



NATURE 



531. 



and the principal areas where corn, rice, and other food 

 -tuffs are at present grown are indicated by shading. 



Messrs. Watts and Co. have published for the 

 Rationalist Press Association, Ltd., a carefully revised, 

 popular edition of " Supernatural Religion. An Inquiry 

 into the Reality of Divine Revelation." The new edition 

 runs to q2o pages, and is issued at 6s. net. 



Dr. Adolf Marcuse, Privat-docent at the University of 

 Berlin,, having taken charge of the section of geographical 

 surveying in the " Geographischen Jahrbuch," edited by 

 Prof. Wagner, asks astronomers, geographers, and ex- 

 plorers to send him papers or other publications containing 

 results of which notice should be taken. 



At the request of teachers of chemistry in secondary 

 schools, Messrs. J. and A. Churchill have published 

 separately, at as. 6d. net, the chapters on general chemistry 

 contained in the " Elementary Practical Chemistry " of 

 Dr. Clowes and Mr. J. B. Coleman. In its present form 

 the book provides a really good course of experimental 

 chemistry, in which the broad principles of the science are 

 gradually presented to the student. 



Dr. F. Bashworth has prepared a pamphlet of thirty 

 pages, published by the Cambridge University Press, con- 

 taining " A Historical Sketch of the Experimental Deter- 

 mination of the Resistance of the Air to the Motion of 

 Projectiles." The pamphlet gives a general survey of the 

 author's experiments and results, which have extended over 

 many years, and for which he devised his chronograph, and 

 shows their relationship to other investigations. 



A NEW edition of Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace's book, " The 

 Wonderful Century. The Age of New Ideas in Science and 

 Invention," has been published by Messrs. Swan Sonnen- 

 schein and Co., Ltd. The book has been revised and 

 largely rewritten. Among the most important changes 

 may be mentioned the addition of a chapter on electricity, 

 of four chapters on astronomy, and the omission of the long 

 chapter on the vaccination question which was included in 

 former editions. In its new form the book provides an 

 excellent survey of the development of science during the 

 nineteenth century. 



This year's issue of "Chemical Handicraft," the illus- 

 trated catalogue of chemical apparatus and reagents manu- 

 factured and sold by Messrs. John J. Griffin and Sons, 

 Ltd., is attractively arranged and very complete. Among 

 new apparatus we notice vessels of quartz glass scheduled 

 en pp. 45-6. These vessels may be treated in the blow- 

 pipe flame without previous warming, and, whilst hot, be 

 plunged into cold water without being fractured. Teachers 

 of chemistry should find this catalogue of assistance in 

 ordering the apparatus necessary for their laboratories and 

 lecture-rooms. 



We have received copies of the first three publications de 

 circonstance of the Conseil Permanent International pour 

 I'Exploration de la Mer, published by MM. H0st & Fils, of 

 Copenhagen. The first booklet is a preliminary communi- 

 cation, by Dr. C. G. Joh. Petersen, on how to distinguish 

 between mature and immature plaice throughout the year ; 

 the second, by M. Martin Knudsen, deals with the standard- 

 water used in the hydrographical research until July, 1903. 

 The third is a larger book of 107 pages, and includes ten 

 compendious monographs on the literature of the ten 

 principal food fishes of the North Sea, illustrated by ten 

 plates, and preceded by a useful index. 



NO. 1770, VOL. 68] 



' The Tuesday evening popular science lectures at the Royal 

 Victoria Hall, Waterloo Bridge Road, have been the means 

 of creating scientific interest and activity among many 

 people who have attended them. Many men of science have 

 given their services as lecturers at the hall, and have 

 helped to' make known the work that is being carried on 

 thfere. An appeal is now being made for subscriptions to 

 assist the committee to meet the expenditure of 3000J. for 

 alterations which had to be undertaken in order to make 

 the building fireproof to the satisfaction of the London 

 Coiinty Council. Donations should be sent to Miss Emma 

 Cons, honorary secretary, Royal Victoria Hall, London, S.E. 



The additions to the J^oological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Sacred Baboons {Papio hama- 

 dryas), two Variegated Jackals {Canis variegatus), two 

 Spotted Hyaenas {Hyaena crocuta), a Striped Hyaena 

 {Hyaena striata), a Lion {Felis leo), a Leopard {Felis 

 pardus), an Abyssinian Duiker {Cephalophus abyssinicus), 

 three Somali Ostriches {Strufhio molybdophdnes) from 

 Somalil.and, presented by Mr. William Northrup McMillan ; 

 a Diana Monkey {Cercopithecus diana) from West Africa, 

 presented by Mr. A. G. Turner ; two Pig-tailed Monkeys 

 {Macacus neinestrinus) from Java, presented by Mr. -r- 

 Eussens ; an Otter {Lutra vulgaris), British, presented by 

 Miss Boughey ; two Gold-front«d Finches {Metoponia 

 pusilla) from India, presented by Mr. H. C. Harper ; two 

 Black Salamanders {Salatnandra atra) from Switzerland, 

 presented by Mr. W. C. Worsdell ; three Indian Chevr9- 

 tains {Tragulus meminna), nine Starred Tortoises {lestudo 

 elegans) from India, a Mayotte Lemur {Lemur mayottensis), 

 a Fringed Gecko {Uroplates fimbriatus), six Green Geckos 

 {Phelsuma madagascariensis), twelve Blackish Sternother^s 

 {Sternothoerus nigricans), a Sharp-nosed Snake (Ltcj- 

 heterodon madagascariensis) from Madagascar, fouir 

 Angulated Tortoises {Chersina angiilata) from South Africa, 

 fourteen" Stink-pot Terrapins {Cinosternum odoratum), two 

 Prickly' Trionyx {Trionyx spinifer) from North America, a 

 Spiny-tailed Mastigure {Uromastix acanthinurus) frorn 

 North Africa, three Cuban Snakes {Liophis andrae) frorfi 

 Cuba, a Merrem's Snake {Rhadinoea merremi) from Brazi^, 

 deposited. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Astronomical Occurrences in October:— ■ 



Oct. 5. 13^. 48m. to I7h. om. Transit of Jupiter's Sat. IH. 

 (Ganymede). 

 6. Partial eclipse of the moon. 



5h. 32m. Moon rises obscured by the penumbra. 

 6h. 7m. Last contact with the penumbra. 

 ID. 8h. i8m. to 9h. urn. Moon occults a Tauri 



(Aldebaran, Mag. I'l). 

 15. Venus. Illuminated portion of disc=o'l88, of Mars 



= 0-907. 

 18. 9h. 41m. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 

 ,, I5h. om. Mercury at greatest elongation (18° 13' 



W.). 

 ,, igh. om. Mercury in conjunction with moon, 

 Mercury 1° 57' N. 

 . 19-22. Epoch of Orionid meteoric shower (Radiant 

 91°+ 15°)- 



21. 6h. 30m. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 



22. Saturn. Polar diameter = I5"7. Minor axis outer 



ring=i3"'62. 

 24. 3h. Mars in conjunction with Uranus, Mars 



i°i3'S. 

 ,, I2h. Venus at greatest brilliancy. 

 31, yh. Jupiter in conjunction with moon, Jupiter 



3°39'S. 



