October 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



233 



h'letnitits of I'escriptire Astronomy . A text-book by 

 Herbert A. Howe, a.m., sc.d. (London: George Philip A 

 Son.) This is a delightful test-book, intended not onlj' 

 for students at college, but for those also who attend the 

 more comprehensive school of Nature herself. L)r. Howe 

 touches upon each of the widely varying subjects which 

 make what is to-day called the " new astronomy," and 

 he discusses reasonably and without prejudice the hard 

 questions that come up for answer on every side. Indeed, 

 when he comes to the nebular hypothesis he deprecates, 

 by a well-turned parable, the necessity of formulating any 

 answer, of making any prophecy as to what will be the 

 ending of the earth and sun. 



But the "text-book" of the student should be his 

 reference book when he has become a working astronomer. 

 We once heard of a computer who could repeat Bottomley's 

 logarithmic tables, in whole or in part, from memory, but 

 unfortunately this power was exceptional, or rather unique, 

 among the astronomers of his day. We ourselves cannot 

 trust our memory to recall accurately the simplest trigono- 

 metrical rule or formula, and it is a question of time to 

 work all problems out from first principles. Therefore, 

 since the author says in his preface that he will welcome 

 any suggestions for a second edition, we believe that it 

 would still further add to the usefulness of this already 

 valuable work if he furnished appendices not only of 

 the " names of stars," the " astronomical constants," and 

 of the " planetary data," but also of the formuhc most 

 commonly used, say for the conversion of the altitude and 

 azimuth of a star into its longitude and latitude, or right 

 ascension and declination. 



SHORT NOTICES. 



Indastrial Electricitu. Edited by A. G. Elliott, B.Sf. (Wliit- 

 taker & Co.) Illustrated. 2s. tid. This volume is one of a series of 

 books on eleetro-mechamcs. Apparently recognizing the fact that we 

 have yet to learn a great deal from the French on matters scientific, 

 Mr. Elliott has planned his book from a treatise by Henry de 

 GratRgny. The principal applications of electricity in everyday life 

 arc popularly explained, that is to say, the non-mathematieal reader 

 may peruse it with profit, but the small size of the work does not 

 admit of much detail. However, the other volumes of the series — 

 some of which, by the way, have already appeared, whilst others are 

 in preparation — are intended to enter more minutely into the various 

 branches of applied electricity. 



Xofes on Observations. By Sydney Lupton, ir.A. (Macmillan.) 

 38. 6d. An attempt is here put forth to make clear to the scientific 

 student the reasons for adopting the present system of mathematical 

 nomenclature. The introductory chapters are devoted to philosophic 

 reasoning, and the rest of the book is given up to i-ather abstruse 

 problems, which will appeal more to the higher mathematical student 

 rather than to physicists and chemists, for whom the book is really 

 intended. References are given at the end of each chapter for those 

 students who wish for fuller information. We think that there is 

 room for more books of this kind — books which in a sense control a 

 student's thinking powers somewhat after the manner in which the 

 governor-balls of a steam-engine regulate the action of that useful 

 mechanism. 



Elementary General Science. By A. T. Simmons, B.sc, and L. 

 M. Jones, B.sc. (MacmUlan.) Illustrated. 3s. 6d. As an intro- 

 duction to natural philosophy this book will be found very usefiU. 

 Its chief merits rest upon the fact that all the fundamental principles 

 of the sciences are presented with exceptional clearness, and the 

 w'hole of the information is so thoroughly up to date as to form a 

 solid ba^is for more advanced work. 



Practical Sadiography. By A. W. Isenthal and H. Snowden 

 Ward. Second Edition. (Dawbarn & ^V ard.) Illustrated. 2s. 6d. 

 Although only in its second edition, this work has been so thoroughly 

 revised that it may be almost regarded as new. All the recent 

 innovations in the infant science have been interpolated in their 

 proper places and minutely explained, more particidarly as regards 

 the practical aspects of the subject. Some very good photographs 

 illuminate the text here and there. As a handy guide to practical 

 work of this kind there is, as far as we know, no better book 

 available. 



Elementarif Chemistri/. First Year. By T. A. Cheetham. 

 (Blackie.) Illustrated. Is. 6d. By way of supplementing elemen- 

 tary lectures on chemistry with practical work in the laboratory, 

 Mr Cheetham's book is admirable. The so-called " test-tubing " is 

 replaced by simple experiments which have for their object the 

 development of the student's reasoning powers, ample scope for 

 which is to be found in the resolution of chemical compounds into 

 their elements, or tice versd^ and so on. 



Scientific Method in Biology. By Dr. Elizabeth Blackwcll. 

 (Elliot Stock.) The main theme of this book is the necessity for 

 practising more humane methods of medical research. It is main- 

 tained that truth, not curiosity, is the real aim of all scientific 

 investigation, and therefore medical research should be pursued on 

 strictly humanitarian lines. Many students can extract rare sport 

 out of the sufferings of dumb creatures, and this morbid passion may 

 retain its hold on the professional man in after years, when as a 

 surgeon he is called upon to minister to afflicted humanity. All those 

 who desire to maintain medical science at its highest level from a 

 purely moral aspect wiU find much here to sustain and encourage 

 them in their efforts to minimise human woe. 



First Stage Magnetism and Eleetricifi/. By Dr. R. H. Jude, 

 M.A. (Clive.) Illustrated. 2s. Dr. Jude follows the syllabus of 

 the Science and Art Department, but it is not by any means a cram- 

 book — a result which too frequently obtains in books written for 

 examination purposes. The only other important points to notice 

 are the useful summaries at the end of each chapter, and the careful 

 attention bestowed on the all-important subject of potential— a slough 

 in which most students flounder hopelessly. 



The Barometrical Determination of Seights. By F. J. B. 

 Cordeirs. (Spon.) 43. 6d. An essay originally entered for the 

 Hodgkin Prize Competition at the Smithsonian Institute, and men- 

 tioned as being good. Various formulic are tabulated which, according 

 to the author's idea, are more accurate than the old tables, these 

 being faulty in the formulfc rather than in the method. But why a 

 pamplilet of about thirty pages should cost four shillings and sixpence 

 is beyond our comprehension ! 



The Adcentitres of Rohinson Crusoe. (London : Seriew of 

 Seciews Office.) 6d. This is still another edition of the famous 

 novel, retold from Defoe's original, and edited by \X. T. Stead. It 

 is printed in large clear type, and illustrated throughout with a 

 number of new drawings. Some of these new renderings of old 

 friends are quite unintentionally humorous, notably that on page 89, 

 representing the reunion of Friday with his old father. Mr. 

 Stead has done well to reproduce a story which must always 

 appeal to Englishmen all the world over as reminiscent of the days 

 when all the world was young, and we first made the acquaintance 

 of Robinson Crusoe. 



We have received from the Rerien- of Eecietcs olHce a selection of 

 the Penny Poets series, and we gladly direct the attention of teachers 

 in elementary schools to these most admirable books. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



Zoological Results based on Material from Seir Britain, New 

 Guinea, elj-ff.. 1S95, ISilO, and ISDT .—Part I. By Arthur- WUley, 

 D.sc. (Cambridge University Press.) Illustrated. 12s. 6d. 



Catalogue of Scientific Periodicals. Vol. XL. (Smithsonian 

 Miscellaneous Collections.) 



The Rutherford Photographic Measures of Stars. By Herman S. 

 Davis, PH.D. (Reprinted from the Annals of the New York Academy 

 of Sciences.) 



Bird^ of the British Empire. By Dr. W. T. Greene. (Imperial 

 Press.) Illustrated. 5s. net. 



The Fern World. By Francis George Heath. (Imperial Press.) 

 Illustrated. 5s. net. 



Applied Geologg. — Part I. By J. V. Elsdeo, B.sc. (Quarry 

 Publishing Co., Ltd.) Illustrated." 5s. 



Geologg for Beginners. By W. W. Watts, (ilacmillan.) Illus- 

 trated. 2s. 6d. 



Tylar's Catalogue of Photographic Appliances. (High Street, 

 Aston, Birmingham.) Illustrated. 6d. 



Stories of Starland. Bv Mary Proctor. (G. W. Bacon i Co., 

 Ltd.) Illustrated. 



The Unconscious Mind. By Dr. Alfred T. Schofield. (Hodder & 

 Stoughton.) 7s. 6d. 



Outlines of the Earth's Sistori/. By Nathaniel Southgate Shaler. 

 (Heinemann.) Illustrated. 78. 6d. 



Meteorological Observations for the Year 1S97. (Rousdon Obser- 

 vatory, Devon.) By Cuthbert E. Peek, m.a. 



Wireless Telegraphy. By Richard Kerr, F.&.s.; with Preface bv 

 W H. Preece, c B., F.B.s. (London : Sceley & Co., Ltd.) Is. 



