

s 



». 



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»"• 



452 Bibliography. 



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labors of Spencer and others in this country* * The volume !s therefore 

 highly valuable as illustrating the modes of microscopic research as 

 well as the results of investigations, and especially so to the student of 



medicine, 



12. The Microscopist^ or a complete manual for the use of the Micro- 

 scope^ for Physicians^ Students^ and all lowers of Natural Science^ tcith 

 illustrations ; by Joseph H. Wythes, M.D., 191 pp. 12mo, Philadel- 

 phia, 1851, Lindsay & Blakiston. The recent muhiplication of works 

 on the microscope promises well for the future progress of American 

 science. This little work is the third on the subject published in the 

 country within the year past. It contains notices of different instru- 

 ments, but is singularly deficient as an American work, in making no 

 mention of the lenses of Canastota, which certainly are not surpassed in 

 defining power by any abroad, and even take the lead of all others ac- 

 cording to a report at the last meeting of the American Association. The 

 volume contains descriptions of the microscope and its accompaniments, 

 its modes of use, the methods of making preparations, and other inform- 

 ation of importance to the young microscopist. We observe however, 

 important deficiences and some errors ; among the latter, a mixture of 

 alcohol and water is spoken of as the basis of the Gannal process of 

 preservation, instead of acetate of alumina ; and the same objection is 

 said to exist to the use of dilute alcohol, as to salt and water, — the ob- 

 jection to the latter, stated a few paragraphs above, being the develop- 

 ment of a Confervoid vegetable. 



■ 13, Report of the Special Connnittee in favor of a Geological Sur- 

 vey of California; submitted by Mr. Randall, April 24, 1851. — This 

 well-prepared report sets forth in a just light the importance' of a geo- 

 logical survey of California. We observe the statement with regard to 

 the yield of the gold mines, that for the last three quarters of the year 

 ending Dec. 31, 1850, the amount was not less than $70,000,000 ; and 

 for the first quarter of 1851, at the rate of nearly one hundred mil- 

 lions of dollars per annum. 



14. Graptolifhes de Boheme ; par Jo ACBim Baheande, (Extrait du 

 Systeme Silurien du Centre de la Boheme.) 74 pp.,.8vo with 4 plates. 

 Prague, 1850, — Numerous species are described and well figured in 

 this memoir. The genera to which they are referred are Graptolithus 



Li/m., and Rastrites and Gladiolites of Barrand'e-_, Some of the fig- 

 ures remind us very much of the stems with their, seriate cells in the 

 Sertularia tribe of polyps. '' '* 



^ 15, Prof Oif;e?2, P. Ji.S., 0/2 DrHorwzs, Part iv, containing the restora- 

 tion of the Feet of that Genus and of Palapteryx, with a description of 

 the Sternum in Palapteryx and Aptornis. 20 pp. 4to. with 4 plates ; from 

 the Zool. Soc. Trans, vol. iv. Part 1, This important memoir is illus- 

 trated with excellent figures of the size of life. 



16. American Historical and Literary Curiosities, consisting of 

 Fac-si7niles of original Documents relating to the events of the Ameri- 

 can Revolution^ with a variety of Reliques^ Antiquities^ and Modern 

 Autographs; collected and edited by J. Jay Smith and J. F. Watson. 

 Fifth edition, with additions. N. Y. : G, P. Putnam. 1852. 4to, pp. 

 with 56 plates. — This is mostly a work of curious literary and historical 

 interest relating to American affairs. There is a fac-simile of a let- 



