November 27, 1902] 



NA TURE 



89 



treats of the macro-seismic measurements made in Tokio 

 between September, 1SS7, and July, 1889. These measurements, 

 which are given in tabular forms, refer to the periods, ampli- 

 tudes, directions and durations of different earthquakes. One 

 map shows the origins of the earthquakes which were felt in 

 Tokio, many of which are within a radius of 30 miles from that 

 city, whilst all, with the exception of two or three, originated 

 at a distance of not more than 75 miles. A second map shows 

 the distribution of origins of earthquakes which were not felt in 

 Tokio. The distance of these from that town approximately 

 vary between 10 and 130 miles. These various origins may 

 be divided into zones. One of them, which is suboceanic, 

 runs parallel with the eastern coast line. The remainder are 

 inland, and practically run from the backbone of the country 

 at right angles to the Pacific coast. 



Among the recently published memoirs of the Geological 

 Survey are two relating to the coal-fields of North Staffordshire 

 and South Wales. Both are explanatory of the new series 

 Geological Survey maps. " The Geology of the Country around 

 Stoke-upon-Tient," by Mr. Walcot Gibson and Mr. C. B. Wedd, 

 is accompanied by two editions of the map, sheet 123, one with 

 and one without the drift deposits, and both are colour-printed. 

 This is a distinct improvement on the old hand-coloured maps, 

 and the execution by the Ordnance Survey leaves nothing to be 

 desired. The price also [is. 6d.) is very moderate. The 

 memoir contains a concise account of the Pottery Coal-field, and 

 it will be noticed that the higher portions of the Coal-measures, 

 previously regarded as Permian, are now subdivided and re- 

 presented on the maps. The recognition of their true position 

 has a very important bearing on further explorations for coal in 

 the northern-midland area. The Triassic and superficial de- 

 posits are described, and there is a chapter on economic and 

 applied geology. "The Geology of the South Wales Coal- 

 field, part hi., the Country around Cardiff," is by Mr. A. 

 Strahan and Mr. T. C. Cantrill. It is likewise an explanation 

 of the geological map, sheet 263, which at present has been 

 issued only in the hand-coloured form. The area described is 

 just outside the limits of the great coal-field, but it includes the 

 bordering rocks of Lower Carboniferous and Old Red Sand- 

 stone, and a little area of Silurian rocks by the Rhymney 

 River. It also lakes in a small portion of Somerset, near Weston- 

 super-Mare. Resting irregularly on the older formations are 

 the Keuper conglomerates and marls, the Rh:etic beds and the 

 Lower Lias. A particular description is given of the Rhtetic 

 beds, as they first received recognition by the Geological Survey 

 in the conspicuous headland of Penarth. The Glacial and post- 

 Glacial deposits, the water-supply and economic products re- 

 ceive due attention, and there is a full bibliography of geological 

 books and papers relating to the South Wales Coal-field. 



The Irish gold ornaments which a few years ago were ac- 

 quired by the British Museum have been the source of much 

 departmental correspondence and opposed opinions, the excite- 

 ment being due to the fact that these valuable and interesting 

 specimens are lodged in the British Museum rather than in the 

 Irish National Museum in Dublin. One argument for their re- 

 tention in London was that, although they were found in Irish 

 soil, there was no proof that they were of Irish manufacture. In 

 the current number of the Journal of the Royal Society of An- 

 tiquaries of Ireland (part iii. vol. xxxii. p. 211), there is a paper 

 by Mr. R. Cochrane which conclusively proves that these are 

 genuine Irish objects, and Mr. Cochrane concludes that these 

 ex voto objects, especially the golden boat, were connected with 

 St. Columba's voyage to Drumceat, in A. D. 575 or 596, when 

 he was accompanied by the Scottish King Aedan, and their 

 deliverance from the dangers of shipwreck may have furnished 

 the motif. There is a note substantially to the same effect, by 

 NO. I726, VOL. 67] 



the Rev. J. M'Keefry, in the same Journal (p. 266). Mr. 

 Cochrane's paper is illustrated by a map and several illustrations 

 borrowed from Mr. Arthur J. Evans's papsr "On a Votive 

 Deposit of Gold Objects found on the North-west Coast of 

 Ireland " [Archaeologia, vol. lv. p. 391). 



The first part (pp. 424, figs. 412) of a new " Le hrbuch der 

 vergleichenden Anatomie," by Prof. B. Halter, of the University 

 of Heidelberg, has just been published by the house of Gustav 

 Fischer, Jena. The work will be reviewed when it has been 

 completed. 



The September issue of Hiinmel und ErJe contains a very 

 readable article, from the pen of Dr. H. Wagner, on natural 

 colouring matters. Many interesting facts concerning the early 

 history of these colouring matters are detailed, and the successful 

 attempts at the replacement of several of these by synthetic 

 products are described. In another article, by Herr Kurchhoff, 

 an account is given of the trials which have been made with 

 turbines as motive power on ships. 



A FOURTH edition, revised and enlarged, of Prof. R. C. 

 Carpenter's book on " Heating and Ventilating Buildings " has 

 recently been published. In the review of the first edition of 

 the work, in our issue for February 27, 1896, the author was 

 congratulated on producing a really good book on a subject 

 seldom treated scientifically. It is gratifying to find that the 

 book has met with the success it deserves. In its revised- form, 

 it should continue to lie used largely by heating engineers and 

 architects. The book is published in this country by Messrs. 

 Chapman and Hall, Ltd. 



The little book edited by Prof. Perry, F.R.S., containing 

 an account of the discussion on the teaching of mathematics 

 which took place at the Glasgow meeting of the British Asso- 

 ciation in 1901, has reached a second edition. The book is 

 enlarged by the addition of the Report of the British Associa- 

 tion Committee upon the Teaching of Elementary Mathematics 

 (drawn up by the chairman, Prof. Forsyth, F. R S.) which was 

 presented at the Belfast meeting this year, and of the letter 

 addressed to this committee by twenty-two mathematical 

 masters in public schools. The book is published by Messrs. 

 Macmillan and Co., Ltd., at 25. net. 



The first part of a new volume (the third) of the "Inter- 

 national Catalogue of Scientific Literature" has been published. 

 The subject is " Physiology, Including Pharmacology and 

 Experimental Pathology," and the second part of the volume 

 referring to it will be issued shortly. The publication of the 

 physiology volume in two parts has been considered advisable, 

 instead of waiting until all the material for the year 1901 has 

 been collected, but in future years, when the organisation of the 

 work has been fully developed, the volume on physiology will 

 be issued as one publication each year. The general scheme of 

 the " International Catalogue" may be judged from the notices 

 of the two volumes on botany and chemistry in Nature of 

 July 3 and September 4 (vol. lxvi. pp. 217 and 436). The first 

 annual issue will consist of thirteen complete volumes and four 

 volumes made up of two parts each. Three instalments have 

 now been published, and of the remainder of the issue four are 

 announced as in the press and fourteen in preparation. The 

 price of the complete issue is 18/. 



The products of the decomposition of normal cupric acetate 

 under the influence of heat have been frequently investigated, 

 but no perfectly definite results have been obtained. Messrs. 

 Harcourt and Angel, as the result of a very careful research, 

 have found that the decomposition products are acetic acid, 

 water, cuprous acetate, carbon dioxide, carbjn monoxide and a 

 residue containing copper, carbon and small quantities of oxygen 

 and hydrogen. A trace of acetone is also obtained as a result 

 of the decomposition. 



