306 



NA TURE 



[January 29, 1903 



address, by Mr. Charles C. Moore, on the volume composition 

 of rocks. He deals with the porosity of various rocks and 

 observes that in many cases the appearance of the specimen does 

 not give the slightest clue to its actual porosity. Comparisons 

 are made between various rocks of similar chemical or 

 mineralogical composition. The effect of pressure in the fault- 

 ing of a sandstone has been used to calculate the amount of 

 displacement. The structural changes that would occur from the 

 conversion of a bed of limonite into hxmatite are pointed out. 

 The subject is one of considerable practical importance. Among 

 other papers is one by Prof Bonney, on fragmental rocks as 

 records of the past. 



Mr. Hugh J. L. Beadnell has given an account of the 

 Cretaceous region of Abu Roash, near the pyramids of Giza 

 (Geological Survey Department, Egypt, 1902). The area lies 

 near the edge of the Libyan Desert, some distance west of 

 Cairo, and it is composed of an isolated massif of Cretaceous 

 rocks in the midst of an unconformable and overlapping tract of 

 Eocene strata. These structural relations have not hitherto 

 been determined. Owing to the highly disturbed nature of the 

 beds, due, as the author explains, to pre-Eocene folding and 

 faulting, it has been a difficult matter to work out the complete 

 succession in the Cretaceous rocks ; but this has now been done, 

 and Cenomanian, Turonian, Senonian and Danian subdivisions 

 have been determined. Particulars of these and their fossils 

 are given, together with illustrative sections and excellent 

 photographic views of scenery, and there are brief descriptions 

 of the Eocene and newer deposits. The author observes that 

 the effects of the action of wind-borne sand in the denudation 

 of rocks are perhaps more beautifully displayed at Abu Roash 

 than in most other localities in the western desert — a fact due 

 in great measure to the abundance of hard cherty and crystalline 

 limestones, which so well exhibit the effects. Illustrations of 

 these are given. 



A third edition of "Modern Microscopy," by Mr. 

 M. I. Cross and Mr. Martin J. Cole, has been published by 

 Messrs. Bailliere, Tindall and Cox. The book has been com- 

 pletely revised, and now contains, in addition to the two parts 

 into which the last edition was divided, a third section on the 

 choice and use of microtomes, prepared by Mr. G. West. 



Messrs. Watts and Co. have issued, for the Rationalist 

 Press Association, Ltd., a sixpenny edition, in paper covers, of 

 Mr. Herbert Spencer's " Education : Intellectual, Moral and 

 Physical." These essays are all well known to teachers 

 throughout the world, and it is to be hoped that this cheap re- 

 issue will serve to encourage parents everywhere to become 

 familiar with sound principles of education. 



The " Handbook of the Federated Malay States" (Stanford, 

 is. 6tt ), compiled by Mr. H. Conway Belfield, British Resident 

 of Selangor, contains trustworthy information brought together 

 at the request of the Government for the use of persons 

 interested in the Malay States. Direct guidance is offered to 

 different classes who propose to emigrate to this part of the 

 world. The handbook is well illustrated and plentifully sup- 

 plied with maps and statistics. 



A copy of the thirty-third of the thirty-six parts of " Living 

 London," being issued by Messrs. Cassell and Co., Ltd., under 

 the editorship of Mr. G. R. Sims, has been received. It con- 

 tains a section, by Mr. John Munro, on scientific London, pro- 

 fusely illustrated by pictures showing audiences at the Royal 

 Institution, the Royal Geographical Society and the Society of 

 Arts. A full-page illustration depicts the ladies' night at the 

 Royal Society. 



An almanac for 1903, compiled at the offices of the Survey 

 Department of the Public Works Ministry and published at 

 Cairo, has been received. Much of the miscellaneous inform - 



NO - 1735. VOL. 67] 



ation contained in the almanac will be of use to persons in this 

 country personally interested in Egyptian affairs, for example, 

 the conversion tables giving the Egyptian equivalents of 

 English and French money, measures of length and weight. 

 The facts provided deal with every department of administrative 

 activity in the country. 



The eighteenth issue of " Hazell's Annual," that for 1903, has 

 reached us. It is well described by its subtitle as a cyclopedic 

 record of men and topics of the day. Its abundance of inform- 

 ation is arranged alphabetically and includes, amongst other 

 matters of interest to men of science, summaries of the work 

 accomplished during 1902 in the chief branches of natural 

 knowledge. Particulars are also given concerning the impor- 

 tant scientific societies and of the scientific institutions of a 

 national character, such as the Royal Observatory, the 

 National Physical Laboratory and Kew Observatory. 



Prof. Lloyd Morgan, F.R.S., contributes to the current 

 number of the International Quarterly an article on the begin- 

 nings of mind. He discusses in the first place the questions, 

 Is mind a product of evolution ? second, Is mind a factor in the 

 evolutionary process, and if so, under what limiting con- 

 ditions? Towards the conclusion of his essay, Prof. Morgan 

 says : — " From the physiological point of view, the conditions of 

 the beginnings of mind would seem to be the differentiation of 

 a control system with conscious concomitants. From the stand- 

 point of behaviour, conscious accommodation through control 

 as the result of individual experience. And what from the 

 psychological point of view? . . . One may surmise that there 

 is, in some dim form of expectation, at least the germ of that 

 looking before and after to which consciousness eventually 

 attains with more and more clearness." Another article in the 

 same magazine deals with ethnology and the science of religion, 

 and Prof. C. Lombroso endeavours to explain why criminals of 

 genius have no type. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include an American Grass Snake (Contia vcnialis) 

 from Mexico, presented by Miss Green; two Smooth-headed 

 Capuchins ( Cebus monachus) from South-east Brazil, two Derbian 

 Wallabys (Alacropus derbianus), three Brush Turkeys ( Talegallx 

 lathami) from Australia, a Blue-fronted Amazon (Chrysotis 

 oestiva), a Common Boa (Boa constrictor) from South America, 

 deposited ; nine Regent Birds (Sericulus melinus) from Australia, 

 purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Astronomical Occurrences in February : — 

 Feb. 2. 7h. lira. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 

 6. 9h. 45m. to ioh. 30m. 



(mag. 47). 

 9. 3I1. 56m. to 4h. 49m. Moon occults A Geminorum 

 (mag. 36). 



I2h. 25m. Moon occults 6S Gemin- 

 5-0). . 



I7h. ' 45m. Moon occults u Leonis 



Moon occults 8- Tauri 



9. nh. 21m. to 



orum (mag. 

 11. i6h. 47m. to 



(mag. 4-5). 

 11. Ceres in opposition to the sun (Ceres mag. 7*4). 



14. Venus. Illuminated portion of disc = 0-951, of 



Mars = o'942. 



15. nh. om. Mars in conjunction with Moon (Mars 



3 22' N. ). 

 19. 4h. om. Jupiter in conjunction with the sun. 

 19. I2h. 5m. Minimum of Algol (3 Persei). 

 22. 8h. 54m. Minimum of Algol (fl Persei). 

 22. Pernne's comet (1902*) 2i° E. of Sirius. 

 25. 5h. 43m. Minimum of Algol (A Persei). 

 27. uh. om. Mercury at greatest elongation (26*58' W.). 



27. Perrine's comet (1902 £) 3A N. of Sirius. 



28. Giacobini's comet (190200 2i°S S.W. of e Geminorum 



(mag. 3-2). 



