APRIL 30, 1914] 
author in his discrimination of the local schools 
of sculpture, each with its own traditions and 
technique. It may suffice to say that in “Art in 
Egypt” the reader will find these subjects treated 
systematically. In the work before us he will 
see Sir Gaston Maspero evolving the principles 
he there explains. A special word of praise must 
be given to the illustrations, the great majority 
of which are admirable reproductions of photo- 
graphs on a large scale. Reo... K.. 
ASTRONOMY. 
Astronomy: a Popular Handbook. By Prof. 
Harold Jacoby. Pp. xiii+435+32 _ plates. 
(New York: The Macmillan Company ; London : 
Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1913.) Price 10s. 6d. 
net. 
N the ‘arrangement of the subject-matter in this 
book the author has attempted to serve a 
double purpose, namely, to provide material to 
satisfy the requirements of the ordinary reader 
who wishes to make himself acquainted with the 
present state of astronomy and also to produce a 
text-book for use in high schools and colleges. 
To attain this end the book consists of two parts, 
the former being a series of chatty discourses on 
astronomical matters devoid of all mathematics, 
the latter, called an appendix, which contains a 
series of notes involving the occasional use of 
elementary algebra, geometry and trigonometry 
so far as the solution of plane right angle tri- 
angles. The first part covers 361 pages and the 
second 58 pages. 
As an introduction the author gives the reader 
a good general idea of the whole universe, at the 
same time pointing out the practical use of astro- 
nomy and its value as a culture study. In the 
subsequent twenty chapters he deals with the 
subject more in detail. The general reader will 
find that the author has been very clear and precise 
in all his statements and presents the matter in 
an easy, readable form. The thirty-two plates and 
numerous figures in the text enhance the value of 
the book considerably, the reproductions being 
principally from the fine negatives secured by 
Barnard and by the astronomers at the Lick 
Observatory. 
In reading the book a few points have come to 
the reviewer’s notice which rather invite criticism. 
In the chapter on solar parallax a good account 
is given of Gill’s determinations, but while refer- 
ence is made to the Eros value, the name of Mr. 
Hinks is omitted. In describing the solar features 
the reader is shown a fine photograph of the solar 
NOW 2322, VOL. 932i 
NATURE 
2 Nell 
disc taken in calcium light by Fox; while the 
bright portions shown in the reproduction are 
referred to as facule, the usual term “ flocculi” 
is not mentioned. 
Of recent years fine photographs of the spectra 
of comets have been secured, but the reference 
to a comet’s spectrum here given is decidedly 
brief, and occupies two lines as follows: “ 
istence of hydrocarbon gas in a luminous state as 
well as a dim continuous spectrum containing 
Frauenhofer lines. . .” Stellar spectra classifica- 
tion is also curtly dismissed, being restricted to 
S top.ss 
| that given by Secchi, the fact that other classi- 
fications have been suggested and are in use 
receiving no mention whatever. 
It may be said, however, that in spite of the 
above minor deficiencies, the book is one that will 
serve a very useful purpose, and should appeal 
to a large circle of readers. 
TEXTILE FIBRES. 
(1) Chemische Technologie der Gespinstfasern. 
By Dri Karl Stirm. Pp. xvi+410. (Berlin: 
Gebriider Borntraeger, 1913.) Price 12 marks. 
(2) The Textile Fibres: their Physical, Micro- 
scopical, and Chemical Properties. By Dr. J. 
Merritt Matthews. Third edition. Pp. xi+630. 
(New York: John Wiley and Sons; London : 
Chapman and Hall, 1913.) Price 17s. net. 
(1) J] T cannot be said that the contents of this 
work quite correspond to its title, for if 
the chemical parts of the subject were left out 
altogether, a very substantial volume would still 
remain. -The actual chemical technology of the 
fibres is inadequately represented, though the 
author may be said to err rather on the side 
of omissions than on that of mis-statements. In 
this latter respect, however, attention should be 
directed to the statement (p. 6) that the tempera- 
ture at which cotton begins to decompose is 
160° C., no mention being made of the time factor 
used in arriving at this result. It is well known 
that by prolonged heating cellulose begins to 
decompose at much lower temperatures than that 
stated. A further statement that caustic potash 
is much less energetic in its action on cellulose 
than caustic soda might well have been qualified, 
for in equivalent strengths there is no difference in 
the mercerising action of the two alkalies. Again, 
the descriptions of the processes of bleaching cotton 
and linen are of the nature of generalisations, and 
are more likely to confuse than to enlighten the 
student. It might have been expected that the 
work of Haller, Lester, Knecht and Allan, Hoff- 
