NOVEMBER I, 1906 | 
NA TORE 
Cn 
amination of only a few common pigments, and by 
no means exhaustively even with these; about some 
vehicles and diluents the information to be found in 
these pages is less meagre. 
There are five chapters in this book, an appendix 
containing thirteen tables, and an adequate index. 
Chapter i. is devoted to the determination of certain 
constituents of common paints, and deals with 
aluminium, barium, carbon dioxide, chromium, iron, 
lead, magnesium, manganese, silicon, sulphur, and 
zinc. In this chapter, which occupies only fourteen 
pages, we are struck with the inadequate, and even 
puerile, drawing of the CO, apparatus shown in the 
figure on p. 3, and with the confused nomenclature 
of the two oxides of chromium. For example, on 
pp. 4 and 5 we are told that ‘‘ all chromate compounds 
must be changed into the chromic state which is 
indicated by an intense green color,’’? and that this 
‘* oreen color is due to chromic salts.’’ The omission 
of any caution as to the non-volatile impurities 
commonly occurring in the hydrofluoric solution used 
in ascertaining the purity of silica is unfortunate. 
The properties of a few common pigments, such 
as Prussian blue, ultramarine, ivory-black, umber, 
Vandyke brown, the mixture of lead chromate and 
Prussian blue wrongly called chrome green, iron-red, 
genuine and imitative vermilion, a number of white 
pigments or adulterants, chrome yellow, red lead, 
yellow ochre, and the siennas are dealt with. This 
list serves to show how many of the finer and choicer 
pigments, namely, aureolin, cadmium yellow, viridian, 
and cobalt-blue, are excluded from consideration. Nor 
can we agree with everything we find in these pages. 
Ivory- and bone-black are not ‘‘ combinations of 
carbon, hydrocarbons, water and mineral matter.”’ 
Graphite does not possess a ‘‘ brownish gray ”’ colour; 
and there are many words wrongly spelt in this 
chapter, such as analine for aniline, and limionite 
for limonite. 
The examination of actual paints, and of such as 
are mixed ready for use, is dealt with in the third 
chapter. The preliminary treatment of oil-paints 
necessary before they can be tested or analysed is 
duly described. Chapter iv. is concerned with the 
matching of samples, while the final chapter is de- 
voted to vehicles. Here will be found a more 
adequate, detailed treatment of the subject. On pp. 
89-92, for instance, the curious drying oil called 
Chinese wood oil is described. This oil is used 
largely both in China and Japan, and is imported into 
America and Europe in increasing quantities. It is 
obtained from the seeds of Aleurites Fordii (Hemsley) 
and of other species of the same genus, as 4A. cordata 
and A. trisperma. Mr. C. H. Hall states (loc. cit.) 
that this oil, if heated to 285° C. to 300° C., suddenly 
solidifies into a jelly which is no longer soluble in the 
usual solvents, and cannot be reduced again to the 
liquid state. Mr. Hall’s statement that Chinese wood 
oil, even in small proportion, confers upon paints the 
property of drying without gloss, and may be used as 
a substitute for wax in painting media intended to 
produce a dull or matt surface, seems to merit par- 
ticular attention. 
NOMIOAt, VOLA75 
The thirteen tables of coefficients, and 
specific gravities which constitute the appendix to 
this volume will be found by the 
There is a full index. 
This little book, with all its imperfections and its 
immaturity, is not destitute of merit. 
constants, 
useful analyst. 
OUR BOOK SHELF. 
British Rainfall, 1905. (Forty-fifth annual volume.) 
By Dr. Hugh Robert Mill. Pp. 271. (London: 
Edward Stanford, 1906.) Price 
Tue forty-fifth issue of this annual volume tells us 
better than any mere description could do of the 
healthy and active state of this voluntary rainfall 
organisation. When it is considered that more than 
4ooo individuals scattered over the British Isles read 
their rain-gauges at 9 o’clock every morning, enter 
their results on a form, and send in monthly returns 
to the central bureau at 62 Camden Square, and do 
all this voluntarily, it is impossible not to admire this 
band of enthusiasts for their united efforts in so 
good a cause. 
The valuable collection of rainfall statistics is not, 
however, allowed to lie idle, for the energetic head 
of this organisation, Dr. H. R. Mill, with his small 
staff, brings all the facts together, and discusses the 
distribution of this rainfall both in space and time. 
The present volume shows how well this work is 
carried out, and the observers must feel a great 
amount of satisfaction in seeing their united efforts 
so ably handled. Fronting p. 64 is a map indicating 
the positions of the 4096 rain-gauges at present in 
use, and one can see at a glance the districts where 
observers are urgently needed. Treland and north 
and central Scotland are conspicuously in need of 
more volunteers, and it is hoped that many of the 
places mentioned in the text will soon be counted 
among the recording stations. 
As meteorological readers of Narure are fully 
acquainted with the general arrangement of the 
matter in these annual volumes, it is only necessary 
in this notice to direct attention to some of the dis- 
cussions on the collected statistics. Thus, after a 
brief review of the recent important publication on 
the “Precipitation in the North German River 
Basins,’’? compiled by Prof. Hellmann, we are pre- 
sented with some valuable data on the relation of 
evaporation from a water surface to other meteor- 
ological phenomena. The section on heavy falls on 
rainfall days in 1905 will be found very interesting 
reading, and the numerous maps show at a glance 
the distribution of these falls over the country. After 
sections dealing with the distribution of rainfall in 
time, and a discussion of monthly rainfall, we come 
to the relation of the total fall of rain in 1905 to the 
average. To sum up in a few words the result of 
this discussion. it may be said that for the whole of 
England and Wales the general rainfall for 1905 was 
16 per cent. below the average. In fact, so low was 
this figure that ‘except for 1ra02 and r893 there has 
not been so dry a year in England since the memor- 
able drought of 1887.”’ It will be interesting to see 
how the present year’s rainfall statistics compare with 
those of 1905. In 1903 Scotland as a whole had a 
deficiency of 5 per cent., while Ireland suffered to the 
extent of 12 per cent. 
In addition to a great number of tables, the text 
is well supplied with numerous suitable maps and 
illustrations, making the volume a valuable summary 
of British rainfall fer the past vear. 
IOs. 
Wella Sp Jee 
