236 
NATURE 
[JANUARY 3, 1907 
Mr. N. M. Knipowitsch has compiled a volume of 
more than 1500 pages, embodying the results of much 
research, under the title of ‘ Bases of the Hydrology of 
the European Ice-ocean’’ (i.e. Barents and the White 
Seas). The author proposes to give a full and exact picture 
of the physical geography of the ice-ocean, so far as that 
is possible at the present time, to record some deductions 
with regard to biology and geology, and to construct a 
firm groundwork for future investigations. He modestly 
leaves his conclusions open for future proof, but none the 
less must be congratulated on the accomplishment of this 
work, which will unquestionably be of great value to 
students of marine conditions. Accordingly, Mr. 
witsch reviews previous literature, gives lists of tempera- 
ture at many points, tables indicating degrees of saltness, 
differences of temperature according to depths, analyses of 
sea-water, its clearness and colour, with chapters on 
hydrology, biology, and geology, a series of about sixty 
practical deductions, and appendices. A short abstract in 
German appears at the end. The author refers to other 
works of his own, to Scandinavian authorities, e.g. 
Nansen and Pettersson, and to men of a former gener- 
ation, as Scoresby, and the Siberian explorer Middendorf. 
Vol. xxviii. of the Transactions of the Novo-Rossisk 
Society of Naturalists, of Odessa, shows that the labours 
of a relatively small body have produced very important 
results. The work opens with an appreciation of the late 
president, Prof. R. A. Prendel. Botanists will delight in 
the exhaustive examinations during two summers by Mr. 
I. Okinshevitch of the forests of northern Bessarabia, 
which, he says, ‘‘ in spite of the rich and abundant nature 
of this country, is very little known from the natural 
history point of view.’’ The Pliocene and _ post-Pliocene 
deposits in south Bessarabia are the subject of a study 
by Mr. Grigorovitch-Berezovsky. Mr. M. S. Pantchenko 
describes the hydrological work of the late Admiral S. O. 
Makaroff; it was he who finally settled disputed points 
with regard to the navigation of the Bosphorus, after 
careful survey; the cruise of the Vitiaz round the world 
resulted in the collection of comparative data from different 
seas ; but Makaroff is perhaps best generally known as the 
designer of the ice-breaker Yermak. His untimely death 
deprived Russia of one of her greatest practical men of 
science. Mr. A. Brauner writes extensively on the reptiles 
and amphibia in several provinces. The volume concludes 
with the report of the society for 1904. 
The Tungus race of Siberia has been studied by Mr. S. 
Patkanoff, who devotes a volume to the Tunguses proper 
and another to the Manzhurs, Daures, Solones, and other 
tribes. The Russians first came into contact with the 
Siberian aborigines early in the seventeenth century, while 
the Cossacks were extending the conquests initiated by 
the famous Yermak in the reign of Ivan the Terrible. 
The Tunguses formerly occupied a large territory, but 
were driven northwards by the incursions of Buriats, 
Yakuts, and other Asiatics, as well as of Russians. The 
Cossacks observed that a certain amount of culture was 
known to the Tunguses, who wore iron helmets, shields, 
and chain-mail in battle. The principal occupations of 
these people are breeding of deer, hunting, and fishing. 
The pure type is now difficult to trace, owing to admixture 
with other races for some considerable period. Travellers 
have paid high tribute to their many excellent qualities in 
comparison with other Asiatics, especially as regards 
honesty. Middendorf found strong mountaineering charac- 
teristics among the Tunguses, probably survivals of an 
earlier period. Kastren styled them “ the noblemen among 
Siberian tribes.’’? Various tribes are dealt with as care- 
fully by the same author in the second volume, which also 
contains notes on the languages and dialects, with speci- 
mens, a map of Siberia illustrating the distribution of 
Tungus tribes, and another showing their position in the 
Amur region. "This work evinces the thoroughness with 
which the Russians are studying and mastering the varying 
conditions and populations of the vast territories owning 
the Tsar as sovereign. 
Messrs. B. M. Zhitkov and S. A. Buturlin have compiled 
an interesting volume of materials for the ornithology of 
the Simbirsk government, though they do not claim that 
it is exhaustive, and have not covered all the ground. The 
groups dealt with comprise Pygopodes, Longipennes, 
NO. 1940, VOL. 75] 
Knipo- | 
Limicola, Alectorides, Gallina, Columbz, Lamellirostres, 
Herodiones, and Rapaces. The area is largely broad, 
cleared steppe country, with a fauna such as might be 
expected in a corn-growing region. Oases of forest or 
grass land, with abundance of water at intervals, intersect 
the monotonous plains, and shelter corresponding forms of 
animal life. The authors have spent fifteen years in 
observation and collection of materials. 
In a report on a geological investigation extending from 
Mukden to Liao-yang, shortly before the Russo-Japanese 
war, Mr. Y. S: Edelstein, a Russian explorer, writes :— 
“ Many people consider Manchuria a country of extra- 
ordinary richness in minerals. This fame does not rest 
on sufficient evidence, as in the first place the question of 
quantities and qualities of useful minerals in Manchuria 
is still too little known, and in the next, even in the 
present condition of our knowledge of Manchuria, it is 
scarcely possible to doubt that many areas of Siberia, the 
Urals, and Europe surpass it in this respect.’ Auriferous 
sand, thanks to barbarous and primitive ae of work- 
ing, loses the major part of its value in the eyes of a 
European contractor, and the extensive employment of 
modern machinery is the only way to secure advantage 
from working. 
In his account of a botanical expedition in Ossetia and 
Colchis (Transactions of the Imperial Russian Geographical 
Society, vol. xxxviii., No. 3), Mr. V. V. Markovitch writes 
that the beech of the Ossetian forests, considered by 
botanists as being identical with the species Fagus 
silvatica, L., of western Europe, was discovered by Lipsky 
to be a new species, and styled by him Fagus orientalis, 
Lipsky. Lipsky based his conclusions largely upon differ- 
ences in fruit. Mr. Markovitch finds that the lignine of 
the Caucasian beech does not resemble that of Fagus 
silvatica. The German name Rotbuche is due to the 
colouring of the lignine after hewing, which does not 
occur in that of the Caucasian variety, which remains 
white. 
THE BRUSSELS “SOCIOEO GICAL SO CiEim ver 
“T HERE are at the present day many earnest students 
of sociology. It is only natural, therefore, that we 
should find societies for the investigation of sociological 
questions springing up. The publications of the Instituts 
Solway for 1906 are already fairly bulky, though as yet 
we have the output for the first half of the year only. 
There are seven “‘ fascicules,’’ the largest of which con- 
tains three hundred pages. One, possibly two, of the 
papers contained in them, though not to a great extent 
original, may be described as distinctly able. The aim of 
the first paper (by E. Solway) is to prove that sociology 
must be founded on biology. Of course, if the nature of 
a society is to be investigated, it is well, as a preliminary, 
to learn all that is to be known about the individuals of 
which it is composed. It is well to make this clear at the 
outset, but it may be doubted whether anything is gained 
by arguing this out elaborately and mathematically. 
The second paper (by E. Waxweiler) sketches the methods 
of sociology. A young science must, of course, try to be 
ultra-scientific. It is sure to be decried as an upstart that 
has no right to claim admission to the pantheon of the 
sciences. It is bound to insist that there shall be no 
vagueness of terminology, and that words shall be accu- 
rately used. Our author is quite right to emphasise the 
importance of such matters. When he goes onto deal 
with evolution, we find much with which we cannot agree. 
The struggle for existence he seems to count almost as a 
myth, and he would substitute for it the idea of “‘ an 
irresistible tendency towards life.”’ Such big, vague 
assumptions are far more unscientific than the casual 
methods which our author condemns. So at least it seems 
to the present writer. A little further on we find living 
organisms divided into three classes—‘‘ vegetables, animals, 
and men.” 
The third paper (by R. Petrucci) is, like the second, a 
long one. It deals with the natural origin of property. 
The author is no doubt right when he maintains that, in- 
dependently of legislation, there may be property and 
1 ‘‘TInstituts Solway—Travaux de l'Institut de Sociologie.”” Parts 
1-5 and 7. (Bruxellesand Leipsig: Misch and Thron, 1996.)* 
