JANUARY 17, 1907 | 
NATURE 
213 
this subject of Prof. T. Noack, who, after referring 
to certain errors by the copyist in the German edition 
of Herberstain’s work published in 1556 or 1557,‘ con- 
cludes as follows :—‘*‘ Der Bos primigenius hat sich 
aber zweifellos in verschiedene Lokalrassen gespalten, 
die viellicht auch verschieden gefarbt waren, den wir 
haben keinen Beweis dass alle Ure schwarz mit 
weissgrauem Ritckenstreif waren, der auch bei dem 
Herberstainchen Exemplar sehr gut angedeutet ist.”’ 
As the late Prof. Nehring was also convinced that 
Herberstain’s aurochs was black, it will require much 
more evidence than is offered in the present volume 
to make us believe that it was more probably red. 
As regards the section on British Cetacea, which 
occupies a large portion of the volume, we are glad 
to be able to accord almost unstinted praise to the 
author. Mr. Millais has seen for himself a consider- 
able number of the species he discusses in their native 
waters, and he is therefore able to write with 
authority regarding their habits and appearance. 
Many of his sketches and photographs are there- 
fe 
Fic. 3.-—-The Common Rorqual. 
fore of special value and interest. He has, of 
course, much to say with regard to the recent occur- 
rence of a number of sperm-whales in northern British 
waters, and as the result of these observations it may 
be hoped that the statement as to this species being 
an exclusively tropical and subtropical cetacean will 
in time disappear from text-books. It may be added 
that our author appears to be in some degree of 
uncertainty whether the right-whales, on the one 
hand, and the finners and humpbacks on the other, 
represent families or subfamilies, since in one passage 
he refers to the two groups as being of subfamily 
rank, and yet gives their titles as Balanidz and 
Balzenopteridz. In referring to the horny ‘‘ bonnet ”’ 
and tubercles on the head of the southern right- 
whale, the author makes no reference to the important | 
observations of Prof. E. Lénnberg in his account of 
the cetaceans of South Georgia; this, however, may 
be due to the latter having been published too late | 
for mention. 
That the present volume and its fellows will do 
something to arouse greater interest among the 
wealthy classes (for it is not a poor man’s bools) in 
the mammals of the British Isles may be sincerely 
1 In one place Noack gives the date as 1556 and in a second as 1557. ; 
NO. 1942, VOL. 75] 
From ‘‘ The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland.” 
hoped. In all that relates to the habits of the animals 
he describes, and likewise in matters connected with 
sport, the author, who is an energetic and enthusiastic 
field-naturalist, may be taken, at all events in the 
main, as a trustworthy guide. On the other hand, 
from what has been stated above, it is evident that in 
matters connected with systematic zoology it will be 
advisable for his readers to consult the writings of 
trained zoologists before taking all Mr. Millais has 
to say as gospel. Re. 
THE MATHEMATICAL TRIPOS AT 
CAMBRIDGE. 
Nee only have physicists and engineers and other 
men who apply mathematics been anxious for 
many years for reform at Cambridge, but everybody 
who has wished to see the study of mathematics 
retain its place in general education. Again, nearly 
all who are interested in the training of those mathe- 
maticians who are expected to devote 
their lives to original investigation have 
expressed much the same anxiety. The 
long-considered principles of a proposed 
large reform were brought before’ the 
Senate eight months ago in a report of 
the mathematics board, to which were 
appended twelve resolutions supported 
by every one of the mathematical pro- 
fessors and university lecturers “in 
mathematics; and these resolutions, 
after they had been before the Senate 
five or six months, were voted upon and 
carried by majorities varying from 
10 per cent. to 4o per cent. on October 
25, 1906. 
To carry out these resolutions, regula- 
tions for the examination have been pre- 
pared, and must be approved at an early 
meeting, but at this late hour a force 
is being organised which means, not 
merely to oppose the regulations, but to 
kill all hopes of reform by reversing the 
recent decision of the Senate. 
The proposed syllabus of subjects for 
part i. includes geometry, algebra and 
trigonometry, and analytical geometry, 
with elementary work in the infini- 
tesimal calculus, dynamics, and optics. 
It seems to us very good, and will no doubt in 
time in the hands of the mathematics board be- 
come excellent. Six papers’ will be set, each 
paper possibly containing questions from all parts 
of the syllabus. The questions in the physical sub- 
jects will be of such a character as to test know- 
ledge of the physical phenomena and their rela- 
tions, and not merely an ability to deal with the 
analytical developments of hypotheses. A large pro- 
portion of such riders as.are set will consist of simple 
examples illustrating numerically or otherwise the 
corresponding theory. In their answers candidates 
will not be restricted to the use of the methods in- 
dicated in the syllabus. The most important regula- 
tions are that a student may take part i. in his 
second term, and that the three lists of honour men 
shall be placed in alphabetical order. 
Schedule A of part ii. is not only an excellent 
course on mathematics, including elementary parts 
of the theory of functions and differential equations, 
but it includes those parts of dynamics, hydro- 
mechanics, astronomy, electricity, and optics (we wish 
we could say physical optics) which give the best 
illustrations of the applications of the mathematical 
part, illustrations which must be interesting even to 
