544 



NA TURE 



[September 29, 1904 



we have evidence that members of several distinct groups 

 of reptiles — the ichthyosaurs, the plesiosaurs, the marine 

 crocodiles, and the mosasaurs — were independently modified 

 for a marine existence, and there is no reason why a similar 

 state of affairs should not have occurred among mammals. 



This is doubtless true; but it has to be borne in mind 

 that, so far as we can see, the new discoveries in no wise 

 affect the alleged relationship of Zeuglodonto the Cetacea, 

 which, if well founded previously, apparently still remains 

 so. Moreover, if we remember rightly. Dr. Elliot .Smith, in 

 a recent paper on the brain of the Archaeoceti, has pointed 

 out very definite cetacean resemblances, which it would be 

 difficult to explain as due solely to parallelism. Again, if 

 we remove the Archseoceti from the cetacean line, there 

 are no possible ancestors for the whales to which we can 

 point, and, in the present comparatively advanced position 

 of the paliEontological record, it would be strange indeed 

 if the past history of the Cetacea (with the exception of 

 forms belonging to the existing groups) were an absolute 

 and complete blank. 



While according therefore to Prof. Fraas full credit for 

 having brought the zeuglodonts into phylogenetic relation- 

 ship with the creodont carnivores, we may be permitted, 

 perhaps, to reserve our judgment as to whether he has 

 succeeded in demonstrating the absence of relationship 

 between the former group and modern whales. 



R. L. 



FORTHCOMING BOOKS OF SCIENCE. 



lyrR. GEORGE ALLEN directs attention to :— " The 

 Glamour of the Earth," by G. A. B. Dewar, 



illustrated; " A Volume on Bird Life," by E. Selous, illus- 

 trated ; and " Recent Discoveries and Excavations in the 

 Forum, 1898 to 1904," by St. Clair Baddeley, illustrated. 



Mr. Edward Arnold announces : — " The Becquerel 

 Rays and the Properties of Radio-active Substances," 

 by the Hon. R. J. Strutt ; "The Chemical Synthesis of 

 Vital Products and the Inter-relations between Organic 

 Compounds," by Prof. R. Meldola, F.R.S. ; " Experimental 

 Researches with the Electric Furnace," by Prof. H. 

 Moissan, translated by Dr. A. T. de Mouilpied ; " Physical 

 Chemistry in Biology and Medicine," by F'rof. B. Moore; 

 " Astronomical Discovery," by Prof, H. H. Turner, F.R.S. ; 

 "The Theory of Optics," by Prof. A. Schuster, F.R.S.; 

 "Preliminary Practical Mathematics," by S. G. Starling 

 and F. C. Clarke; "The Evolution Theory," by Prof. A. 

 Weismann, translated by Prof. J. A. Thomson, two volumes, 

 illustrated ; " Nature Study in the House, Garden, and 

 Field," by Prof. L. C. Miall, F.R.S.; "Lectures on 

 Diseases of Children," by Dr. R. Hutchison; "A Manual 

 of Pharmacology for Students," by Dr. W. E. Dixon; 

 " Recent Advances in Chemical Physiologv," by Drs. A. P. 

 Beddard, L. Hill, F.R.S., J. J. R. Macleod, B. Moore, and 

 ^L S. Pembrey ; "Exercises in Arithmetic," oral and 

 written, by C. M. Taylor, part iii. ; " The Elements of 

 Trigonometry," by Dr. R. Lachlan and W. C. Fletcher; 

 " A Second Geometry Book," by J. G. Hamilton and F. 

 Kettle; and new editions of " Electrical Traction," by Prof. 

 E. Wilson; and "Human Embryology and Morphology," 

 by Dr. .•\. ICeith, illustrated. 



Messrs. Bailli^re, Tindall and Cox's list includes : — 

 " Manual of Anatomy " (University series), by Dr. A. M. 

 Buchanan; "Malignant Diseases of the Larynx," by P. 

 de Santi ; "Psychiatry," by Prof. Bianchi, translated by 

 Dv. J. H. Macbonald ; "Appendicitis," by H. W. Ailing- 

 ham ; " Guide to the Examination of the Throat, Nose, and 

 Ear," by Dr. W. Lamb; " .^fter-Treatment of Section 

 Cases," by Dr. W. J. S. McKay; "Aids to Pathology," 

 bv Dr. W. d'Este Emcrv ; " Aids to Sanitarv Law," by Dr. 

 H. G. Critchley; "Coroner's Duties," by R. H. Welling- 

 ton; "Ship Surgeons' Pocket-book," by W. E. Dawson; 

 "Surface Anatomy," by J. G. Morehead ; "Artistic 

 .\natomy of Animals," by Prof. E. Cuyer, translated by 

 G. Haywood ; " Diseases of Foot of the Horse," by H. C. 

 Reeks; " ^'eterinary Ophthalmology," by Captain H. T. 

 Pease; and new editions of " Handbook of Diseases of the 

 Ear," by R. Lake; " Diagnosis and Modern Treatment of 

 Pulmonary Tubeiculosis, with Special Reference to the Early 

 NO. 1822, VOL. 70] 



Recognition and Permanent Arrest of the Disease," by Dr. 

 A. Latham; "After-treatment of Surgical Operations," by 

 Dr. P. L. Mummery; "Manual of Veterinary Hygiene," 

 by Lieut. -Colonel F. Smith; " The Nutrition of the Infant," 

 by Dr. R. Vincent ; " The Rdntgen Rays in Medical Work," 

 by Dr. D. Walsh ; and " Handbook of Surgical Pathology," 

 by Dr. W. J. Walsham. 



The list of Messrs. W. Blackwood and Sons contains : — 

 "Philosophy as Scientia Scientiarum," by Dr. R. Flint; 

 and new editions of " The Ethics of Naturalism, a 

 Criticism," by Prof. W. R. Sorley ; and "The Forester, 

 a Practical Treatise on Planting," by Dr. J. Nisbet, two 

 vols., illustrated. 



In the list of Messrs. Burns and Oates, Ltd., we notice : — 

 " Stars without Stripes, being a Grand Review of the 

 Planetary System held by his Sovereign the Sun, with a 

 Foreword," by A. M. Gierke. 



Messrs. Cassell and Co., Ltd., promise : — " Serums, 

 Vaccines, and Toxines, in Treatment and Diagnosis," by 

 Dr. W. C. Bosanquet ; and "The Student's Handbook of 

 Surgical Operations," by Sir F. Treves, Bart., K.C.V.O., 

 abridged from the new edition of " The Manual of Operative 

 .Surgery," illustrated. 



The following are in preparation at the Clarendon 

 Press : — " The Ancient Races of the Thebaid, being an 

 Anthropometrical Survey of the Inhabitants of Upper Egypt 

 from the Earliest Prehistoric Times to the Mohammedan 

 Conquest of Egypt," by Dr. A. Thomson and D. Randall- 

 Maclver; Suess's "Das Antlitz der Erde," authorised 

 English translation, by Dr. H. Sollas, edited by Prof. W. J. 

 SoUas, F.R.S., with preface written by Prof. Suess for the 

 English translation ; " Index Kewensis Plantarum Phanero- 

 ganiarum. Supplementum secundum, nomina et synonyma 

 omnium generum et specierum ab initio anni 1896 ad finem 

 anni 1900 complectens " ; Goebel's "Organography of 

 Plants," authorised English translation, by Prof. I. Bayley 

 Balfour, F.R.S., vol. ii., "Special Organography"; "A 

 Geometrical Political Economy : being an Elementary 

 Treatise on the Method of Explaining some of the Theories 

 of Pure Economic Science, by means of Diagrams," by H. 

 Cunynghame, C.B. ; " India," by Sir T. Holdich, K.C.I.E. ; 

 and "The Farther East," by A. Little. 



Messrs. T. and T. Clark announce : — A new series, " The 

 Library of Ancient Inscriptions," in which will appear 

 " Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts, and Letters," 

 by the Rev. C. H. W. Johns; " History of the Discovery 

 and Decipherment of the Ancient Inscriptions," by Prof. 

 C. F. Kent and Dr. G. A. Reisner ; "Babylonian and 

 Assyrian Epics. Penitential Psalms, Proverbs, and Religious 

 Texts," by Prof. F. Delitzsch ; "Egyptian Religious, 

 Magical, Medical, and Scientific Texts, Legal and Business 

 Documents," by F. L. Griffith; " .\ssyrian Historical In- 

 scriptions," by Prof. M. Jastrow ; "Inscriptions of Pales- 

 tine, Syria, and .Arabia," by Prof. C. C. Torrey ; " Egyptian 

 Tales, Proverbs, Poems, and Belles-Lettres," by Prof. 

 Maspero ; "Egyptian Historical and Biographical Inscrip- 

 tions," by Prof' W. Max Muller. They also promise " By 

 Nile and Euphrates : a Record of Discovery and Adventure," 

 by H. V. Geere. 



Mr. W. B. Clive's list contains : — " A Higher Text-book 

 of Magnetism and Electricity," by Dr. R. W. Stewart; 

 "Technical Electricity," by Prof. Davidge and R. W. 

 Hutchinson ; " Preliminary Geometry (part i., the Junior 

 Geometry), for the Preliminary Cambridge Local," by 

 W. P. Workman; "Tutorial Geometry," by W. P. Work- 

 man; " School Magnetism and Electricity," a school course 

 by Dr. R. H. Jude; "Properties of Matter"; "Practical 

 Physics"; " First Stage Theoretical Organic Chemistry," 

 by R. A. Lyster; " First Stage Physiology " ; " First Stage 

 Human Physiology"; " First Stage Applied Mechanics"; 

 " Deakin's Algebra," scholarship edition; "Scholarship 

 Geometry"; "Scholarship Graphs"; "Scholarship 

 Elementary Science," section i. ; ' Scholarship Elementary 

 Cheniistrv" ; "Scholarship Elementary Astronomy": 

 " Scholarship Elementary Biology "; " Deakin's Algebra," 

 certificate edition, by Rupert Deakin ; "Deakin's Euclid," 

 certificate edition, Books i., ii., iii., iv. (i-io), vi. (1-4), 

 by R. Deakin; "Graphs," the graphic representation of 

 algebraic functions; General Elementary Science, part i,. 

 " Physiography," part ii., " Biology "; part i. " School 

 and Home Hygiene," by R. A. Lyster; and new editions 



