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NATURE 
[January 15, 1914 
resources, has modified the broad outlines of the 
Challenger results. It is of fundamental import- 
ance to the history of oceanography that the record 
of these early investigations should be made 
accessible once for all by the best authorities ; those 
authorities, to wit, to whom the researches them- 
selves were originally due. This has, of course, 
been done in great measure in the published 
narrative and reports of the Challenger Expedi- 
tion; but, as in all other undertakings of the same 
order of magnitude, there is a sort of aftermath 
of result, the fruit of incidental inquiries into 
special methods or of special subsequent oppor- 
tunities arising from the original main enterprise. 
These collateral results are necessary to complete 
the historic picture, both of the work and of the 
men who carried it out. 
It is, therefore, a matter for much satisfaction 
that this has now been done, in so far as the 
physical and chemical work is concerned, by the 
chemist and physicist of the expedition himself. 
Mr. Buchanan entered upon his work with nearly 
everything to plan and invent, both as regards 
what was to be done and how it was to be done, 
and he has continued and expanded it in many 
directions since, along lines similar in many ways 
to those followed on the Challenger. We welcome 
this volume of reprints of his original papers, both 
for historical reasons and for the permanent value 
of the results obtained. 
Of the fifteen papers reprinted in this book, two 
deal with the distribution of temperature under 
ice in Linlithgow Loch, describing observations 
showing the fallacy of the belief that the tem- 
perature of the water of a frozen lake is always 
that of the point of maximum density. With these 
exceptions, they are all concerned with oceano- 
graphical matters; either describing methods and 
results of experiment, as in the papers on absorp- 
tion of carbonic acid by saline solutions, on the 
composition of sea-water ice, on determinations of 
specific gravity, or on apparatus for deep-sea in- 
vestigation generally; or else giving the results 
of observations in special regions of the ocean. 
The lectures on “Laboratory Experiences on 
Board the Challenger,” and ‘“ Deep-sea Investiga- 
tion and the Apparatus Employed in it,” are of 
special historical value, as they describe in full 
detail the instruments and methods employed in 
deep-sea work from the time of Columbus up to 
and including the Challenger expedition itself. 
Mr. Buchanan’s work after the Challenger ex- 
pedition.was largely carried on in the cable ships | 
of the Silvertown Company, which afforded him 
special opportunities for research in connection 
with lines of soundings on the west coast of 
Africa. The results are embodied in important 
NO. 2307, VOL. 92 | 
papers on the “Dacia” shoal, on the land slopes 
separating continents and oceans, and on the 
exploration of the Gulf of Guinea. The remarlx- 
able submarine valleys running out from the 
mouths of the Congo and other West African 
rivers are described. 
OUR BOOKSHELF. 
Cabinet Timbers of Australia. By R. T. Baker. 
Pp. 186+ Ixviii plates. (Sydney: Technological 
Museum, 1913.) 
Tuis work directs attention to a section of 
Australian timbers which is especially suitable for 
cabinet work, furniture, and interior decoration. 
More than sixty species, belonging to twenty- 
one different natural orders, are described and 
illustrated, the natural colour and graining of each 
wood being depicted by the aid of colour photo- 
graphy. ‘here are also excellent illustrations in 
black and white of furniture and interior fittings. 
made from several of the woods. 
The coloured illustrations are the feature of the 
book. At first sight many of them give one the 
impression of being thin veneers, an impression 
only removed by fingering the surface of the 
picture. The very texture of the wood is so well 
brought out by this process that its working 
qualities can almost be predicted. We have 
placed actual specimens alongside the prints in 
several cases, and the majority of them match very 
closely. The text is not equal to the illustrations. 
Each plate is accompanied by a popular description 
of the timber and the uses to which it can be 
applied. but the information given is very meagre. 
This is followed by a condensed description of 
the tree in technical language which will only be 
understood by the trained botanist. The geo- 
graphical range of each tree is given, but little is. 
said about the supply available, which is one of 
the most important points for the trade. 
The main object of the author, however, is to 
interest Australians themselves in their native 
timbers and bring home to them the necessity for 
taking steps to prevent these valuable timber trees. 
being exterminated in the process of clearing the 
land for settlement. The book certainly brings 
out the fact that Australia possesses a rich assort- 
ment of beautiful cabinet woods exhibiting a wide 
variation in figure, texture, and colour, and the 
Empire, no less than the Commonwealth, will 
suffer an irreparable loss if steps are not taken to 
stop the present waste of this valuable heritage of 
natural wealth. 
Marsh’s Mathematics Work-book. Designed by 
H. W. Marsh. (New York: John Wiley and 
Sons, Inc.; London: Chapman and Hall, Ltd., 
1913.) Price 3s. net. 
Tuis book consists of about 250 blank unruled 
sheets of writing-paper of good quality, divided 
into two sections. Each section is fastened to the 
book-cover by two strong paper fasteners, so that 
the sheets may be removed as required. The 
cover is of substantial quality, having leather 
