January 25, 1906] 



NA TURE 



29: 



First Steps in Quantitative Analysis. By J. C. 



Gregory. Pp. vi+136. (London: Edward Arnold, 



1905.) Price 2s. 6d. 

 In this little book the author has aimed at "pro- 

 viding a grounding in the fundamental principles of 

 quantitative analysis. It includes the use of the 

 fundamental volumetric solutions and several gravi- 

 metric estimations." Of the existence of a consider- 

 able class of students whose requirements would be 

 satisfied by the scope of the work there can be little 

 doubt, and a small laboratory manual dealing with a 

 few typical gravimetric and volumetric processes 

 cannot be regarded as superfluous. The author's 

 choice of material leaves little to be desired, but ex- 

 ception may be taken to matters of detail. The 

 percentage strength of a solution is defined as the 

 number of grams of substance in one hundred cubic 

 centimetres, a definition which is scarcely acceptable 

 to the majority of chemists. The first alternative 

 method described on p. 64 for the preparation of a 

 normal sodium hydroxide solution may perhaps give 

 results accurate to 1 per cent., but is scarcely con- 

 sistent with the employment of a multiplying factor 

 containing five significant figures. Such inconsistency 

 in the use of significant figures is not infrequent, and 

 detracts considerably from the value of the book. On 

 p. 67 it is stated that " the specific gravity of strong 

 hydrochloric acid is 1.16 and the liquid contains 31-79 

 per cent, bv weight of hydrogen chloride " — the 

 temperature is apparently of no consequence what- 

 ever. A brief consideration of the theoretical side of 

 the methods and operations involved would have made 

 the book considerably more useful as an introduction 

 to quantitative analysis. H. M. D. 



Man: an Introduction to Anthropology. Bv Dr. 

 VV. E. Rotzell. Second edition. Pp. '186. (Phila- 

 delphia : J. J. McVey, 1905.) 

 The author of this book is a lecturer on botany and 

 zoology in Philadelphia, but the systematic details 

 he adopts are those of " Prof. Alexander Macalister, 

 of the University of Dublin, and of the late Prof. H. 

 Alleyne Nicholson, of the University of Toronto," so 

 no one can accuse him of being up to date in his own 

 subject. "Anthropology," he informs us, "seems to 

 be, unfortunately, one of those subjects about which 

 the vast majority of persons know very little," and 

 with a zeal which far exceeds his knowledge he 

 attempts to remedy this defect ; but it is evident his 

 information is second-hand, imperfectly comprehended, 

 and ill-digested. 



The following quotations will serve to substantiate 

 this criticism : — " The North Mediterranean branch 

 (of the White or European Race) comprises the 

 Basques, the Aryans, and the Caucasic peoples." 

 " The Indie group (of the Aryans) inhabit an ex- 

 tensive region of Southern Asia. At present there are 

 many different tribes and castes inhabiting the great 

 Indian peninsula, the forms of speech spoken by them 

 presenting numerous diversities "; except for a word 

 or two about Sanskrit and Buddhism, this is all that 

 is given on the ethnology of India. In his final 

 chapter, on the development of culture, Dr. Rotzell 

 puts forward the view that the blazing of trees was 

 the beginning of writing. 



Elementary Algebra. By W. G. Borchardt. Pp. 



vii + 4Q2 + lxiii. (London: Rivingtons, 1905.) Price 



4s. 6d. 

 The arrangement of the subject adopted in this work 

 differs from that adopted in many other works, sim- 

 plicity and ease for the beginner being the chief 

 object. The fundamental operations (addition, sub- 

 traction, multiplication) are illustrated graphically on 

 squared paper, and the solution of simple equations 



NO. 1X9I, VOL. 73] 



is given immediately afterwards, such subjects as 

 fractions, highest common factor, and lowest common 

 multiple being postponed; in fact, fractions are left 

 until the beginner has acquired a considerable skill 

 in the solution of equations. Great use is made of 

 graphic illustration, and by means of it many difficul- 

 ties are removed from the path of the beginner. 



The plan of the book leaves nothing to be desired 

 on the score of simplicity ; it is about the most simple 

 work that we have seen. The advanced part of the 

 book may be said to begin with chapter xxxii., which 

 treats of the theory of indeterminate equations. The 

 general theory of quadratics follows, as well as the 

 discussion of progressions, binomial and multinomial 

 theorems, &c. Every branch is illustrated by a large 

 collection of examples, with answers. 



Illustriertes Handbuch dcr Laubhohkunde. Part iv. 



By C. K. Schneider. Pp. 449-592. (Jena : 



G. Fischer, 1905.) Price 4 marks. 

 A portion of the Rosaceae is treated in this part, 

 beginning with Spiraea, passing from the Spiraeaceae 

 to the Rosacea; and then to Prunus. Why the author 

 distinguishes Spiraeaceae and Drupaceae as orders is 

 not obvious, but this causes no inconvenience to any- 

 one using the book for practical purposes ; and in this 

 connection it should be stated that the analytical 

 tables for running down the genera are made as 

 concise as possible, and that cross references are 

 inserted in the margin to facilitate the comparison 

 of subdivisions. 



The part includes three large genera, Spiraea, 

 Rubus, and Rosa ; while examining the Spiraeas in 

 the Boissier herbarium, Mr. Schneider came across 

 several specimens, chiefly Asiatic, that he regards 

 and has named as new species. In the case of Rubus, 

 a selection has been made of European types and a 

 number of foreign species that may be found suitable 

 for introduction into Europe. Undoubtedly the most 

 interesting portion is that devoted to the roses ; the 

 treatment follows very closely the arrangement given 

 by Keller in Ascherson and Graebner's synopsis, but 

 Keller's subsections are classed as sections, a system 

 that is of practical convenience, although it tends to 

 magnify the importance of the subsections. Amongst 

 the changes noted, Schneider follows Keller in super- 

 seding Rosa indica, L., by Rosa cliinensis, Jacq., and 

 Rosa damascena. Mill, perhaps on account of its 

 antiquity, is numbered as a species. 



Esquisse d'une Thiorie biologiqite du Sommeil. Bv 



Dr. Ed. Claparede. Extrait des Archives de 



Psychologic. T. iv. Pp. 114. (Geneve: H. 



Kundig, 1905.) Price 3.50 francs. 



In this essay, the contents of which have appeared in 



certain journals, the author first examines the various 



theories which have been propounded to explain the 



occurrence of sleep, and having found these wanting 



proceeds to formulate a theory of his own. 



The various theories of sleep are first classified and 

 discussed, and the difficulties in accepting them stated. 

 All the common theories regard sleep as a cessation 

 of function in the organism, a negative or passive 

 state or phase. The author, however, regards sleep 

 as an active state, a defensive mechanism of the 

 nature of a reflex action, an instinct which has for 

 its object the precipitation of the organism into a 

 condition of inertia whereby exhaustion is prevented. 

 We therefore sleep, not because we are exhausted or 

 asphyxiated or auto-intoxicated, but in order to ward 

 off such effects, and many interesting facts are quoted 

 in support of this hypothesis. The essay deals in a 

 concise and interesting manner with the whole sub- 

 jei 1 "I sleep, and is well worthy of perusal. 



