288 
much more studied by chemists had crystallographers 
ayoided following the two latter distinguished men. It 
is difficult to understand such a view for, as far as de- 
scriptive crystallography is concerned, the Weissian and 
Millerian notations are practically identical except in the 
rhombohedral system, where different axial systems are 
adopted. The advantages of Miller’s trigonometrical 
methods of calculation are acknowledged by many who, 
through long familiarity, invariably use the geometrical 
methods, and no one who is acquainted with both can 
hesitate as to the one he will employ, 
The work is a fresh monument of Prof. Rammelsberg’s 
indefatigable industry and skill in arranging and con- 
densing a vast amount of material, and is a worthy addi- 
tion to the long list of works on chemistry and crystallo- 
graphy with which science has been enriched by him, 
OUR BOOK SHELF 
The Encyclopedic Dictionary: A New and Original 
Work of Reference to all the Words in the English 
Language. By Robert Hunter, M.A., F.G.S. _Illus- 
trations. Vol.I.: A—Cab. (London: Cassell, Petter, 
and Galpin. No date.) 
The Imperial Dictionary of the English Language: A 
complete Encyclopedic Lexicon, Literary, Scientific, 
and Technological. By John Ogilvie, LL.D. New 
Edition, carefully revised and greatly augmented. 
Edited by Charles Annandale, M.A. 3000 Engravings. 
Vol. I.: A—Depascent. (London; Blackie and Son., 
1882.) 
No better evidence could be adduced of the extent to 
which science has permeated modern life and literature 
than the prominence given to scientific terms in these 
two dictionaries. Words which a few years ago were 
confined only to technical vocabularies and were known 
only by specialists, are in these reference-books for gene- 
ral use found side by side with the vocabularies of 
Chaucer, Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Dickens. The 
many illustrations, too, are to a large extent derived from 
science, while the great advances recently made by a 
scientific study of language are shown in the etymologies. 
Mr. Hunter's undertaking is one of great magnitude, a 
combination of the dictionary and encyclopaedia, an ac: , 
count of things as well as words. To judge from the 
first volume, it is likely to turn out a work of great prac- 
tical utility. The vocabulary is as complete as could be 
desired, and the treatment of the various terms full, con- 
cise, accurate, and methodical. Mr. Hunter includes 
terms in the oldest English, and the scientific vocabulary 
is so full that it will be found of service even to specialists. 
The special terminology of botany, zoology, and chemistry 
is included, and, so far as we have tested, all those 
terms which have originated in the recent rapid advances 
of science. The numerous illustrations are carefully and 
nicely executed, and the etymologies give evidence of the 
study of the best authorities; though sufficient care is 
not always taken to distinguish between cognates and 
derivatives. Mr. Hunter has been “assisted in special 
departments by various eminent authorities’’ ; indeed he 
could never have adequately carried out his undertaking 
without such assistance. We wonder, however, who his 
botanical assistant is. Under Botany we have a short 
history of the science, in which its classifications by 
various authorities are given; in Modern Botany, for 
example, we have first Lindley, then Thomé, and finally— 
“ Robert Brown, jun.”’! 
Ogilvie’s Imperial Dictionary has held its place for 
about forty years, in spite of certain failings, especially 
in its etymology, It quite deserved the great reputation 
NATURE 
and popularity it had for so long, for it was really the 
most thorough and complete and practically useful dic- 
tionary in the language. It really, like Mr. Hunter's 
book, was a combination of dictionary and encyclopedia. 
It, however, greatly needed to be brought up to date, and 
this is what Mr. Annandale has attempted to do in the 
new edition, and the attempt has been successful, It is 
more concise than Mr. Hunter’s book, both in vocabulary 
and definition, but on this very account may be preferred 
by many, It ranges over the whole of English and Scotch 
literature, and its scientific department is as full as the 
most exacting reader could require. The definitions are 
given with care and accuracy ; the etymology is up to the 
latest research, and is concise and clear ; the illustrative 
quotations show extensive reading, and the illustrations 
are thoroughly intelligible and neat. 
the “Imperial” is likely to meet with as wide acceptance as 
it did when originally published. Both dictionaries are 
excellently printed. 
First Steps toa New Selenography,; in which it will be 
recognised that the Moon was once an Inhabited World. 
By John Jones. (Dundee: J. Leng and Co., 1881.) 
THE title of this little book is hardly in accordance with 
its contents. For it is not se/enografhy—the description 
of the features of our satellite—but se/enology, the theory 
of the mode of their formation, that the author has taken 
in hand; and the inhabitants to whom he proposes to 
introduce us will be found to be by no means, as we 
might have expected, ‘‘men in the moon,” but creatures 
of one of the lowest types of existence. 
ever, quarrel with this. But we are obliged to add that the 
writer has attacked his subject in rather a peculiar way. 
Having come into possession of a good telescope, he has 
satisfied himself, from three nights’ inspection of the 
Moon, that all former observers are in the dark, and that 
the real cause of her crateriform aspect is the building up 
of azo//s of coral reef in oceans of volcanic mud, while the 
mysterious brilliant streaks are due to the friction and 
polishing of a glacial period. Various theories, as our 
readers may be aware, have been proposed to account for 
the wonderful aspect which our satellite presents in a 
telescope, and which is not unencumbered with difficulty ; 
and the discussion, which has been going on for half a 
century, has by no means reached an uncontroverted 
solution. Nor can it be any disadvantage to the cause of 
truth that it should be thoroughly ventilated, and looked 
at from every point of view. But we must be forgiven for 
doubting whether the publication before us will advance 
the inquiry. We are loth to bear hard on any ingenious 
speculator, but we cannot persuade ourselves that the 
“crater-craze,” be it right or wrong, will be “exploded"’ 
by the observations of three nights. And as to the possi- 
bility, alleged in the “Epilogue,” that a meteor, “ col- 
liding with the extremities of projecting pinnacles of the 
lunar structures,’’ might demonstrate the theory to our 
senses by transferring a fragment of coral reef to the sur- 
face of our globe, the author we hope will excuse us for 
preferring to wait for the messenger before we acquiesce 
in the theory. 
The First Book of Knowledge. By Fredk. Guthrie, 
F.R.S. (London: Marcus Ward and Co., 1881.) 
From the style of this little book we should judge that it 
is intended for the use of School Board teachers in giving 
Object Lessons. It gives in simple language an idea of 
the nature of common objects, and also of the mode of 
their composition. Of course from a man of such well- 
known ability as Prof. Guthrie we may be quite sure that 
the book will be perfectly accurate and thoroughly good 
so far as its subject-matter is concerned. The manner, 
however, in which the knowledge to be communicated is 
arranged is by no means to be unreservedly praised. In 
endeavouring to be simple Prof. Guthrie has adopted a 
[ Yan. 26, 1882 
In its new form — 
We will not, how- | 
