22 
NATURE 
(May 8, 1873 
which Mr. Gladstone refers? Why should not the men 
of Cambridge say boldly that they wish their University 
to become again in the present what it was in the past? 
No government would dare to cripple such a noble work. 
As representing the then range of knowledge, and as 
seats of research centuries ago, our universities were un- 
equalled; at present in both these respects they are 
ridiculous, 
COUES’ AMERICAN BIRDS 
Key to North American Birds. By Elliott Coues, M.D, 
(Salem, U.S.) 
* tigen by no means small volume isjintended to give a 
concise account of every species of living and fossil 
bird at present known from the continent north of the 
Mexican and United States boundary. The reputation 
of the author, who is so well known by his works on the 
sea-birds, and for the anatomy of the loon, cannot but be 
increased by this production, which illustrates on every 
page the extent of his general information, and the sound- 
ness of his judgment. The subject is treated in a manner 
rither different from that usually adopted by systematic 
ornithologists ; less stress is laid on specific peculiarities, 
and more on the elucidation of the characteristics of the 
genera, families, and orders. There is a freshness and 
boldness in the manner in which the facts are handled, 
which will be extremely acceptable to those who look 
upon ornithology as a branch of natural history rather 
than an all-absorbing study of itself. We know of no 
work of the size which gives such a fair and reliable de- 
scription of the reasons that have led to the limitation of 
the ranges of the larger divisions which now obtain, and 
their inefficiency is in many cases rendered but too 
evident. The introduction, occupying nearly seventy 
pages, incorporates much of the work of the illustrious 
Nitzsch, which is daily becoming more fully appreciated, 
though neglected so long. We are surprised to find that 
the labours of Mr. Macgillivray have not been here done 
equal justice to, for there cannot be a doubt that the 
p2culiarities of the viscera are of as great importance in 
the classification of birds, and yet they are scarcely men- 
tioned ; in one instance we find it incorrectly stated that 
the caeca of the Cathartide are very small, the term must 
be here understood in its extreme sense, as they are 
absent altogether. 
The descriptions of the genera are clear and concise ; 
many of the peculiarities of the beak and primaries 
especially, are made more evident by the liberal intro- 
duction of excellent line drawings, as in the account of the 
genus Vireo, which is discussed much in detail ; and in most 
cases a picture of the whole bird, or the head, is given. 
A key is appended for discovering the genera with facility, 
constructed on the same principle as those employed by 
botanists. The paucity of the avian fauna in the region 
discussed, in comparison to that of the Southern Con- 
tinent, is made most manifest, and the few stragglers 
which have thence made their way north, serve well as 
illustrations of the classes which, were it not for them, 
would not find a place in a work on North American 
Birds. 
FLAMMARION’S ATMOSPHERE 
The Atmosphere, Translated from the French of Camille 
Flammarion, edited by James Glaisher, F.R.S., &c. 
(London : Sampson Low and Co., 1873.) 
Se some respects the volume before us may be consi- 
dered as the sequel to its equally sumptuous companion 
“The Forces of Nature.” For the ordinary reader must 
have some acquaintance with physics intelligently to 
follow the disentanglement of the various forms of energy 
—the mingled play of which give rise to the phenomena of 
meteorology. Nevertheless, M. Flammarion writes so 
lucidly and pleasantly, that a totally unscientific person: 
can read this work with enjoyment and instruction. On 
the other hand it contains much that will be of interest 
to the man of science, as well as to the mere d/ettante. 
The scope of the work is stated in the editor’s preface. 
It treats of the form, dimensions, and movements of the 
earth, and of the influence exerted on meteorology by the 
physical conformation of our globe; of the figure, height, 
colour, weight, and chemical components of the atmo- 
sphere ; of the meteorological phenomena induced by the 
action of light, and the optical appearances which objects 
present as seen through different atmospheric strata ; of 
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Fic. 1.—Section of a hailstone enlarged. 
the phenomena connected with heat, wind, clouds, rain, 
electricity ; and also ofthe laws of climate. These subjects 
are illustrated by ten admirable chromo-lithographs, and 
upwards of eighty woodcuts, but many of these latter 
we observe have already done duty in other French 
treatises. The coloured illustrations are quite works of 
art ; especially noteworthy are the representations of a 
sunset, of sunrise as seen from the Righi, and of a 
solar and a lunar rainbow. Science has more often given” 
than received aid from art, but the pages of this book 
show how much service art can render to science. The 
printing is remarkably well executed. 
The translation has been done by Mr. E. B. Pitman, 
and the task has been well discharged. The value of the 
original work is considerably increased by the careful’ 
revision it has received from Mr. Glaisher, and the addi- 
tions by him of many useful foot-notes. The tendency 
of M. Flammarion, like other popular French writers, to : 
run into grandiloquent language, has been in general sup- 
pressed ; though still a few cases remain that might well 
have been pruned. ; 
