160 
NATURE 
[Fame 26,1873 
the history of the calendar, the author has gone into a 
little more detail. To these “ Notes” have been subse- 
quently added some useful “ Notes on Algebra.” For the 
object aimed at the book is very fairly adapted. Some 
few further notes which will readily occur to the majority 
of teachers can be easily furnished to pupils using the 
“ Notes” for insertion, in addition to the printed ones. 
We have not tested the accuracy of the solutions given 
in the works we have here examined, 
OUR BOOK SHELF 
Official Guide-book to the Brighton Aquarium. By W. 
Saville Kent, F.L.S., F.Z.S. (Brighton, 1873, price 6d.) 
THE Brighton Aquarium is without doubt the largest 
and most extensive of the buildings which have been 
erected of late years for the exhibit on of aquitic animals. 
It also possesses the advantages of being at the seaside, 
and at the same time conveniently placed for access to the 
multitude of sight-seers. Though a large sum of money 
was spent upon its construction, we have been informed 
that good dividends are paid to the shareholders, and it 
would seem that the institution shows every symptom of 
favourable progress. In our eyes the issue of the present 
guide-book is a very welcome proof that Science will not 
be entirely neglected in the endeavours to attain material 
prosperity. Mr. Saville Kent’s guide-book is drawn up 
with a strictly scientific method, but at the same time a 
large amount of popular information is given in it, and it 
is well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended. 
The higher vertebrata of the Brighton Aquarium are 
at present but few in number, consisting only of porpoises, 
representing the order Cefaced, and the common seal, ex- 
emplifying the marine section of the Carnivora, and it is 
not likely that the representatives of these orders will be 
much increased in number. But the class of fishes is, on 
the other hand, very well represented, the Brighton In- 
stitution containing the best living series of these animals 
that has ever yet been brought together, and one that, as 
our weekly record of its progress shows, is continually 
increasing both in number and in variety. Mr. Kent’s 
guide-book furnishes the visitor with a short account of 
the principal facts that are known concerning the life- 
history of each of these fishes, and cannot fail to add 
greatly to the instruction to be derived from a visit to 
the Aquarium. After the fishes, which certainly form the 
leading feature in the Brighton establishment, and con- 
sequently the principal topic in the guide-book, Mr. Kent 
turns to the Invertebrate division of the animal kingdom, 
and gives a general sketch of the five groups into which 
it is now usually separated, and of their principal repre- 
sentatives in the Aquarium. This portion of the guide- 
book, we think, requires further development, and will 
doubtless receive it in a future edition. We also beg 
leave to suggest that a few illustrations in the way of 
woodcuts would be a valuable addition to the handbook, 
and would, moreover, be likely to assist very materially in 
extending its sale. The only illustration in the edition 
now before us is the ground-plan of the building, given as 
a frontispiece to the work, and showing the arrangements 
of the difierent tanks and rooms. Figures of some of the 
more remarkable inhabitants of the tanks would, in our 
opinion, render Mr. Kent’s book more attractive to the 
general visitors, and more useful to the scientific student. 
Chemistry for Schools. By C. Haughton Gill. With 
100 illustrations. Second edition. (London : Edward 
Stanford, 6 and 7, Charing Cross, 1873.) 
Mr. GILL’s little manual is intended either for private 
study or for class-teaching, and has special reference to 
the requirements of those who have to learn the small 
modicum of chemistry required for the matriculation ex- 
amination of the University of London. He has indicated 
the chapters necessary for the latter by a +, an act which 
we cannot at all approve. Surely, if even so light an 
examination as the one in question has to be undertaken 
in what may be to some a distasteful study, it is better to 
know too much than too little, and Mr, Gill’s little book 
is not such a very dreadful treatise that one need be 
afraid of reading it through. Ifthe examinations are to 
mean nothing more than the “getting up” of a set of 
special chapters written for the purpose, they had better 
by far be abandoned at once. With this exception we 
have little fault to find. Great care has been taken in 
arranging and systematising the work, though this has been ~ 
pushed rather far—the word “acid,” for instance, being 
almost banished. The great merit of the book is, how- 
ever, to be found in the very admirably-selected questions 
placed at the end of each chapter: we feel sure that any- 
one conscientiously endeavouring to understand and work 
these out would learn more, and that more thoroughly, 
than he would by a vast amount of desultory reading and 
rambling through of larger works. We would say to any 
candidate for the London matriculation, “ Let him neglect 
Mr. Gill’s advice about the marked chapters, and work 
conscientiously through the book.” 
Report of the Rugby School Natural History Soctety for 
the Year 1872. (Rugby: Billington, 1873.) 
WE are sorry that the first words of this Report are 
words of complaint at the small number of real workers 
among the numerous members of this society ; some of 
the Sections we regret very much to be told, are either 
deserted or inactive. We hope no such complaint 
will be called for next year, and that the new regu- 
lation as to membership may be of service as a stimu- 
lus to work among the younger associates; by this 
new rule the number of members is henceforward 
limited to 15, for the purpose of making election to 
membership. a real distinction. To judge from the 
number and value of the papers in the Report, there 
are, after all, not a few really good workers among the 
members. Of the various selected papers and reports 
one-half are by members who were actual pupils of the 
school at the time they were written. B. R. Wise’s paper 
“On the Earliness of the Season” (1872), shows the 
possession of a power of observation which, if carefully 
cultivated, ought to produce good results. The same 
may be said of A. G, Burchardt’s paper on “ The Work 
of the Anatomical Section,” which contains an account of 
some of the animals found in the Rugby district, and 
some very useful directions on the preservation of speci- 
mens. E. J. Taylor’s account of ‘‘A Visit to Norway” 
is interesting, and shows the author can make use of his 
eyes. L. Maxwell’s essay on “ Spectrum Analysis,” well 
deserves the Society’s Prize, which was awarded to it: 
the author shows that he possesses a clear idea of the 
nature of Spectrum Analysis, the principles on which it 
is based, and the many valuable purposes it is calculated 
to serve. It is accompanied by some rough but intelli- 
gible drawings of various absorption spectra, The second 
prize was awarded to an intelligent paper by H. N. 
Hutchinson on “ Motive Power,” in which the author 
describes and illustrates various substitutes for coal as 
generators of motive power, including an ingenious flux 
motor, or tidal engine. Among other interesting papers 
we would mention the valuable observations on //iffo- 
campus brevirostris, by the Rev. T. N. Hutchinson ; 
and some very curious facts as to protective mimicry in 
spiders, communicated by the Rev, C. W. Penny. From the 
Astronomical Report, by Mr. Wilson, we learn that a 
large amount of good work is being done, especially in 
solar observation. Appended to the report are Messrs. 
Lockyer and Seabroke’s paper “ On a New Method of 
Viewing the Chromosphere ;” and a report on the No- 
vember Meteors, by L. Maxwell. The Meteorological 
Observations seem to have been regularly and carefully 
taken, though we hope there will be more to report in the 
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