April 20, 1899] 



NA rURE 



581 



on the subjects of which they treat ; and there can be no 

 hesitation in saying that the present issue is in all 

 respects the equal of its forerunners. Not only will it be 

 acceptable to American sportsmen, but it will be of still 

 more \ alue to those of their British brethren who are 

 desirous of trying wild-fowl shooting on the further side 

 of the Atlantic. 



In the old days the author is of opinion that North 

 America contained more wild fowl than any other part of 

 the world ; and it is a matter of unfeigned regret to hear 

 that the great armies of these valuable birds are at the 

 present day represented only by a relatively small number 

 of survivors. If, indeed, active measures are not taken 

 for the protection of such survivors, there is but too much 

 reason to fear that in many districts wild fowl will become 

 as extinct as the bison. It is to be hoped, therefore, that 

 the two (Governments concerned will at once take the 

 necessary steps to prevent such a deplorable result. 



Not the least important part of Mr. Elliot's volume is 

 to be found in the protest against the excessive splitting 

 characteristic of modern zoological work, especially in 

 America. It may candidly be admitted that in years 

 past zoologists erred in not according sufficient recog- 

 nition to local races and varieties ; but it is equally 

 evident that at the present day the pendulum is swinging 

 too far in the opposite direction. 



"I consider it," writes the author, '" most unwise and 

 injudicious to create even a sub-species whose only 

 character is that of size, especially when it is attempted 

 to separate birds of different lands which are so exactly 

 alike as not to be distinguished apart till the tape-line is 

 applied ; and even then the test fails at times, as they 

 are often found to be of the same dimensions. . . . The 

 fact that a species is found in Europe and America is no 

 reason whatever that the specimens from the two hemi- 

 spheres must be specifically, sub-specifically, or in any 

 other degree separable, simply because they come from 

 different localities." Although it may be old-fashioned, 

 this (in spite of an illogical statement in the concluding 

 sentence), in our opinion, is sound common sense, and 

 should give pause to some of the species-makers in the 

 States. 



The illustrations, for the most part by Mr. Edwin 

 Sheppard, maintain the high standard as regards accuracy 

 of detail of the earlier volumes ; but they appear to us 

 somewhat flat and wanting in tone. If we except -American 

 peculiarities of spelling, the work is all that can be desired 

 from the reader's point of view ; although we note a few 

 misprints, as imgt/s for unguis on p. xviii., and gad- 

 well in place of gadwall on p. 278. Moreover (p. 276), 

 the author has not followed the admirable example 

 of Mr. Evans in adopting the spelling Deudrocycna in 

 place of the common De/ni/'ocygna, whereby a hybrid 

 term is converted into a classical compound. R. L. 



An Introduction to Stellar Astronomy. By W. H. S- 

 .Monck, M.A., F.R.A.S. fp. 203. (London : 

 Hutchinson and Co., 1899.) 

 The contents of this book are v»ry different from what 

 the title led us to expect. We have failed to discover in 

 what sense it can be regarded as an introductory work, 

 unless it be an introduction to " arm-chair" researches in 

 astronomy, or to the author's views on certain astro- 

 nomical subjects. A perusal of the book leaves us with 

 the uncomfortable feeling that the author looks upon 

 practical observers as so many of his subordinates, and 

 considers himself in a much better position than they to 

 discuss the results of observations. Accordingly the 

 book deals very largely with the author's opinions, and 

 the words " I think" occur so often as to prove weari- 

 some. 



Nevertheless, as is well known, the author is an earnest 

 thinker, and some of his suggestions may be helpful in 

 directing future inquiries. Some of his views, however 

 NO. 1538, VOL. 59] 



are not likely to prove acceptable to astronomers who are 

 capable of connected thought as well as of making ob- 

 servations. Among these may be mentioned the idea 

 that the cooling of a star like the sun may result in a star 

 with a spectrum approaching that of Sirius (p. 101), or 

 that some of the different stellar types may be evolved 

 from different kinds of nebukx (p. 160). 



In dealing with matters involving an intimate ac- 

 quaintance with stellar spectra, the author would do well 

 to make himself familiar with the published photographs, 

 and not to attach undue weight to very broad classifica- 

 tions. It would be greatly to the advantage of readers, 

 too, if some pictorial representation were given of the 

 different stellar types to which reference is so frequently 

 made. 



The book furnishes further testimony to the great 

 value of the work of Dr. Isaac Roberts, not only to the 

 science of astronomy, but also for purposes of book 

 illustration. 



Electrolysis and Eleclrosynthesis of Ors;anic Compounds. 



By Dr. VValther Lrib. Translated by H. W. F. 



Lorenz, A.M., Ph.D. Pp. xiii + 103. '(New York; 



John Wiley and Sons. London : Chapman and Hall, 



Ltd., 1898.) 

 In view of the many interesting results which have 

 recently been obtained by the application of electrolytic 

 methods to organic chemistry, the publication of this 

 little work in the English language is distinctly opportune. 

 .As a guide to the literature relating to the electrolysis of 

 organic compounds it will be of especial service to the 

 investigator, containmg, as it does, a practically com- 

 plete list of references to the original memoirs (including 

 patent specifications). The account of the contents of 

 these is, howe\er, generally very brief, in some cases so 

 brief that it amounts to little more than a subject-index. 

 The electrolysis of each compound, or group of chemically 

 similar compounds, is considered separately, and a list 

 of the products obtained \mder various conditions given. 

 The conditions are not, however, specified in most cases 

 with sufficient exactitude to permit of the repetition of 

 the experiment, even when these conditions are given in 

 the original memoir, and are of primary importance. 

 Greater attention to this point would have considerably 

 enhanced the value of the book, although, of course, it 

 would have added to its bulk. The general impression 

 left by the perusal of this interesting little work is that 

 the whole subject is yet in its infancy, and that the careful 

 study of the influence of E.M.F., temperature, nature of 

 the solvent, and of the electrodes and of other factors on 

 the electrolysis of organic compounds will yield, as in a 

 few cases it has already yielded, most interesting results. 



The translation, although on the whole satisfactory, 

 would have been better if the translator had not adhered 

 so closely to tlie original; " syntheticized " (p. 11), 

 " strong concentrated solutions " (p. 39) ; and contractions 

 such as " Brown-Walker," " Mulliken-Weems," are not 

 very happy. The electrical nomenclature is also loose : 

 "the potential of the electric current" is written several 

 times when the potential difference between the elec- 

 trodes is meant, and on p. i we find, " Being poor con- 

 ductors, the alcohols require strong currents for their 

 electrolysis," the current here being confused with the 

 potential difference. The translator has added a good 

 index. T. E. 



Report of Observations of Injurious Insects and Common 

 Farm Pests during the Year 1898, with Methods of 

 Prevention and Remedy. Twenty-second Report. By 

 Eleanor A. Ormerod, F.R.Met.Soc, &c. Pp. viii -F 138. 

 (London : Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, and 

 Co., Ltd., 1899.) 

 Miss Ormerod's useful reports are too well known to 

 need any commendation from us ; and we are pleased to 



