the coast, and one of them, Findon, has given its name 
to the “ finnan haddock.” The population is lowland 

































m the geology and meteorology of the country are 
vell up-to-date ; the author, for example, attributes 
the mild climate of Scotland to the south-west winds 
nd not to the discredited Gulf Stream, 
Zeitschrift fiir angewandte Geophysik. Unter stindiger 
_ Mitarbeit sahlreicher Fachgenossen. Herausgegeben 
_ yon Dr. Richard Ambronn. Vol. i., Part I. Pp. 32. 
(Berlin ; Gebriider Borntraeger, 1922.) 20s. 
VHILE the attention of geologists is justly turned 
to physical considerations, in view of our immense 
I ce of the inner constitution of the earth, it 
ay be questioned if it is wise at the present time to 
jaugurate a special journal for geophysics. The first 
art of the Zeitschrift fiir angewandte Geophysik is 
ssued under the editorship of Dr. R. Ambronn, of 
tingen, by one of the most enterprising firms in 
Its thirty-two pages are priced at twenty 
English shillings, which puts it beyond the reach of 
sientific men who are also taxpayers in our islands. 
e cannot help feeling that the money would be 
tter spent in supporting and, if necessary, enlarging 
he scope of one of the German geological journals 
iat have already won a world-wide reputation. 
_ Dr. Ambronn shows how the measurement of radio- 
tivity, of variations in gravity from point to point, 
the increment of temperature with depth, and of the 
fopagation of earthquake waves, subjects that truly 
long to the domain of geophysics, find their applica- 
ms in the search for ore-bodies, basins of light 
i , such as rock-salt, and of petroleum. Ab- 
s are given of papers which deal with these or 
subjects ; but they will surely fall under the 
tchful eye of the editor of the Geologisches 
fentralblatt, to mention only one well-known journal. 
Ve compliment Dr. Ambronn on his energy, but not 
his adding yet another care to our librarians, 
er casually his new periodical may appear. 
GA]: 
ys on the Depopulation of Melanesia. Edited by 
_ Dr. W. H. R. Rivers. Pp. xx+116. (Cambridge : 
At the University Press, 1922.) 6s. net. 
yr 
r is difficult to lay too much stress on the practical 
alue of this small collection of essays written by 
rembers of the Melanesian Mission and others. The 
act that the volume is edited by the late Dr. W. H. R. 
tivers is a guarantee both of accuracy and impartiality. 
Wm. Macgregor and Mr. C. M. Woodford, who 
rite from the point of view of the official, and Dr. 
peiser of Basle, who writes as an anthropologist, 
ily bear out the contentions of the members of the 
fission. The authors, without exception, agree that 
population in Melanesia is to be attributed largely 
the breaking up of custom which has followed contact 
vith the white man. When the spiritual power of 
the chief has been discredited in the eye of the native 
the white man, the temporal authority, which is 
ed upon it, fails to preserve traditional law, order, 
morality. Dr. Rivers, in a concluding essay, 
however, suggests that the most important factor is 
__NO. 2779, VOL. 111] 
145 
psychological. The native, he maintains, has lost all 
interest in life through the suppression of customs 
such as head-hunting, with which have disappeared a 
large number of closely related social activities. His 
suggestion that total suppression of such customs 
could be avoided by substitution of harmless elements 
is deserving of careful consideration. 
Quaker Aspects of Truth. By Dr. E. V. Brown. Pp. 
156. (London: The Swarthmore Press, Ltd., n.d.) 
5s. net. 
THE little book under notice consists of a series of 
lectures illustrating simply the Quaker attitude to 
various problems. In the chapter on biological ~ 
foundations, the author attempts to show that the 
fundamental doctrines of Quakerism, i.e. the acknow- 
ledgment of no final authority, whether Church or 
Bible, except the Word of God in the heart, are more in 
accord with the teachings of biological science than the 
dogmas of any other religion. The point of view is 
interesting, although it is doubtful whether the teach- 
ings of science, as such, are usefully fitted on as justi- 
fication for a body of religious beliefs. 
The author develops his contention that the Quaker 
ideal is Christianity from which all accretions in the 
form of Hebrew, Greek, and Roman sources have been 
eliminated. He also discusses the Quaker attitude 
towards war. 
The essays all set forth high moral ideals, for the 
value of which the moral life of the believer in them 
is the sole criterion. 
Chemistry of To-day: The Mysteries of Chemistry 
lucidly explained in a Popular and Interesting 
Manner free from all Technicalities and Formule. 
By P. G. Bull. Pp. .311. (London: Seeley, 
Service and Co., Ltd., 1923.) 8s. 6d. net. 
AccorDING to the preface, this is not intended as a 
text-book, but as an attempt to give some account 
of modern chemistry to the general reader. It should 
fulfil this object : the style is bright and interesting, 
the matter appears to be accurate, and an extensive 
field is covered—very superficially for a text-book, 
but probably adequately for the intended reader. 
There is perhaps too great a tendency to “ sensational ” 
topics—the frontispiece representing a well-known 
man of science ‘‘ bombarding” atoms half the size 
of himself with “nuclei of helium” as big as cricket 
balls, and producing a pyrotechnic display, is an 
example of what we mean by this criticism. There 
are good half-tone plates, but the line-drawings are 
poor. 
The Psychology of Society. By Morris Ginsberg. Pp. 
xvi+174. (London: Methuen and Co., Ltd., 1921.) 
5s. net. 
In short compass Mr. Morris Ginsberg discusses critic- 
ally with admirable lucidity the psychological basis 
on which much regent treatment of social problems is 
founded. He has a keen eye for essentials, and a sense 
of perspective. He presents tersely and fairly the 
salient arguments of writers who count and pronounces 
clearly and courteously well-considered judgment. A 
little book but a good one, 
