NATURE 



[September 29, 19 10 



urged by this increased interest, and rendered neces- 

 sary by the extraordinary modern progress of the 

 science, is not behind the demand. That diverse tastes 

 and capacities have to be catered for is clearly seen 

 in the characters of the above books. The first, con- 

 densed, but logical and lucid, will appeal essentially 

 to the lover of astronomy having a mind comparatively 

 trained to precise thinking-, while the second frankly 

 provides for the reader who needs spoon-feeding, and 

 likes printed talk. 



(i) A simple account of the methods and results 

 in astronomy, without unnecessary detail, and clearly 

 stated for the student and general reader, is the aim 

 and in great part the achievement of this handy 

 little manual. Such faults as the book possesses 

 spring mostly from a too great conciseness. In such 

 subjects as the finding of the solar parallax and the 

 estimation of the distance of the Milky Way, it is 

 better to keep in mind the weaker brethren than the 

 resolute student. Too great economy of words ceases 

 to be a virtue. Jumps, however, requiring undue 

 intellectual effort on the part of the reader are not 

 of frequent occurrence,- while the general precision 

 and clarity are ample compensations. 



The work is comprehensive in scope, embracing the 

 ancient astronomy and its development through the 

 Copernican system to the most modern outlook on 

 the universe. Recent work on astrophysics, the more 

 intimate study of suns, near and far, is effectively 

 presented. Very few mistakes have been noticed, 

 though what seems an erroneous inference from 

 diagram Ixxxiv. leads to the inversion of the relative 

 masses of Sirius and its companion, while it might 

 be inferred from a statement on p. ii6 that a mag- 

 netic field is a property of all sun-spots. This cer- 

 tainly is not proven. 



The reproductions are effective and well chosen, and 

 the diagrams, while elTicient, have a home-made look 

 about them which is quite pleasant, though the prac- 

 tice of using Roman numerals to indicate them seems 

 wholly without virtue. An efficient and tasteful bind- 

 ing and handy format are further recommendations 

 for a remarkably cheap book. 



(2) Though dealing somewhat discursively with such 

 parts of astronomy as are of most popular appeal, the 

 common sense and individuality of the writer prevent 

 the treatment from becoming banal. To the man in 

 the street interested in the phenomena of the skies, 

 the book may be recommended, and he will no doubt 

 read it with interest and profit. In great part the 

 author restricts himself to the realm of naked-eye 

 astronomy. Both the manner and matter and the 

 definiteness with which the subject is treated suggest 

 and encourage a practical acquaintance with the 

 phenomena on the part of the reader. The earth and 

 its movements, stars and planets, sun-spots and 

 comets,. and the changes of the moon are among the 

 subjects informingly and chattily dealt with. A 

 brightly and amusingly written chapter on astronomers 

 and their work gives an excellent account of a much 

 misunderstood profession. The inset reproductions 

 are sufficientl\- good, but the general appearance of 

 the book might certainly be improved. 

 NO. 2135, VOL. 84] 



-l/.l/v'/.VE BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN 

 BRITISH SEAS. 

 (i) BuUftin Trimcstrie : Conseil Permanent Inter- 

 national pour r Exploration de la Mer. Risumi des 

 Observations sur le Plankton des Mers explorecs par 

 le Conseil pendant les Amides, 1902-1908. Edited 

 by H. M. Kyle. Part i. Pp. xxxiv + 79, and 10 

 plates. (Copenhague : And. Fred Hdst et Fils, 

 iqio.) 

 {2) The Decapod Natantia of the Coasts of Ireland. 

 By Stanley M. Kemp. .Scientific Investigations, 

 igo8, Department of Agriculture and Technical In- 

 struction for Ireland, Fisheries Branch. Pp. 190 + 23 

 plates. (Dublin: 1910.) Price 3s. 6^. 

 (3) Report of a .Survey of the Trawling Grounds on the 

 Coasts of Counties Down, Louth, Meath, and Dub- 

 lin. By E. W. L. Holt. Part I., Record of Fish- 

 ing Operations. .Scientific Investigations, iqog, 

 No. I, Department of Agriculture and Technical In- 

 struction for Ireland. Pp. 53S + 2 plates. (Dublin: 

 1910.) Price 3^. 

 (i) T N 1908 the International Council resolved to 

 J- prepare a report on the plankton work carried 

 out by the countries participating in the international 

 fisheries investigations, and the present bulletin con- 

 tains the first instalment of this report. The bulletin 

 begins with lists of the stations and times of investi- 

 gation, and of the kinds of nets employed and the 

 occasions on which they were worked. Kpecial reports 

 are then given, in which various specialists deal with 

 the annual and seasonal abundance of the main groups 

 of animal and plant organisms represented in the 

 catches. The groups so far summarised are the Tin- 

 tinnoidea, HalospliEcra and Flagellates, Cladocera, 

 Pteropoda, and Copepoda. Following these special 

 reports are synoptical charts representing the 

 abundance and seasonal distribution of the commoner 

 species contained in the groups studied. The material 

 thus summarised is very considerable ; 332 stations in 

 all were worked, some 14,000 hauls were made, and 

 altogether about 800 sptcies of planktonic organisms 

 were identified. It is evident, however, that the deduc- 

 tion of general results from this mass of material has 

 been a difficult task. The coordination of the observa- 

 tions has been imperfect from the first ; many changes 

 have been made, and there has been confusion in the 

 choice of methods of investigation. Nevertheless the 

 results obtained are of very great value, and general 

 facts of distribution in relation to the physical changes 

 taking place in the sea emerge clearly from the study 

 of the data. The report provides a concise and valu- 

 able summary of this extensive investigation. 



(2) This is a minute and careful account of forty- 

 seven species of decapod natant Crustacea (fifty-four 

 in all are recorded from the entire British sea-area) 

 collected by the Irish Fishery cruiser Hclga off the 

 coasts of Ireland, the main localities investigated being 

 Rathlin Deep, the Irish Sea between Dublin and the 

 Isle of Man, the deep water of Counties Cork and 

 Kerry, and the region near the Porcup.ine Bank. The 

 report, which is a valuable addition to our knowledge 

 of the British marine fauna, includes full details of 



