74 



NATURE 



[July 20, 191 1 



1! volume. A good deal of it resembles an 

 instrument dealer's catalogue, and almost every piece 

 dI apparatus used for zoological technique is described 

 and figured. Then the choice of instruments and 

 their use and abuse are considered, with many ex- 

 perienced remarks. The routine of zoological proce- 

 dure, fixing, staining, mounting, the use of the micro- 

 scope, and so on, are dealt with. There arc many 

 useful references to books or papers that advocate 

 special methods. 



The volume is intended for " Hochschulen " rind 

 universities, but there are one or two points in which 

 its usefulness might have been increased. There are, 

 for example, no instructions as to how to collect and 

 observe animals. A few remarks on nets and boxes 

 do not constitute instruction, and general directions 

 would be a most useful addition, if they were devoted 

 to skinning and preserving; how to work different 

 kinds of ground, sea, lake, moor, &c. ; how to obtain 

 material for observing life-histories. Another point 

 omitted is the insertion of directions for collecting in 

 other countries, especially in the tropics, where diffi- 

 culties of unusual order have to be overcome. Again, 

 the author does not appear to describe how any of 

 the apparatus may be made. It is, of course, nearly 

 always possible to buy what you require ready-made, 

 but there are many advantages in knowing how to 

 make the simpler pieces of apparatus, since not only 

 the manipulation is learnt, but the physics of the 

 working are mastered in a way that no ready-made 

 machine permits. For physiological work particularly 

 such training is simply invaluable. 



The only other point that has occurred to us is the 

 incomplete nature of the instruction on certain modes 

 of procedure, a drawback common to so many "prac- 

 tical " text-books. Thus in reconstructing embryos 

 "i animals from sections, the author does not state 

 exactly what to do or what precautions to take to 

 ensure a satisfactory result. Perhaps, however, the 

 subject will recur in his later volume. In fact, any 

 judgment on this section of the work is premature 

 until the second part has appeared, as we trust it 

 soon will. \\'e must say, however, that only the 

 beginner will learn much from the present instalment. 

 The methods are, so far as we have been able to test 

 them, well known and ably advocated already. Put 

 to anyone who is fitting up a laboratory or starting 

 out upon a course of practical study, the work may be 

 heartily recommended. 



CONSTRUCTION IN EARTHQUAKE 

 COUNTRIES. 

 Le Case Nelle Regioni Sismiche c la Sciensa dellc 

 Costruzioni. By A. Montel. Pp. iv+116. (Torino: 

 S. Lattes and Co., iqio.) 

 ""PHIS book, dealing with construction in earth- 

 J- quake-shaken countries, ooens with a few words 

 on the nature of earthquake motion, particularly 

 acceleration. Then follows two scales of seismic in- 

 tensity. After this a little is said about the nature 

 oundations, as, for example, whether they are 

 upon soft or hard ground, on a slope, or on a plain. 

 NO. 2177, VOL. 87] 



The materials used for construction are given con- 

 siderable consideration, particularly the advantages 

 that may be obtained by the use of ferro-concrete. 

 The pictures, like those showing the framework of 

 buildings, and various formula; are old acquaintances, 

 whilst the text which accompanies them in many 

 places closely follows a translation from English into 

 Italian. Its author, Mr. Montel, particularly refers 

 to two books from which he has obtained his in- 

 formation ; one is No. 4 of the publications of the 

 Earthquake Investigation Committee of Japan, 

 written almost entirely by Dr. F. Omori, and the 

 other is "La Science Seismologique," by Comic <li 

 Montessus de Ballore. The other contributors to 

 some eighty volumes issued by the Earthquake In- 

 vestigation Committee have been omitted, and no 

 reference made to the Transactions of the Seismo- 

 logical Society of Japan, in which we find accounts 

 of almost everything that has been elaborated by Dr. 

 Omori, and written about by Count Montessus and 

 Mr. Montel. 



Some thirty years ago, when Europeans were in- 

 vited to Japan, their attention was naturally directed 

 to earthquakes. These they measured, and earth- 

 quake motion was for the first time reduced to 

 mechanical units. The result was that engineers and 

 constructors learned for the first time something 

 about the forces with which they had to contend. 

 The visitors even went a little further, and tested 

 their suggested formula; by placing columns of 

 masonry and other articles on a truck which could 

 be moved back and forth at an increasing rate. The 

 quickness or suddenness of motion required to pro- 

 duce the shattering or overturning of these objects 

 was recorded, and theory brought into closer relation- 

 ship with practice. For many years past new forms 

 of buildings have been rising in Japan, and these are 

 found to withstand earthquake movement better than 

 their predecessors. The formula of C. D. West, 

 formerly professor of engineering in the University of 

 Tokyo, which is the foundation of all other formula;, 

 relating to the more important principles guiding con- 

 structors occupies a prominent position in Mr. Montel's 

 work, but the name of C. I). West is not mentioned. 

 About this we need not be surprised, bi cause it is 

 only found with difficulty in those works from which he 

 quotes. But practical seismology has grown and it 

 must not be sn; q « .^1. 1 that the guests who visited 

 Japan some thirty Mats ago did everything. Their 

 work also had foundations. 



So far as we know, Robt. Mallei was practically 

 the first man who treated earthquake movement scien- 

 tifically, and attempted to reduce it to practical units. 

 Notwithstanding his work, engineers continued to 

 regard an earthquake as something strong, and to 

 resist ii< effects structures should be strong and 

 heavy. Although M. Montel has not done all the 

 justice he might have done by more extensive refer- 



j ences, still he has produced a useful book, and if the 

 principles it sets forth are adopted in the earthquake- 



j shaken parts of Italy, they should do much to 

 ameliorate the lot of inhabitants of those regions. 



J. Milne. 



