August 17, igi 1] 



NATURE 



207 



unmistakably clear words of penetrative genius and 

 the brilliantly facetted phrases of clever men, and 

 which is contributed by the author, is, however, of 

 another kind : rather fluorescent than luminous, and 

 bv no means transparent. 



Not that the author is without some literary deft- 

 ness and incapable of pressing home a plain fact in a 

 convincing manner. Thus, for instance, where he 

 acknowledges his indebtedness for embodying so large 

 a part of Geddes and Thompson's well-known work 

 on "Sex and Evolution," explaining that it would be 

 mere presumption on his part to attempt to do again 

 what they have already done far better than he could 

 do. Reading the book, it is soon clear that this is 

 true, and, as of great relevance, a truth as well stated 

 although otherwise evident. That it is stated well 

 no one will deny. 



The author's own meaning is presumably contained 

 in the commentarv paragraphs that follow each of 

 these lengthy quotations. The redundancy of re- 

 iterated references to "parasitism" contained within 

 these comments is reminiscent of a well-known 

 dialogue between two dramatists unfortunately de- 

 parted to the nether-world and there contesting their 

 respective excellences in metrical statement. Entitled 

 to one line with which to conclude his fellow com- 

 petitor's heroic verse, one candidate secures a repeated 

 success by the use of always the same phrase, some 

 such simple phrase as "and I lost a little oil-can." 



From these reiterated comments it would appear 

 that parasitism is responsible for many things, chiefly 

 perhaps for "the passing of natural selection." This 

 is bv no means surprising when the author's compre- 

 hensive concept of "parasitism" is fully grasped. The 

 term is defined as connoting 



" Everv condition whereby one organism lives pre- 

 daceously, stealthily, or indolently, i.e. retrogres- 

 sively, by the work of others. In view of the dynamic 

 interdependence of life, the epithet must also apply 

 to all transitorv phases of violation of fundamental 

 laws of assimilation and division of labour, even the 

 highest and most strenuous organisms occasionally 

 being guilty of such transgressions." 



To this definition there are, however, so many 

 numbered corollaries that "parasitism" is by no 

 means understood until wider reference is made. 

 Brieflv, let it be said that there is the whole work 

 to refer to. 



Herbert Spencer, so it would seem, has anticipated 

 this intellectual venture in a somewhat remarkable 

 manner. Thus the author quotes his explanation of 

 the limits to cell-growth in terms of an increasing dis- 

 paritv between mass and surface, and appends the 

 following comment : " Herbert Spencer here very 

 lucidly, though unwittingly, states the case of 

 pathologv and parasitism, and consequent limita- 

 tions." 



The author deliberately stating this case, so it 

 would seem, is by no means so clear, and as a con- 

 sequence places difficulties in the way of that criticism 

 which he foresees apparently without fearing. 



■■ Anyone honestly wishing to challenge my views 

 is, of course, very welcome to do so. But if criticism 

 is to be effective, it must state categorically in what 



NO. 2 l8l, VOL. 87] 



particulars I am wrongly interpreting observed facts, 

 and must also show that my physiological position is 

 unsound." 



This statement may become more pregnant when 

 the author has detailed these particulars, and provided 

 a view of his physiological position. 



J. S. Macdonald. 



THE DIVINING ROD. 

 Graf Carl v. Klincliowstroeni. Bibliographic der 

 Wiinschelrute. Mit einer Einleitung von Dr. Ed. 

 Aigner : der gegenwartige stand der Wunschelruten- 

 Forschung. Pp. 146. (Munchen : Ottmar Schon- 

 huth Nachf., 191 1.) 



THIS book contains a fairly complete list of the 

 various publications in regard to the divining- 

 rod, beginning with the work of R. P. Bernhardus, 

 published in 1532, and ending with papers issued 

 during the current year. This list extends over 103 

 pages, and the contents of each book or paper are 

 indicated by a brief note following the title of the 

 publication. 



The list is naturally more complete in respect of 

 German publications than of any others; there is a 

 useful index giving the names of the various authors 

 who are mentioned. The thanks of those who are 

 interested in the matter are due to Graf von Klinckow- 

 stroem for the care he has taken in collecting the 

 information and presenting it in useful form. There 

 is also an interesting introduction by Dr. Eduard 

 Aigner, of Munich, who endeavours to sum up im- 

 partially the present condition of matters in connec- 

 tion with research on the action of the divining-rod. 

 He points out quite correctly that the attitude of those 

 who refuse to investigate the matter at all is just as 

 absurd as that of their opponents, who are willing 

 to accept all the claims of the " diviners " without 

 further investigation. 



Dr. Aigner also points out that a certain percentage 

 of failures does not necessarily prove that the 

 "diviners" do not possess the powers they claim, for 

 if these powers have any real existence, they may be 

 conditioned by circumstances at present unknown to 

 us, and one may be at times asking the "diviners" 

 to perform experiments under impossible conditions. 



An explanation of the recorded successes of 

 " diviners " is suggested, which presupposes the power 

 of the "diviners" to recognise the difference produced 

 in the atmosphere by the presence of water, metals, 

 &c. The most important argument in favour of this 

 is based on the investigations of Dr. Kurz and Prof. 

 Gockel (Physikalische Zeitschrift, x., p. 845) and of 

 T. Wulf {idem, x., p. 997), in which a lessening of 

 the gamma-radiation over water is said to be proved. 

 This lessening is said to take place over quite in- 

 significant water-sources. 



If this view were correct, it ought, of course, to be 

 possible to produce a physical apparatus capable of 

 replacing the "diviner," and several articles of this 

 kind are on the market. The reviewer has applied 

 for permission to test some of these, but he has not so 

 far succeeded in inducing those concerned to allow 

 him to do so. Dr. Aigner says that successes of one 



