344 
NATURE 
| Warch 2, 1871 

We should also, did not space fail us, like to call special 
attention to Dr. Giinther’s remarks on the importance of 
the study of the class of pikes as regards the elucidation 
of some of the most perplexing problems of Biology. 
“No other class of vertebrates,” says our author, “is of 
equal importance to the geologist and palzeontologist : the 
materials for comparing the living with past creations 
being so numerous and so diversified that we cannot help 
thinking that the relation of the various epochs to one 
another will be solved in the fields of ichthyology. Al 
though fishes are mostly hidden by the elements in which 
they live, so that the knife of the anatomist generally 
first reveals new facts connected with their life, we have 
sufficient evidence to show that the phenomena of life 
are more varied in their different groups than in any other 
of the higher vertebrata, and that their study will form a 
solid basis for the solution of those general biologica] 
questions which, perhaps rather prematurely, agitate the 
minds of many zoologists.” 


OUR BOOK SHELF 
On the Relations between Chemical Change, Heat, and 
force. By the Rev. H. Highton, M.A. 
WE should not have noticed this paper, though it has 
been sent to us for review, had it not been marked as 
“Reprinted from the Quarterly Fournal of Science.” 
This is its sole claim on our attention. 
To put the contents in their simplest form before the 
reader, we may at once say that the Rev. Mr. Highton is 
a Perpetual-motionist. Not, perhaps, consciously—rather 
the reverse—but he belongs zz fact to that singular class, 
though he would probably deny the charge with indignation. 
A short extract or two will, however, be sufficient to prove 
it to the satisfaction of any one acquainted with modern 
physics. Take the following :— 
“ Does there not, then, exist a power in nature for force 
to multiply force—even in the same way as life is multi- 
plied by life through successive generations, and one living 
being may in due time become a thousand without losing 
its own vital energy ?” 
“We cannot... . produce heat without at the same 
time producing virtually in some shape or other an equi- 
valent of cold.” 
“Cannot skill, mere skill, produce a less or greater dis- 
turbance and restoration of equilibrium, and so more or 
less force ?” 
If these extracts, which are perhaps not the richest 
which a careful search may discover, be not sufficient for 
the reader’s amusement, we refer him to the original work. 
If they be not sufficient to prove to him the justice of our 
remarks, we refer him at once to some good scientific 
text-book, for he will have amply proved his need of in- 
struction, 
It would be an insult to our instructed readers to sup- 
pose that the fallacies of this paper require to be exposed 
seriatim for their benefit. La uno disce omnes. One 
will be given presently. But before giving it, we must 
strongly protest against the way in which many of the 
early, and some even of the later, discoveries of Joule are 
ignored throughout, while the attempts made to verify 
them by inferior experimenters, are put forth as original 
researches. When, however, Joule does happen to be re- 
ferred to, the description of his experiments is wonderful 
indeed. Here is an example : 
“ He (Joule) churned various liquids in a calorimeter, 
and measured the increase of temperature. But in this 
kind of motion, as, perhaps, in all cases of friction, there 


is a pulling exertion of force, as well as one of pushing. 
Behind the arms of the paddle-wheel in the churn the 
liquid is pulled, and is pushed before them.” 
Comment on this sort of thing would be thrown away. 
When men like Helmholtz, Rankine, and Thomson vouch 
for the accuracy of a proposition, the world may well be 
indifferent to the criticisms of a Heath or a Highton. 
The grand founders of a rapidly progressing science can- 
not turn aside from their labours to answer frivolous 
objections. And it is strange and sad, indeed, that such 
excellent journals as the Philosophical Magazine, the 
Quarterly Fournal of Science, and the Chemical News 
should diminish the space at their disposal for facts, by 
affording facilities for the dissemination of palpable non- 
sense and error. 
As regards Electro-dynamics, Mr. Highton follows in the 
track of several better-known men, and is thus to a certain 
extent relatively excusable for his blunders, though they 
are quite as grave as those he commits with reference to 
the general theory of Conservation of Energy. The sub- 
ject is by no means a very easy one, and it would certainly 
be somewhat hard to explain-in a thoroughly popular 
manner the causes of his error. His difficulties, however 
(so far as we have had patience to investigate them), are 
such as have been met and. overcome long ago by Joule, 
Faraday, and Thomson. (See, especially, Thomson, 
British Association Reports, 1852.) They are due, in great 
part, to his having confined his attention to the zz#c alone 
of a galvanic cell. 
Our Feathered Companions, Conversations of a Father 
with his Children about Sea birds, Song birds, and 
other feathered tribes that live in or visit the British 
Isles, their habits, &c. By the Rev. Thomas Jackson, 
M.A. (London: S. W. Partridge and Co.) 
Dogs and theiy Doings. By the Rev. F. O. Morris, B.A. 
(London: S. W. Partridge and Co.) 
THE first of the books of which we give the titles above, 
is one we cannot take up without pleasure, because of the 
memories that its numerous illustrations bring to those 
who are shut up amongst bricks and mortar, of some wild 
sea-shore, sweet and tender woodland, or moor with gorse 
and ‘fern ; all of which are the homes of birds who would 
rather be free from the companionship of man than seek 
it, and which we love all the more for their wild freedom. 
“Our Feathered Companions” is full of information 
about birds, telling many well-known things about their 
habits and lives, of which children will never tire as long 
as there are children. With regard to the children in this 
book, we wish our author had drawn them from nature ; 
we do not often meet with little boys who quote Greek 
out of school, and should be sorry if little girls were always 
moralising about birds being useful to man ; we cannot 
read the narrative without feeling that their lives must 
have some other purpose beyond this, and we are glad 
that our children should be reminded by some of the little 
poems in the book, that they should love birds for their 
beauty, and learn all they can about them, rather than kill 
them to gratify a selfish desire for possession. The 
pictures of sea-birds are almost all charming, and there 
are many more of our favourite birds which, with a few 
exceptions, are very good. 
“Dogs and their Doings” appears to be rather a com- 
pilation of old stories of wonderfully wise and clever dogs 
than the result of fresh observation,—the most extra- 
ordinary is of one which could pronounce words, and of 
another which understood the use of money ; there are 
others which show wonderful affection and faithful memory 
for years after death. The book will be intensely interest- 
ing to children who love animals, they will recognise the 
tricks and sagacity of some of their friends in the dogs 
described ; for dogs who know Sunday, and show great 
evidence of memory and reasoning powers, are to be met 
