346 
NATURE 
[JUNE 6, 1912 
in a single direction”; we gather that, like the 
regular forms, they moved in various directions, 
but with a selected part of the test directed 
forward. GrAS [ne 
The Identification of Organic Compounds. By Dr. 
G. B. Neave and Dr. I. M. Heilbron. Pp. vii 
+103. (London: Constable and Co., Ltd., 
TOLL)» Henicea's. met. 
Tue identification of organic substances—a matter 
of obvious interest and importance—stands in a 
somewhat different category from that of in- 
organic compounds, for we are not concerned here 
so much with the elementary constituents of the 
substance as with the recognition of the compound 
itself. Moreover, we are restricted in our method 
of treatment by its nature; energetic reagents or 
high temperatures cannot be used for fear of 
destroying it. This fact and the absence of any 
detailed method of procedure (it is impossible to 
compile a compact analytical table) lend to the 
process much of the educational value of an 
original investigation, 
The change in the scheme of practical examina- 
tions introduced by the Board of Education and 
other examining bodies in recent years has for- 
tunately directed attention to the advantages of 
this kind of practical organic chemistry as con- 
trasted with the old system of “spotting,” by the 
aid of a few hasty and generally meaningless 
tests, one or two out of a short list of organic 
compounds enumerated in the syllabus. It has 
also led to the appearance of a number of little 
laboratory guide-books for the use of students. 
The volume under review is one of the latest of 
these publications, and, it may be added, fulfils its 
purpose, which is to prepare candidates for the 
intermediate and final examinations of the Institute 
of Chemistry. It is divided into sections, describ- 
ing in more or less detail the way in which the 
substance should be examined; first the tests for 
the elements are given, then those for ascertain- 
ing to which group the substance belongs. 
The physical constants and chemical properties 
of a very large number of common, and also of 
some uncommon, substances are given, so that the 
student need lose no time in hunting for them in 
a reference book. In short, the road which leads 
him to his goal is so well furnished with guide- 
posts that with a little intelligence and care he 
need never lose his way. From this point of view 
the book is entirely satisfactory; it is clearly 
written, and the information is sound and explicit. 
i ls eo 
East London. By G. F. Bosworth. Pp. x+256. 
The Isle of Man. By the Rev. J. Quine. Pp. x+ 
178. Carnarvonshire. By Prof. J. E. Lloyd. 
Pp. xi+171. Monmouthshire. By H. A. Evans. 
Pp. x+ 183. 
(Cambridge: University Press, rgr1r.) 
THESE additions to the series of County Geo- 
graphies deal with four areas almost as widely 
unlike as could be found among British counties. 
NO. 2223, VOL. 89] 
(Cambridge County Geographies.) | 
East London, a somewhat artificial division of 
the accidentally - delimited County of London, 
affords little scope for real geographic treatment, 
and even that little has not been fully taken ad- 
vantage of by Mr. Bosworth. Why the Thames 
has always been so important in trade, and why 
the nucleus of London was situated just where 
it is, are two questions not so fully answered as 
they might have been, and it is disappointing to 
be told in a geographical work that “it was 
mainly owing to them [the craft-guilds] that 
London became the first industrial and commercial 
city in the kingdom.” As a topographical and 
historical description of the City and the county 
east thereof, the work is well done, and can be 
recommended to all interested in its area. We 
have not noticed any of the common errors of 
works on London, but the statement that London 
stone “was very greatly esteemed” in the Middle 
Ages is rather cryptic, and portions of the first 
paragraph in chapter 11 ought to have been 
placed within quotation-marks. 
The only feature in common between London 
and the Isle of Man is the diminishing popula- 
tion, but how different is the meaning of the 
statistics in the two cases! If the latter is a 
county (which we doubt), it is the most natural 
of all counties. With a geographical unity, plaim 
physical subdivisions, and an independent history, 
it has given Canon Quine the opportunity for 
producing a most interesting book. It is to be 
regretted that the account of the geology in the 
text refers to the Old Red Sandstone rocks that 
in the map are placed as Basal Carboniferous, 
and that Fig. 3 in the statistical diagrams is not 
adequately explained. 
Monmouthshire, with its marked contrasts of 
industrial west and agricultural east, and Carnar- 
vonshire, the county of Snowdon and slate, are 
both admirably dealt with by Mr. Evans and Prof. 
Lloyd respectively. 
Moths of the Months and How to Identify Them. 
By the Rev. S.. N. Sedgwick. Ppiji6o: 
(London: Charles H. Kelly, 25-35 City Road, 
1OU2.)) Price rs. net. 
Tuts little book is uniform with previous books 
by the same author on Birds’ Eggs and Nests and 
Butterflies, and on Wild Flowers by Hilderic 
Friend. It will be very useful to young entomo- 
logists as an introduction to larger works on the 
subject, for the preliminary instructions relating 
to collecting, observing, breeding, &c., are very 
complete; and though the numerous figures are 
not all equally good, the greater part are easily 
recognisable. Remarks on classification are con- 
fined to brief notices of the principal groups and 
families; species are referred to by their English 
names and the Latin name of each, generic names 
being omitted. Under each month a selection of 
the most representative Sphinges, Bombyces, 
Noctuids, and Geometrz are enumerated, the 
Micro-Lepidoptera being thus excluded. One 
hundred and twenty-nine species are described and 
figured. 
