AUGUST 29, 1912] 
NATURE 65 
on 
ae 
(2) In the volume on ‘‘ sub-alpine ’’ plants, the 
author gives short descriptions and the distribu- 
tion of about 850 species of flowering plants which 
occur in the woods and meadows of the Swiss 
valleys. Both the descriptions and the notes con- 
cerning the habitats of the plants are good. 
There are 168 illustrations on thirty-three coloured 
plates. Some of these drawings are good, but 
many of them are rather too small to be of much 
aid in identification. The introductory part of 
the book consists of six chapters containing much 
information with regard to the habitats, the col- 
lection, and the preservation of alpine plants. 
There are also some very useful hints on the culti- | 
vation of alpines, an interesting account of some 
of the alpine gardens recently established in 
Switzerland, and a comparison of the Swiss and 
British floras. The book will be found very useful 
to all those visitors to the Alps who are interested 
in field botany. 
(3) Mr. Boulger’s small volume on botany, 
which forms one of the twentieth-century science 
series, is an elementary primer which the young 
student will find helpful in many ways. The 
chapters on the ‘‘ Beginnings of Botany ’’ and 
“* Botanists’ Methods ”’ are sure to hold his atten- 
tion, and others of the twelve chapters into which 
the book is divided will also prove stimulating. 
It is a pity that in the chapter on “‘ Primitive 
Plants’’ the green type selected should have 
been ‘‘ Protococcus,’’ particularly as the author 
writes under that name a combined account of 
Pleurococcus and the volvocine genus Spherella, 
a mistake which is largely due to the extraordinary 
statements regarding Protococcus which are 
found in nearly all botanical text-books. The 
author should also be reminded that Engler’s 
arrangement is by no means the latest classifica- 
tion for all groups of plants. 
(4) The text-book of general botany by Dr. 
Nathansohn will be very useful to the student who 
wishes to go just beyond the more elementary 
parts of the subject. It is divided into two main 
sections, the first dealing with the vegetative life 
of plants, and the second with reproduction. The 
general treatment is good, and one of the best 
features of the book is the way in which the 
physiological aspect of the subject is kept con- 
stantly before the reader. There are numerous 
illustrations, for the most part very good, but 
one would like to have seen more _ original 
figures. One or two of the photographic plates 
are excellent. A number of errors in the spelling 
of plant-names occur, but on the whole the book | 
| geometry. 
' each of which contains material for three terms’ 
is well written, and will meet with the approval 
of most students. 
NO. 2235, VOL. 89] 
SCHOOL MATHEMATICS. 
(1) Macmillan’s Reform Arithmetic. By P. Wilkin- 
son and F. W. Cook. Book i., pp. 48; 3d. 
Book ij., pp. 48; 3d. Book iii., pp. 48; 3d. 
Book iv., pp. 48; 3d. Book v., pp. 64; 4d. 
Book vi., pp. 64; 4d. Teacher’s Books i.—iv., 
gd. each; Book v., 1s. (London: Macmillan 
and Co., Ltd., 1911.) 
(2) Analytical Mechanics. Comprising the Kinetics 
and Statics of Solids and Fluids. By Prof. 
E. H. Barton. Pp. xx+535. (London: Long- 
mans, Green and Co., 1911.) ‘Price ros. 6d. 
net. 
(3) Elementary Trigonometry. By F. T. Swan- 
wick. Pp. xv+243. (Cambridge: University 
Press, 1911.) Price 4s. 
(4) Geometry for Schools. By W. G. Borchardt 
and the Rev. A. D. Perrott. Vol. 1. : Stages I. 
and II. Pp.-viii+52+#iii. Price 1s. Vol. ii.: 
Stage III. (Section i.). Pp. vili+53-162+iv. 
Price 1s. 6d. (London: G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 
IgIt.) 
(5) The Elements of Plane and Spherical Trigono- 
metry. By J. G. Hun and C. R. MaclInnes. 
Pp. viit+205. (New York: The Macmillan Co. ; 
London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1911.) Price 
6s. net. 
(6) An Elementary Treatise on Cross-ratio Geome- 
try. With historical notes. By the Rev. J. J. 
Milne. Pp. xxiii+288. (Cambridge: Univer-. 
sity Press, 1911.) Price 6s. 
(7) Junior Mathematics. Being a Course of 
Geometry and Algebra for Beginners. By D. B. 
Mair. Pp. viiit+200. (Oxford: The Clarendon | 
Press; QUE) e2Ss 
(8) Plane Trigonometry. (Strictly according to 
the Syllabus prescribed by the Indian Universi- 
ties.) By Prof. L. K. Ghosh. Pp. vili+271. 
(Calcutta: G. N. Halder, 1911.) Rs.1/8. 
(9) Poliedri, Curve e Superficie secondo i metodi 
della Geometria Descrittiva. By Prof. Gino 
Loria. Pp. xv+235. Milano: Ulrico Hoepli, 
i912.) Price 3 lire. 
(10) Elementary Graphic Statics. By Dr. W. J. 
Crawford. Pp. viiit+131. (London: Charles 
Griffin and Co., Ltd., 1911.) Price 2s. 6d. net. 
(11) A Treatise on Hydromechanics. By Dr. 
W. H. Besant, F.R.S., and A. S. Ramsey. 
Part i., Hydrostatics. Seventh edition. Pp. 
vi+275. (London: G. Bell and, Sons, Ltd., 
ro1t.) Price 7s. 6d. net. 
(1) HE authors of this work include, and in 
our opinion rightly, under the heading 
of arithmetic, the elements of algebra and practical 
The course is arranged in six parts,. 
