216 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IX. No. 215, 



a concise method of expression until his ideas 

 were so clear that a short handle appealed to 

 him, not as a possible, but as a necessary con- 

 venience. The chapter as a whole is a very 

 serviceable text-book on modern physiography 

 and is of exceptional value to all who have 

 previously been embarassed by the inaccessi- 

 bility of the literature on this subject. 



The footnote references are many and well 

 selected, and, although not complete, give a 

 good introduction to the general literature. The 

 illustrations are, on the whole, excellent, and 

 the form of reproduction has been unusually 

 successful. The book could well have been en- 

 riched with more illustrations of normal river 

 topography, and would then have been much 

 more valuable, both to student and teacher. 

 The typography is clear and pleasing, and the 

 book very attractive in its general form. A 

 good index completes the volume. 



We read the book through almost at one sit- 

 ting, and laid it down with but two regrets : 

 first, that there was not more ; and second, 

 that this, the best of the series of four mono- 

 graphs by Professor Russell, was not uniform in 

 general appearance with its predecessors. It is 

 certainly a misfortune that three publishers 

 should have issued these four books. Had they 

 been uniform in appearance, they would have 

 been of greater interest to the general reader, 

 especially to those who get pleasure from the 

 shelf as well as the hand appearance of a row 

 of related books. 



We know of but few books that are so nearly 

 what one would desire as this book. Adverse 

 criticism can only be directed to details, and 

 lamentation over details is out of place when a 

 book is so generally pleasing as this. 



RiCHAED E. Dodge. 



Teachers College, Columbia Univeksity. 



Anatomy and Histology of the Mouth and Teeth. 

 By J. NoEMAN Beoomell, D. p. S. Phila- 

 delphia, P. Blakiston's Sons & Co. 1898. 

 With 234 Illustrations. Svo. Pp. viii + 428. 

 The book contains the best account of the 

 teeth of man, which has yet appeared in the 

 English language. It includes the treatment of 

 oral anatomy and of dental histology and de- 

 velopment. It is illustrated chiefly by original 



photographs engraved in half-tone. The most 

 important and most meritorious part of the 

 book is comprised in Chapters VIII. -XI. (pages 

 131-280), which offer detailed and valuable 

 descriptions of the teeth, marred only by a 

 fantastic subdivision of the incisors, canines 

 and first bicuspids of the upper jaw into four 

 types, bilious, nervous, sanguineous and lym- 

 phatic, an astonishing revival this of medi- 

 ceval pseudo-science in the midst of a work 

 otherwise sei-ious and intelligent. The au- 

 thor's descriptions are clear and admirable, 

 and by their thoroughness meet a real need. 

 In fact, it has long seemed singular that there 

 should be no adequate detailed account of 

 human teeth, but the need seems to be now 

 well supplied. 



The chapters on the teeth, above referred to, 

 are preceded by the seven which deal with the 

 anatomy of the oral region, and are followed 

 by six chapters on the development of the teeth, 

 the histology of oral structures and the his- 

 tology of the teeth. Dr. Broomell's attempt 

 to apply photography for histological illustra- 

 tions is not encouraging, all of the figures of 

 microscopic structure being very far inferior to 

 cuts from drawings. The account of the devel- 

 opment of the teeth is fairly good, but no:j 

 equal to the standard of the anatomical part. 

 Some minor errors appear in the embryological 

 portions, for example, ' tooth band ' is used in- 

 stead of ' dental shelf;' the tooth germ in Fig. 

 180 is so distorted that it gives no idea of the 

 true relations ; in Fig. 181 the hole between the 

 tooth and the shrunken enamel organ is labeled 

 enamel. But it is not worth while to dwell 

 upon these defects in a work of solid merit. 



The publisher's share has been well executed, 

 the general appearance of the volume being 

 dignified and attractive, the printing excellent. 

 Chaeles S. Minot. 



books received. 

 The Foundations of Zoology. WILLIAM KEITH 



Brooks. Colnmbia University Biological Series. 



Vol. V. New Yorl;:, The Maomillan Company. 



1899. 82.50. 

 The Native Tribes of Central Australia. Baldwin 



Spencer and F. J. Gilen. London and New 



York, The Maomillan Company. 1899. Pp. 



x + 671. §6.50. 



