Fkbetjaey 11, 



i.] 



SCIENCE. 



213 



lies have been published, together with attempts 

 at explanation of their significance, which for 

 the most part have left a good deal to be de- 

 sired. Testut's worlc on this subject, published 

 in 1884, has been the only at all systematic ac- 

 count. The present one, however, supersedes 

 it, both from its greater scope and from its more 

 philosophic spirit. The work of analyzing the 

 variations of each muscle, of grouping together 

 the observations of others and discussing the 

 •comparative anatomy, has been most thoroughly 

 done, so that the book is indispensable to all 

 workers in this branch of anatomy. 



At the end of the second volume are the 

 general considerations, treating among other 

 things of the classification and significance of 

 anomalies. We should say, in the first place, 

 that, though Le Double occasionally uses the 

 word anomaly, he has chosen variation as the 

 correct one, holding that the former implies a 

 knowledge of all the laws and of the fixity of 

 ;species, which last he evidently does not be- 

 lieve in. He rejects unity of plan as any 

 explanation, though he quotes a really eloquent 

 passage from Geoflfroy Saint- Hilaire in support 

 of it. On the other hand, he is not only more 

 conservative, but more philosophic than those 

 who would call all anomalies atavistic. As 

 Poirier has written : " Lox-squ'un auteur, pour 

 •expliquer le muscle presternnal de I'homme, 

 remonte ou descend jusqu'au serpent, il court 

 grand risque de n'etre pas suivi." Le Double 

 points out that in this respect Macalister has 

 done him an injustice by classing him among 

 those of this set. 



His system divides variations into three 

 classes : First, regressive, reversive, atavistic 

 and theromorphic ; second, progressive ones ; 

 third, monstrosities. The last word is not used 

 in quite the ordinary sense, but rather to include 

 such muscles as cannot be made to fit into the 

 •other classes. He believes that their number 

 will steadily diminish with the progress of the 

 •departments of science bearing on the question. 



It is very hard to find two men in ac- 

 •cord on the significance of anomalies, but at 

 least the day of those who would call every- 

 thing atavism and resent criticism is on the 

 wane. On the other hand, a satisfactory expla- 

 mation of many points is wanting. Without 



quite agreeing with Dr. Le Double, we wish to 

 call attention to an excellent piece of work that 

 is a true contribution to the facts of anatomy. 

 Thomas Dwight. 



The New Psychology. By E. W. Sckipture. 

 London, Walter Scott ; New York, Charles 

 Scribner's Sons. 1897. (Contemporary Sci- 

 ence Series.) Pp. xxiv+500. Price, $1.25. 

 Dr. Scripture here gives us an account of 

 the work which has been carried on in the psy- 

 chological laboratories. After a general treat- 

 ment of the methods, he presents, under vari- 

 ous heads, the technique and results of a wide 

 range of experiments, and has helped out the 

 narrative by a plentiful use of illustrations. 

 There is also an historical sketch of the rise of 

 experimental research in psychology, together 

 with a chapter on the present state of the work 

 in various lands, to which Professor Biuet has 

 contributed some interesting pages on past and 

 present conditions in France. Binet is evi- 

 dently pleased that the study of hysteria and 

 hypnotism is yielding to an interest in ' aphasia, 

 arithmetical prodigies, memory, the superior 

 intellectual functions, and also the organic and 

 motor functions connected with intellectual 

 states.' He believes ' that French psychology 

 will long continue in this path, on which he en- 

 tered about 1890.' The book closes with an 

 appendix containing a number of mathematical 

 tables and formulas. 



In the general grouping of experiments Dr. 

 Scripture has taken new and, on the whole 

 doubtful ground. He has attempted to make 

 psychology speak the language of physics by di- 

 viding experiments into those involving Time, 

 Energy and Space. The division entitled ' En- 

 ergy' is the rag-bag into which everything is 

 thrown that doesn't readily fall under ' Time' 

 or 'Space.' The scheme is an awkward one, 

 and if it gives some borrowed feeling of scien- 

 tific exactness it can only be at the expense of 

 clear thinking in the purely psychological field. 

 Classification is, at best, a thankless task ; but 

 since it has to be done it would seem best to 

 group experiments more according to the men- 

 tal process we are really investigating than ac- 

 cording to the object on which this process 

 plays. For instance, from a psychological stand- 



