NoveMBER 10, 1899.] 
of plants and animals, on the modifications and 
hereditary distribution, and particularly, per- 
haps, in the very admirable fifth chapter of the 
first part which, under the title of ‘elements 
of plant and animal distribution’ gives precisely 
the catholic and panoramic view of geograph- 
ical distribution that must be regarded as most 
desirable. Here are included with much 
wealth of illustration and judgment as to detail, 
accounts of the distribution of species, both 
plant and animal, of genera and of families 
and orders. Statistics of distribution, physiog- 
nomic and climatic groups, plant and animal 
zones, domesticated plants and animals and 
colonial aggregates are skilfully compiled and 
made the basis for useful generalization. . 
The second chapter, that dealing with floral 
regions, reminds one upon the whole of the 
Grisebachian discussion, though somewhat tem- 
pered by recent research. It is scarcely abreast, 
however, of the. work of Drude and a list of 
the Florenreichen will show that the tone, on the 
whole, is analytic rather than synthetic. They 
are as follows: Northern, Mediterranean, Tur- 
anian, Hast Asian, Indian, tropical African, 
South African, tropical American, extra trop- 
ical South American, Australian, New Zeal- 
andian, Polynesian, Oceanic, making in all 
thirteen principal floral divisions of the earth. 
The omission of an Antarctic region seems 
scarcely to be justified. The principal regions 
of faunal distributions are slightly different and 
are added here for comparison. They are: 
North-polar, Northern, Eurasian, Mediterra- 
nean, Turanian, Indian, Trans-Saharan, Mada- 
gascaran, North American, tropical American, 
Andian-Argentine, West Indian, Australian, 
Papuan, New Zealandian, Polynesian and 
Oceanic, making in all seventeen principal 
faunal regions. That the divisions for plants 
and animals correspond so generally is impres- 
sively indicated by these classifications. Minor 
differences, however, exist and indicate the 
rather stronger climatic influence upon the sta- 
tionary plants and the relatively stronger influ- 
ence of insular isolation upon the locomotive 
animals. Thus Papuan, West Indian and Mada- 
gascaran divisions are necessary in the classifi- 
cation of animal groups, but not in that of 
plant societies. Again, North America, exclu- 
SCIENCE. 
691 
sive of the polar regions, becomes a single 
province for animals, while for plants it is di- 
vided into two upon a basis of climate. 
A quite insufficient index closes the volume, 
and it is to be regretted that its stores of useful 
and sometimes elaborate information are not 
made more easily accessible. 
Conway MaAcMILLAN. 
Sewage-Analysis. By J. ALFRED WANKLYN and 
WILLIAM JOHN CooPEeR. A practical treatise 
on the examination of sewage and affluents 
from sewage. Including also a chapter on 
Utilization and Purification of Sewage. Phila- 
delphia, J. B. Lippincott Company. 1899. 
Pp. xvi-+ 220. 
The first eighty-two pages are devoted to an- 
alytical processes not essentially different from 
those published in ‘ Wanklyn’s Water Analysis,’ 
and in view of the fact that polluted water and 
sewage differ but in degree of pollution, it is 
reasonable to doubt the necessity of repeating 
information such as this to those already familiar 
with water methods. 
One must always open with respect a book 
bearing the name of ‘ Wanklyn,’ but in these 
days of active and accurate water investigation 
it would seem that the author of the ‘ Albumi- 
noid Ammonia Process’ has hardly kept in 
touch with what advances have been made by 
those who would be glad to be accounted his 
pupils. Thus the old writing paper packing 
for the retort neck is yet retained in the treatise 
under consideration; and a confidence is re- 
posed in the ‘goodness’ of ‘good tap-water’ 
for final rinsing, which many water-analysts 
know to be misplaced. Much space has been 
given to criticisms of methods of which the 
authors do not approve, and the style of such 
criticism suggests the old acrimonious discus- 
sion of some years ago. 
It is most unfortunate that the authors should 
have seen fit to refer to the oxidation of organic 
compounds through the action of germ life as 
‘a fashionable fad and delusion of the day’; 
nor is it seemly to announce that ‘‘ neither is 
the burning of the kitchen-fire nor the action 
of the steam-engine a manifestation of bacterial 
action.’’ 
Such remarks strike the reader as unworthy 
