734 
This guide consists of an ‘Introduction’ of 
four pages on instruments and general directions 
followed by eleven pages on the ‘ Elements of 
Histology’ and 269 pages on the various groups 
and types of animals. 
The list of animals named for special study 
represents 76 genera and 83 species—a list that 
indicates the author tried to live up to the 
statement in the preface that the zoological 
laboratory of to-day does not simply offer a few 
local types for dissection, but rather constitutes 
a practical ‘ Repetitorium’ of the fundamental 
facts of zoology. 
The work is divided into 20 ‘ courses’ distrib- 
uted among the nine phyla recognized as fol- 
lows: Protozoa (pages 15), Platodes (7), Echi- 
nodermata (21) and Tunicata (14), each one 
course ; Vermes (Bryozoa, Cheetognatha, Anne- 
lida) (28), Mollusca (37) and Arthropoda (29), 
each two courses ; Coelenterata (43) four courses 
and Vertebrata (76) five courses. The first 
course is devoted to Elements of Histology. 
Each course or group of courses is preceded 
by a ‘Systematischer Ueberblick’ of the phylum 
in which the classification is carried out to the 
orders and suborders. In this systematic epi- 
tome each category is more or less_ briefly 
characterized and one or two representatives 
are noted under each order or suborder. This 
is followed by a bit of technique, this by a gen- 
eral survey and this by the ‘special course.’ 
The treatment of the Coelenterata may serve as 
illustration of the plan. In this group the 
order is as follows: (1) ‘Systematischer Ueber- 
blick’ of courses 3-6, (2) 83 Kursus (pp. 34-48). 
(8) Porifera. ‘Technische Vorbereitungen.’ (4) 
A. Allgemeine Uebersicht. (5) B. Specieller 
Kursus. (6) 4 Kursus (pp. 43-55). Hydroidpoly- 
pen. Technische Vorb., etc., as (4) and (5). 
(7) 5 Kursus (pp. 55-65), Tech., etc. (8), 6 Kur- 
sus (pp. 66-73). Anthozoa, Tech., etc. The 
general account of the phylum is brief and the 
“special course’ is a running account of the 
anatomy of the laboratory specimen with direc- 
tions for dissection introduced whenever deemed 
necessary. 
The reviewers experience is not favorable to 
the introduction of systematic and general sur- 
veys intoa laboratory guide, and why a general 
account of a phylum should be preceded by a 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Von. X. No. 255. 
special technique is not clear to him. There 
are sound pedagogical reasons for logical order 
and for keeping a laboratory guide to its business. 
As a laboratory guide for a beginner the book 
is not detailed enough and can hardly stand 
with such guides as those of Marshall and Hurst, 
Parker and others in English. 
The illustrations, of which there are 172, are 
as arule good. Quite a number of them, about 
75, are original. Some of these could be im- 
proved. Figure 152, for example, would hardly 
assist a beginner in his search for the uterus or 
the bladder of the frog. It would also be un- 
certain work for a beginner to identify the ovary 
of a young frog either by the figures or the de- 
scriptions. On the whole, however, the original 
figures are goodand welcome. The typograph- 
ical work is of course neat, clean and agreeable 
—for it comes from the establishment of Gustav 
Fischer. 
Henry F. NACHTRIEB. 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
Lecons de chemie physique, professées & Vuniversité de 
Berlin. J. H. VAN’? Horr. Translated from the 
German by M. Corvisy. Second Part, La statique 
Chemique. Paris, Hermann. 1899. Pp. 162. 
Legon nowvelles sur les applications géométriques du 
calcul differenti. W. De TANNENBERG. Paris, 
Hermann. 1899. Pp. 192. 
Recherches expérimentales sur les oscilations electriques. 
A. TURPAIN. Paris, Hermann. 1899. Pp. 152. 
Biological Lectures from the Marine Biological Labora- 
tory, Wood’s Holl, Mass. Boston, Ginn & Co. 1899. 
Pp. 343. 
Animal and Plant Lore. FANNY D. BERGEN. Boston 
and New York, published for the American Folk- 
Lore Society by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. 1899. 
Pp. 180. 
Evolution by Atrophy. J.- DEMoor, J. MASSART and 
E. VANDERVELDE, translated by Mrs. CHALMERS 
MitcHeLt. New York, D. Appleton & Co. 1899. 
Pp. xiii+-322. 
SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 
Tue principal article in the National Geo- 
graphic Magazine for November is on ‘The 
Alaskan Boundary,’ originally given as a lec- 
ture before the National Geographical Society 
by Hon. John W. Foster, ex-Secretary of State, 
and at present a member of the Joint High 
