May 24, 1901.] 
The sketches, diagrams and maps are taken 
from work actually done, thereby establishing 
confidence in the processes described. In this 
connection it might be suggested that a word of 
caution should be uttered regarding the tend- 
ency to give the interval of contours that have 
been sketched. Beyond this one point, a care- 
ful reading has not disclosed anything but mer- 
itorious features in all that pertains to the 
technical side of the book. 
J. H. Gore. 
CoLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY. 
Neudrucke von Schriften und Karten tiber Meteor- 
ologie und Erdmagnetismus herausgegeben von 
Proressor Dr. G. HELLMANN. No. 13, 
Meteorologische Beobachtungen vom XIV. bis 
XVII. Jahrhundert. Berlin, A. Asher & Co. 
1901. 4vo. Pp. 70introduction and notes + 
pp. 180, fac-similes. Price, 18 Marks. 
This is the latest of these reprints that have 
been reviewed from time to time in SCIENCE, 
and its object is to elucidate the beginning of 
meteorological observations and to eradicate 
the impression, which is common even among 
specialists, that with very few exceptions there 
were no continuous observations before the end 
of the 17th century. It is here shown that 
already at the close of the 15th century many 
series of observations existed, including some 
simultaneous ones, and it seems probable that 
regular observations of the weather were made 
even in very ancient times. The present volume 
deals with two kinds of records, meteorological 
observations on land—those without instru- 
ments from 1337 to 1645, and those with instru- 
ments from 1649 to 1700—and observations 
made at sea between 1492 and 1700. 
' The earliest journal of the weather extant is 
that kept by William Merle at Driby, in Lincoln- 
shire, England, between the years 1337 and 
1344. The Latin MS. was reproduced in fac- 
simile, with a translation, about ten years ago by 
the late Mr. Symons, but, as the edition was 
limited and hardly went outside of England, 
Dr. Hellmann has thought it worth while to 
reprint a portion. The next oldest record 
(1439) is also English, and then come German, 
Austrian, Italian, Swiss, Belgian, Spanish and 
Danish observations. It is certainly not known 
generally that observations in Brazil preceded 
SCIENCE. 
821 
those in this country, and that the first weather 
observations in North America were by a Swede, 
Johann Campanius, on the Delaware River, 
near Philadelphia, during 1644 and 1645, a 
summary of the weather for each month being 
given. The firs’ observations with instru- 
ments .were readings of the barometer each 
day during the years 1649, 1650 and 1651 
in Clermont (Auvergne) and at the same time 
at Paris and at Stockholm. Of these only M. 
Périer’s observations in Clermont have been 
preserved and they are reproduced. The orig- 
inal log-book of Christopher Columbus’s first 
voyage (1492-93) no longer exists, but an extract 
relating to the change of weather on this side 
of the Canary Islands, and an account of a 
West India cyclone encountered on the return 
voyage, and which is the first description of 
such a storm, are quoted. There are nine other 
extracts from logs of early voyages, making, 
with the observations on land, 36 rare journals. 
Even if known to students, hitherto these have 
been practically inaccessible, but now they are 
presented as nearly as possible in the original 
form and enriched with copious notes by the 
best authority on the subject. These reprints 
have not been put on sale in America, but one 
or two copies of the current volume may be 
had at the publisher’s price, viz., $4.50, from the 
Blue Hill Observatory, Hyde Park, Mass. 
A. LAWRENCE RoreH. 
Die Pflanzen-Alkaloide. Von JuL. WILE. BRUHL, 
Professor an der Universitit Heidelberg; in 
Gemeinschaft mit Edward Hjelt und Ossian 
Aschen Professoren an der Universitat Hel- 
singfors. Mit Hingedruckten Abbiidungen. 
Braunschweig, F. Vieweg und Sohn. 1900. 
Mk. 14.00. 
The discovery of plant alkaloids belongs to 
the early part of the nineteenth century, and 
their subsequent study and investigation rank 
among the important achievements of modern 
chemistry. In 1803, Derosne, a French apothe- 
cary, obtained impure morphine from opium. 
In 1805, Sertiirner, a German apothecary, iso- 
lated the pure alkaloid and, in 1817, recognized 
its basic character and showed it to be the active 
principle of opium. Since that time the study 
of alkaloidal chemistry has been steadily pro- 
