Makch 30, 1883.] 



SCIENCE. 



223 



We, however, are of the opinion that most 

 students of prehistoric areheolog_y look at the 

 facts of their science in a verj- different spirit 

 from this. They assert their existence, but 

 wait until a sufficient number has been accu- 

 mulated before attempting their explanation. 

 Nevertheless, we must do the author the jus- 

 tice of admitting that he has been verj- severe 

 and critical in his examination of the evidence 

 of these facts, and will only allow its validity 

 in the cases upon which he has founded his 

 three species, rejecting all the manj'' other al- 

 leged proofs of the existence of ' the tertiarj' 

 man.' He largely relies upon the recent dis- 

 coverj'' by Professor Bellucci of Perugia, in 

 the presence of several witnesses, of a flint 

 flalie in situ in a deposit alleged to belong to 

 the upper miocene, at a place called the desert 

 of Otta, not far from Lisbon. It would take 

 more space than we have at our command to 

 point out the weakness of this piece of evi- 

 dence, which has been done elsewhere. "^ We 

 will merel}' repeat, that ' ' prudent investigators 

 must hesitate to base the proof of a fact preg- 

 nant with such startling consequences upon no 

 firmer foundation than a mere ' bulb of per- 

 cussion.' " 



The other disputed point in the new science, 

 upon which the author takes decided ground, 

 is in favor of the so-called ' hiatus ' between 

 the paleolithic and the neolithic periods. He 

 believes, not only that a long space of time, 

 during which great changes were effected in 

 the climate and the fauna of Europe, elapsed 

 between the two periods, but that the second 

 is marked bj' the appearance upon the scene of 

 a new and more advanced race of men, who 

 with better tools and weapons, and aided by a 

 knowledge of the cereals and the use of do- 

 mesticated animals, gained the master^' over 

 the autochthonous population of the earlier 

 period. The contrary' opinion maintains that 

 the later race were developed from the former 

 by a slow and gradual process. For our own 

 part, we agree with the author's conclusion, 

 believing it to be sustained by the preponder- 

 ance of evidence. 



As both a general statement and a minute 

 account of the present state of knowledge in 

 regard to prehistoric subjects, we know of no 

 work superior to this. It is a complete store- 

 house of information, gathered by a master of 

 the new science, who assisted at its birth, and 

 has dwelt within its verj' penetralia. His 

 statements in regard to facts can be relied upon 

 most implicitly ; it is only to some of his con- 

 clusions that we take exception. 



1 International review, September, 1882. 



PINNER'S ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



An introduction to the study of organic chemistry. 

 By Adolph Pinner, Ph.D. Translated and re- 

 vised from the fifth German edition by Peter 

 T. Austen, Ph.D., F.C.S. New York, John 

 Wiley §• Sonsi 1883. 19 -j- 403 p. 8°. 



Chemists who are already familiar with Pro- 

 fessor Pinner's Bepetitorium der {anorgan- 

 ischen und) organischen chemie need not be 

 informed of the peculiar excellences of that 

 successful text-book, and will welcome Dr. 

 Austen's translation, which makes it available 

 to English-speaking students. This work 

 presents, in a systematic and comprehensive 

 manner, a review of the enormous number of 

 substances derived from carbon, and especially 

 indicates their mutual theoretical relations. 

 Beginning with the compounds of the group C^ , 

 the author describes, first, the simpler bodies, 

 then their hj'droxyl-derivatives, sulpho-deriv- 

 atives, nitrogen-derivatives (amines, amides, 

 urea, cj'anides, etc.), phosphorus, arsenic and 

 antimony compounds, and the so-called organo- 

 metallic bodies ; next follow the sim23ler sub- 

 stances of the group C^, with their derivatives ; 

 and so on. The space given to anj' one body or 

 topic is necessaril}' small. American students, 

 with their utilitarian views, would probably 

 prefer more descriptive matter in many cases, 

 as in alcohol, sugar, starch, petroleum, etc. 

 Practical matters are made subordinate to theo- 

 retical considerations. 



The translation is clear and generallj' satis- 

 factory-, but not alwaj's free from traces of the 

 original language. The translator follows the 

 rules issued b}' the London chemical society 

 as respects spelling, arrangement of constitu- 

 tional formulae, and terminology. The work is 

 exceedinglj- well printed, and very free from 

 typographical errors. As a compendium of 

 the present actual state of organic chemistrj', 

 for use in classes having a good foundation of 

 inorganic chemistry, this work is well adapted, 

 and deserves general acceptance. 



REPORT OF THE CONNECTICUT SHELL- 

 FISH COMMISSION, 18S3. 



Second report of the shellfish commissioners of the 

 state of Connecticut to the general assembly, Janu- 

 ary session, 1883. Middletown, Pelton §• King, 

 1883. 44 p., map. 8°. 



In natural accordance with the reputation of 

 its inhabitants for sound common sense applied 

 to business matters, the state of Connecticut 

 enjoys the distinction of being the first to ap- 

 point a commission to supervise its interests 

 in the fisheries of economic moUusks. The 



