670 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXI. No. 800 



ment of the present distribution of plants and 

 animals, which is one of the most fascinating 

 problems of recent biogeography, is not neg- 

 lected by him. But he does not approach it 

 from the biogeographical standpoint in so far, 

 as he does not attempt to prove former geo- 

 graphical conditions by the present distribu- 

 tion of any organic forms, but makes it a part 

 (chapter VIII., p. 577 if.) of the physical geog- 

 raphy of the land, and treats of it in connec- 

 tion with geological principles. His general 

 account of the history of the continents and 

 oceans, although given only in its main fea- 

 tures, is rather good, and deserves attention. 

 It rests chiefly upon the studies of the most 

 prominent writers in this line (Suess, Lap- 

 parent, Freeh, etc.). 



Altogether we may say that the parts of 

 this book discussed here are well worth read- 

 ing. Difficult branches of scientific research, 

 which are yet subject to much controversy, are 

 represented in a lucid way, showing the clever- 

 ness and originality of the writer, and demon- 

 strating also that he is well acquainted with 

 the most modern phases of the questions dis- 

 cussed. It is hardly feasible to go into any 

 detail, and to attempt a critical review of the 

 special opinions of M. de Martonne, since iii 

 certain cases we would be compelled to offer 

 evidence for the contrary, for which there is 

 no room in these pages. We only would 

 recommend this book to the study of all those 

 who are interested in biogeography, ecology 

 and paleogeography, and we have no doubt 

 it will be a stimulus to them in their ovm 

 work. These chapters are not so much a 

 " test-book " for the beginner, giving a cir- 

 cumscribed amount of scientific facts to be 

 stored away in the brain, and to be used at 

 an " examination," but they are a challenge 

 to the active, progressive worker in these lines, 

 to scrutinize his own ideas, to revise them, 

 and if they differ from those proposed here, 

 to say so, and to bring forth the evidence, in 

 order that they may be discussed according 

 to their merits. 



A. E. Ortmann 



Pittsburgh, 

 March, 1910 



Die Chemische Industrie. By G. MiJLLER. 



Pp. 488. Leipzig, B. G. Teubner. 1909. 



Price, bound, M. 12. 



This book aims to aid the merchant in his 

 calling and to serve as a guide in trade and 

 technical matters for chemists and others en- 

 gaged in the chemical industries. 



The strictly chemical aspects of the subjects 

 here discussed are relegated to another volume, 

 " Chemical Technics " by Dr. Heusler, which 

 has appeared in this same Teubner " Series of 

 Trades and Industries," to which the work 

 here considered belongs. 



The author has divided his book into two 

 parts. 



Part I. is devoted to the General Survey of 

 Chemical Industry, and includes a discussion 

 of its scientific and technical evolution and of 

 the laws of trade and commerce. 



In Part II. the writer takes up individually 

 many of the more important branches of 

 Chemical Industry, among them acids, salts 

 and alkalies, artificial fertilizers, explosives, 

 aluminum compounds, mineral oils, dry dis- 

 tillation, the industries of coloring matters 

 and colors, fats, oils, rubber and gutta-percha; 

 a bibliography of German publications of tech- 

 nical hand- and text-books, a list of some 

 technical journals, and a carefully prepared 

 subject-index, conclude the volume. 



A liberal introduction of tables of export 

 and import of many of the chemical substances 

 discussed permit an interesting study of the 

 conditions of various trades in different 

 countries, and at different times. Naturally, 

 German conditions receive by far the largest 

 share of attention, but it can not be said that 

 the trade conditions of other countries have 

 been neglected. 



The different topics of child labor, working 

 men's insurance, laws and regulations of 

 hygiene in different industries, all receive (ion- 

 sideration and the treatment of the various 

 topics throughout shows an intimate acquain- 

 tance with the data and statistics of the sub- 

 jects discussed. 



The statistics generally include those of the 

 year 1907, and are thus well up to date. Prices, 



