228 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXIII. No. 580. 



8vo. Pp. 192. Price, Mk. 7.50 per Lie- 



ferung. 



According to the announcement, the above 

 work is to consist of three volumes, published 

 in twelve separate parts, and will be completed 

 in 1906. The first volume will contain the 

 general part and the methane derivatives; the 

 second, the hydrogenized cyclic compounds; 

 and the third, the benzene derivatives, fol- 

 lowed by a general index. 



The appearance of this great work will be 

 welcomed by all interested in the chemistry of 

 the essential oils. The name of its author is 

 sufficient guarantee that the work will be well 

 and thoroiighly done, for Professor Semmler's 

 twenty years' experience in this field has made 

 him exceptionally well qualified to undertake 

 such a task. It is not too much to say that 

 when complete this is destined to be the 

 standard reference work on the subject, for, 

 if carried out as at present planned, it will be 

 the most extensive separate treatise extant on 

 the chemistry of the constituents of essential 

 oils. It is likely also to impart an added 

 stimulus to investigations in this branch of 

 organic chemistry, and thus produce a rich 

 fruitage of results of both theoretical and 

 practical value. 



This first part contains the chapters on the 

 methods by which the ethereal oils are ob- 

 tained, their origin and occurrence in plants, 

 and the general properties of their constitu- 

 ents, both physical and chemical. In dis- 

 cussing the general chemical properties of 

 these constituents, the latter are classified 

 according to . their structure, and the fol- 

 lowing groups are taken up in this first 

 part: (1) hydrocarbons; (2) alcohols; (3) 

 aldehydes and ketones; (4) oxides; (5) acids 

 and esters, and (6) phenols (in part). 



The subject matter is well arranged and 

 clearly presented. The type and paper are ex- 

 cellent. The work is one of such importance 

 that it should, of course, be in every well- 

 equipped chemical library. That it will really 

 be completed in 1906 is not unlikely, as Pro- 

 fessor Semmler is now hard at work in Berlin 

 on his manuscripts and proof. 



Marston Taylor Bogert. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 



The American Museum Journal for Janu- 

 ary is styled the Crepidula Number, the 

 leading article, by B. E. Dahlgi-en, being 

 ' The Development of a Mollusk ' and intended 

 as a guide to the series of models illustrating 

 the developiiient of Crepidula fornicata, re- 

 cently placed on exhibition. Another article 

 briefly describes ' The Collections Illus- 

 trating the Eocks'and Minerals of Manhattan 

 Island,' and it is noted that a complete list 

 of the minerals would include about one hun- 

 dred species and varieties. ' The Department 

 of Vertebrate Paleontology Explorations of 

 1906 ' notes the discovery on the last day of 

 a six years' search, of a specimen of 

 Orohippus, and the end of the work in the 

 famous Bone Cabin dinosaur quarry, a locality 

 which has yielded many and very perfect 

 specimens of these huge reptiles. We are 

 also told of the discovery of the huge car- 

 nivorous dinosaur, nearly forty feet long, ap- 

 propriately named Tyrannosaurus rex, the 

 tyrant reptilian king. Many interesting notes, 

 and a schedule of the lecture courses are in- 

 cluded in the number. 



The Museums Journal of Great Britain for 

 December contains an account of the his- 

 tory, development and arrangement of the 

 Hastings Museum, Victoria Institute, Wor- 

 cester, by W. H. Edwards, and suggestions 

 for ' A Zoological Theatre ' to form an ad- 

 junct to a zoological garden. Among the re- 

 views of museum publications, those of several 

 American museums are very favorably men- 

 tioned. There are the usiial numerous and 

 interesting notes. 



The Museum News of the Brooklyn Insti- 

 tute for January has a brief article on ' Edu- 

 cational Features of the Central Museum,' 

 calling attention to some special features of 

 the exhibits; there is a description of some 

 important Roman mosaics from North Africa 

 recently placed on exhibition and a note on a 

 group of mountain goats just added to the col- 

 lection. The leading article in the section de- 

 voted to the Children's Museum is ' The Story 

 of a Piece of Coal.' Lectures are announced 

 for both museums. 



