February 23, 1906.] 



SCIENCE. 



303 



the elements are taken up in series beginning 

 with hydrogen. Under each element all the 

 more important facts concerning it and its 

 compounds find mention. A great many 

 graphic formulas and equations are here given. 

 The rare elements are also briefly noticed. A 

 very large amount of information together with 

 the latest and newest facts is here brought into 

 small compass. The statements are clear and 

 concise and the book is remarkably free from 

 errors. There are few important omissions. 

 The transition point of mercuric iodide is 

 given, but not that of sulphur nor that of tin. 

 Freezing mixtures are mentioned, but no ex- 

 planation is given of their action. On the 

 whole, however, this is an excellent text-book, 

 it is planned on new and original lines and it 

 deserves the careful consideration of all 

 teachers of chemistry. 



Edward H. Keiser. 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. 



The Bulletin of the College of Charleston 

 Museum, for January contains the report of 

 the director. Dr. Paul M. Eea, and is an en- 

 couraging account of progress, though under 

 difficulties. The museum has important col- 

 lections and, as Dr. Eea points out, with the 

 funds and assistance necessary to put these 

 in order and make them available to the 

 public, will become an important educational 

 factor. 



Bird Lore for January-February has for its 

 most extended article the Sixth Christmas 

 Bird Census, containing records from Maine 

 to Louisiana and British Columbia. There 

 are good illustrated articles on ' An Experi- 

 ence in Tree-top Photography,' by Bert F. 

 Case; 'My Chickadee Family,' by Marion 

 Bole ; ' The Dipper in Colorado,' by Evan 

 Lewis, and ' The Little Green Heron,' by Rett 

 E. Olmstead. In the report of the Audubon 

 Societies it is noted that the murderer of 

 Game Warden Bradley was not even indicted. 

 As an offset to this are the resolutions passed 

 by the Millinery Jobbers Association at the 

 Louisville Convention, pledging themselves 

 not to buy song birds, gulls, grebes or herons 



after January 1, and not to sell after July 1, 

 1906. 



The Zoological Society Bulletin for Jan- 

 uary contains a well-illustrated article on the 

 ' Pheasant Aviary and its Inmates ' which 

 comprise forty species of gallinaceous birds. 

 The ' Founding of a New Bison Herd in the 

 Wichita Forest Reserve ' is announced and it 

 is hoped this may lead to the starting of herds 

 in other localities while the bison are yet 

 available. It is stated that the female giraffe 

 received in 1903 has grown one foot and eleven 

 inches and the male two feet and ten inches, 

 the one standing twelve feet high, the other 

 thirteen feet and six inches. Barring acci- 

 dents, they should before long reach their full 

 height of between sixteen and seventeen feet. 

 There is an article with several good pictures 

 of the smaller cats and, finally, a summary 

 of the larger items of work accomplished 

 during 1905. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY. 



The annual ■ meeting of the Physical So- 

 ciety was held in Fayerweather Hall, Colum- 

 bia University, New York City, on Friday, 

 December 29, and Saturday, December 30, 

 1905. 



The presidential address of President Barus, 

 on ' Condensation Nuclei,' was delivered on 

 Saturday, December 30, at 11 a.m. 



Friday afternoon, December 29, a joint ses- 

 sion of the American Physical Society and the 

 American Mathematical Society was held in 

 Havemeyer Hall, at which a paper on the 

 ' Experimental Demonstration of Hydro- 

 dynamic Action at a Distance ' was presented 

 by Victor Bjerknes. 



The following papers were presented: 



A. W. EwELL : ' The Electrical Production of 

 Ozone.' 



E. RuTHEEFOED : '" Some Properties of the Alpha 

 Rays from Radium, II.' 



E. Rutherford : ' On the Magnetic and Electric 

 Deviation of the Alpha Rays.' 



E. P. Adams : ' The Absorption of Alpha Rays 

 in Gases and Vapors.' 



H. A. BuMSTEAD : ' The Heating Effect pro- 

 duced by Rontgen Rays in Different Metals and 



