502 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 691 



By some unaccountable error Professor 

 Dodge represents the foveal and macular fields 

 of regard as less than one fifth their actual 

 size, as calculated by the present writer upon 

 data given by Helmholtz and Kolliker. While 

 the author was evidently influenced by this 

 mistaken notion of the relation between the 

 central and peripheral fields, his main conten- 

 tions are probably not invalidated by the 

 error. The failure to state the reading dis- 

 tance, in his measurements of the effects of 

 peripheral stimulation upon speech reactions, 

 greatly lessens the value of these data to 

 other experimenters. 



In spite of errors, however, the article's posi- 

 tive contribution is important, and there are 

 several clever minor experiments which deserve 

 recognition did space permit. 



Edmund B. Huey 



Western University op Pennsylvania 



SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 

 The Zoological Bulletin of the Pennsyl- 

 vania Department of Agriculture for Decem- 

 ber, 1907, is devoted to the lizards of Penn- 

 sylvania, a somewhat brief topic, since only 

 five species occur in the state. Besides the 

 keys to genera and species, and detailed de- 

 scriptions, there is a study of the food, based 

 on the examination of as many stomachs as 

 were available. The showing is favorable to 

 the lizards as friends of the farmer. The 

 paper is prefaced by a discussion of lizards 

 reported in the human stomach, and it is 

 hoped that this may do something to counter- 

 act the very common belief that such cases 

 actually occur. 



The Museums Journal of Great Britain for 

 January has a good paper, by H. C. Sorby, 

 " On the Presei-vation of Marine Animals with 

 their Natural Color." The best results were 

 obtained by the use of anhydrous glycerine, 

 in some instances a layer of almond oil being 

 placed on the top of the glycerine. Sponges, 

 sundry worms, mollusks and fishes subjected 

 to this treatment retained their colors perfectly 

 at the end of seven years. Alex. Hutcheson 

 describes " An Early Dundee Museum," and 

 O. Gylling, in reply to a criticism by Mr. 



Bather, explains that the unpleasant features 

 of certain groups in the Malmo Museum are 

 due to the principle of showing the animals in 

 characteristic situations, or when displayed in 

 traps, as an incident of their extensive utiliza- 

 tion by man. The balance of the number is 

 devoted to reviews and notes. A^iong these 

 last is one in which Professor Ray Lankester 

 attacks " Newspaper Natural History " with a 

 seriousness that raises a smile. Incidentally, 

 Professor Lankester commits an error himself 

 in saying that " Elepha-s columhi and the 

 mammoth are as nearly as possible of the same 

 size," for E. columhi stood a foot to eighteen 

 inches taller than his northern relative. 



The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum, for 

 March gives a " Synopsis of the Bird Records 

 of the Natural History Society for the Tear 

 1907." 



The Museum News of the Brooklyn Insti- 

 tute is mainly devoted to articles on the libra- 

 ries of the Central and Children's Museums. 

 The former is a reference library of art, eth- 

 nology and natural history, the latter is some- 

 what unique, for, in addition to being for the 

 use of the staff, it acts as a school reference 

 library for teachers and pupils, endeavors to 

 supply information to the general public, and 

 seeks to interest school children in the various 

 subjects included in the scope of the museum. 



The Free Public Library of New Bedford 

 has just issued a catalogue of its " Collection 

 of Books, Pamphlets, Log Books, Pictures, 

 etc., illustrating the Whale Fishery." It is 

 particularly rich in log books, and these should 

 contain much information regarding the dis- 

 tribution and former abundance of whales. 

 The collection has been largely increased since 

 the issue of the catalogue. 



The contents of the December issue of 

 Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Elec- 

 tricity are as follows : 



Portrait of Maurits Snellen — Frontispiece. 



" The Penetrating Radiation," by W. W. Strong. 



" Helwan Magnetic Observatory, Egypt," by B. 

 F. E. Keeling. 



" Results of Magnetic Observations made by the 

 United States Coast and Geodetic Survey at the 



