Maech 31, 1916] 



SCIENCE 



467 



growth, and various metabolic processes of 

 plants and animals are all considered. Many 

 observations are of the author's own work and 

 all are discussed with reference to the E6T 

 rule. Indeed, one wishes that the effect of 

 temperature on purely physical processes was 

 more fully considered. There is of course no 

 doubt but that the main effect of temperature 

 on life processes is to be explained in terms 

 of its effect on chemical reactions, nevertheless, 

 there are irregularities in the temperature co- 

 efficients of biological processes which must be 

 explained as the result of temperature chang- 

 ing two processes at the same time, and not 

 merely the velocity of some chain of chem- 

 ical reactions. It is the exception rather than 

 the rule which should now claim the attention 

 of physiologists. 



It is always a great convenience to have the 

 results of some one subject of investigation 

 collected and tabulated by a competent inves- 

 tigator and this book will serve as an excellent 

 reference work to the physiologist and bio- 

 chemist interested in temperature and as a 

 guide to future research along that line. 

 E. Newton Harvey 



Physiological Laboratoet, 

 Peinceton, N. J. 



Oeologia Elementar, preparada com referenda 

 especial aos Estudanies Brasileiros e a Geo- 

 logia do Brazil. Por John C. Beanner. 

 Second edition, Francisco Alves et Cia, 166 

 Rua do Ouvidor, Eio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

 The second edition of this excellent hand- 

 book, not only for Brazilian students as the 

 title states, but of Brazilian geology, brings 

 up to date in 396 pages of text the matter pre- 

 sented in the first edition of the year 1906. 

 Perhaps no one now living in or outside of 

 Brazil is so well prepared to write a regional 

 geology text of this character as President 

 Branner. The present edition is based upon 

 the first, which was written in English and 

 translated into Portuguese with the collabora- 

 tion of the late Dr. Derby. The additional 

 matter in the new edition was written in Por- 

 tuguese by the author, and revised by Doctors 

 Barreto and Lisboa. The subject-matter is 

 systematically set forth with illustrations of 



local geological peculiarities, among which 

 the magnificent examples of weathered rocks, 

 the coral banks of the coast and sandstone 

 reefs of Pernambuco, the remarkable growths 

 of the mangrove, the geological work of ants, 

 and the striking evidences of a slightly 

 elevated shore-line, form admirable subjects 

 for didactic geology. Where Brazil is now 

 wanting in evidences of important agencies of 

 geological change, the author has very prop- 

 erly, in the interest of the student, introduced 

 striking examples from foreign lands. The 

 North American student of geology, even if he 

 does not read Portuguese, will find the black- 

 line maps illustrating the distribution of the 

 geological formations of Brazil as they are at 

 present known, the most serviceable at his com- 

 mand. The guide fossils representing the chief 

 types in the Brazilian Upper Silurian, De- 

 vonian, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary de- 

 posits are set forth in line and stipple draw- 

 ings which have the merit of distinctness. 

 Numerous cross-sections show the understand- 

 ing of the geological structure, in particular 

 the coastwise , portion of the country. Presi- 

 dent Branner has embodied the latest dis- 

 coveries concerning the Permian glaciation in 

 south Brazil, as well as the results of Dr. 

 I. C. White's monographic work upon the 

 " Geology of the Brazilian Coal Field." The 

 footnotes give reference to the more impor- 

 tant geological reports on the region, among 

 which must not be forgotten the author's 

 " Bibliography of the Geology of Brazil," in 

 Bulletin Geol. Sac. Amer., Vol. 20, p. 132, 

 1909. 



The geological traveller bound to Brazil will 

 find this work indispensable as a vademecum, 

 and an additional incentive to gain command 

 of the Portuguese tongue. 



J. B. WOODWORTH 



Irrigation in the United States. By Eat 



Palmer Teele, M.A. D. Appleton and 



Company, 1915. Pp. 253. 



The conquest by irrigation of the vast area 



of our country that lies under a low annual 



rainfall — approximately 20 inches and less — 



has become a matter of national interest. Our 



