54 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXrV. No. 863 



Jennings, and " The Eeproduction of Para- 

 maecium Aurelia in a ' Constant ' Culture 

 Medium of Beef Extract," by Lorande L. 

 Woodruff and George A. Baitsell. 



The contents of the last issue of the Phil- 

 ippine Journal of Science in the section de- 

 voted to chemical and geological sciences and 

 the industries contains articles as follows : 

 "Philippine Firewood," by Alvin J. Cox; 

 " Quinine Esters of Phenylarsinic Acid De- 

 rivatives," by K. J. Oechslin ; " The Mechan- 

 ical Analysis of Soil," by "Wallace E. Pratt; 

 " The Economic Possibilities of the Mangrove 

 Swamps of the Philippines," by Eobert E. 

 Williams. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS 

 Reptiles of the World. By Eaymond Dit- 

 MARS. New York, Sturgis & Walton Com- 

 pany. 1910. Pp. xi + 373; 89 plates, 1 

 colored. 



Of the numerous popular books on natural 

 history that have appeared recently, few 

 probably meet a greater need than this com- 

 prehensive work on the reptiles of the world. 

 It is thus fortunate that Mr. Ditmars has 

 undertaken the task, for his long connection 

 with the New York Zoological Park has 

 given him familiarity with living examples 

 of a large number of forms and a knowledge 

 of the information desired by the class of 

 people who will presumably find most use for 

 the book. 



The limits of one volume do not, of course, 

 permit a full treatment of the subject, but, 

 as a rule, the author has used good judgment 

 in the selection of material. All of the large 

 groups are defined, down to and including the 

 families, and the more important genera and 

 species are described. The less important 

 families, i. e., those of less general interest, 

 are given but a brief description, the less im- 

 portant genera and species are omitted, and 

 genera that contain a large number of closely 

 similar species, e. g., the Anoles and Scelop- 

 eri, are given a rather full description sup- 

 plemented by a short account of a few of 

 the better known forms. The book is thus 

 not burdened with details. 



The descriptions are brief, couched in non- 

 technical terms, and admirably supplemented 

 by excellent illustrations from photographs, 

 mostly of living animals. It is refreshing to 

 find the habits so fully discussed. They are 

 given nearly as much space as the descriptions 

 (in some cases more), and even when it has 

 been necessary to treat a group very briefly 

 the general habits are often given. The range 

 is outlined in each case, and about as fully 

 as one can expect in such a work. 



It is not easy to criticize the book when one 

 keeps in mind its aim " to give in a popular 

 manner a general survey of the reptiles of the 

 world." Thus, while the lack of detail in 

 many places and the too brief and general 

 descriptions will be regretted by scientists, 

 they can not be condemned, for they are un- 

 avoidable defects in a book of this kind. 

 However, the author makes the further state- 

 ment that " while the manner aims to be pop- 

 ular ... it is at the same time, the writer 

 hopes, everywhere in accord with the latest 

 results of the scientific study of the subject," 

 and there will be differences of opinion on 

 this point. 



In the first place, it is to be regretted 

 that a more recent nomenclature has not been 

 used. It goes without saying that a book of 

 this kind can not give space to nomencla- 

 tural disputes, and it may even be admitted 

 that it may profitably retain names that have 

 been replaced, if the new names have not as 

 yet become well established in the literature. 

 But it seems to the reviewer that nothing is 

 to be gained by adhering to old names when 

 the new ones have become reasonably well 

 known (e. g., Lacertilia for Sauria, Ophidia 

 for Serpentes, Eutmnia for Thamnophis) , and 

 particularly in a book that aims to present 

 the subject, no matter how popularly, in its 

 present stage. 



Another criticism that may be made is that 

 relatively too much space is given to the 

 habits of captive specimens. The habits in 

 captivity furnish only a general clue to the 

 habits in nature, and, as a rule, the activities 

 of a captive animal are only a small part of 

 the normal activities. Thus one may deter- 



