208 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XX. No. 505 



judgment of the most prudent naturalists the real use of the lu- 

 minosity of the=ie insects is still utterly unknown. 



Can any of the readers of Science give me " a great light '' on 

 the subject in dispute? Charles Niedlingee. 



New York, 5 East I6th St., Sept. SB. 



BOOK-REVIEWS. 

 An Account of the Princijjal Facts and Theories Relating to the 

 Colors and Markings of Animals. By Frank E. Beddard, 

 M.A. New York, MacmiUan & Co. 8". $3.50. 



There is significance in the number of recent works involving 

 a discussion of questions of biological philosophy and a presenta- 

 tion of fundamental principles to intelligent non-scientiQc thinkers. 

 Starting with Darwin's "Origin of Species," a steadily increasing 

 volume of this kind of literature has been produced to supply an 

 intellectual demand, in itself a grateful proof of the re-adjust- 

 ment and betterment of the relations between scientists and other 

 thinkers. 



Among these newly developed lines of thought, none is more 

 interesting than the significance of coloration in the organic 

 world; and none deals with a subject more intrinsically beautiful. 

 The work under review is an attractive book on an attractive 

 subject. The press -work is good, the type clean and suifioiently 

 large. The four colored plates are a feature which will be much 

 appreciated, while the wood-cuts are well selected and well ex- 

 ecuted, with the exception of the illustration of the sloth, which 

 is little short of execrable. 



The classification of colors according to their supposed purpose 

 is much less intricate than that adopted by Poulton, and not very 

 unlike that of Wallace. A compromise between Poulton and Bed- 

 dard would have its advantages. Contrary to the promise of the 

 author in the introductory chapter, he has used insects almost, if 

 not quite, as much as Poulton in the presentation of his subject. 

 The author says that his book "contains nothing novel," but we 



think that he is over modest in this, for his excellent series of ex- 

 periments for the purpose of determining the palatability of vari- 

 ous animals is both new and very much to the point. 



In the introductory chapter the origin of animal coloration is 

 explained, and an indication of the a nti- Darwinian trend of the 

 work-is furnished by a denial of the fact that coloration is always 

 in harmony with the mode of life of the animal, a question which 

 might still be left sub Judice. Albinism is considered an indi- 

 vidual variation, although there Is much to indicate that it is a 

 physiological weakness or dermal disease. Although Mr. Beddard 

 does not touch upon the transmission of acquired characters, per- 

 haps thereby showing his wisdom, he is evidently intensely 

 Lamarckian in his beliefs. A comparison between Wallace's 

 " Darwinism '" and Beddard's " Coloration of Animals" would be 

 instructive perhaps, but sorely perplexing to the general student, 

 who cares more for ascertaining the truth than bemg au fait in 

 theories. Natural selection is apotheosized by the former, while 

 no author is more persistent in his attempts to minimize theeflfects 

 of natural selection than the latter. Here again middle ground 

 would seem more safe. 



Our author concludes that " the brilliant and varied coloration 

 of deep-sea animals is totally devoid of meaning," a conclusiort 

 that will doubtless meet with considerable opposition. 



Chapter II., on coloration as affected by environment, is a thor- 

 oughly Lamarckian chapter with many significant facts. The 

 nature and quantity of food is held to materially affect coloration. 

 Moisture deepens colors, while a dry climate lightens them. The 

 white of Arctic animals, it is maintained, is due to environment, 

 although this proposition can hardly be said to be substantiated in 

 a satisfactory manner. 



In Chapter III., on protective coloration, this well-worn but 

 never tiresome subject is illustrated by a large number of exam- 

 ples in much the usual way. The author is surprised at the small 

 number of green animals frequenting trees. We are inclined to- 

 think the number much greater than he admits. For instance, a 



Publications Received at Editor's OfSce. 



Bailey, L. H. The Horticulturist's Rule-Book. 



New York, Rural Pub. Co. 12°. 821 p. 

 Johnson. William W. The Theory of Errors and 



Method of Least Squares. New York, John Wiley 



& Sons. 13°. 162 p. $1.50. 

 MacCord, Charles W. Mechanical Drawirg. New 



York, John Wiley & Sons. -1°. 100 p. $4. 

 MaiRRiMAN, Mansfield. A Tt^st-Book on the Method 



of Least Squares. 6th ed. New York, John 



Wiley & Sons. 8°. 206 p. $3. 

 Merriman. Mansfield. An Introduction to Geodetic 



Surveying. Part 1. The Figure of the Earth. 



New York. John Wiley & Sons. 8°. 170 p. g2. 

 Milne, William J. Standard Arithmetic. New 



York, American Book Co. 12°. 42S p. 65 cts. 

 Poor, Henrt V. The Tariff. New York, H. V. & H- 



W. Poor. 8°. Paper 131 p. 



Reading Matter Notices. 



Ripans Tabules cure hives. 

 Ripans Tabules cure dyspepsia. 



FOR SALE. 



The Paleontological Collection of the late 

 U. P. Jaraes, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Many 

 type specimens and thousands of duplicates. 

 For further information address 



JOSEPH F. JAMES, 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Washington, D. C. 



RESTORE YOUR EYESIGHT 



Cataracts, scars or films can be absorbed and 

 paralyzed nerves restored, without the knife 

 or risk. Diseased eyes or lids caa be cured by 

 our home treatment. "We prove it." Hun- 

 dreds coiiTinced. Our illustrated pamphlet 

 •Home Treatment for Eyes," free. Don't miss it 

 Everybody wants It. " The Eye," Glens FallB. N.Y' 



Exchanges. 



[Freeof charge to all 

 Address N. D. C. Hodge: 



if of satisfactory character. 



, 874 Broadway, New Vork.l 



For Sale or Exchange.— The subscriber would 

 like to receive cash offers, or an offer in exchange 

 for the earlier volumes of Poggendorf's Annalen 

 and the later volumes of Silliman"s Journal, upon 

 the fol. owing list: i henn —Manuel de Conchylio 

 logi6. ■.; vols. Nearly 5,000 figures, some hand-col- 

 ored Paper. Paris, 1859. Edwards.— Butterflies 

 of N. A. 2 vols. Plates hand-colored. Vol. I., half 

 calf Vol. II. in parts. Leymaa, Agassiz, Hagen. — 

 Ilia. Cat. Mus. Comp. Zool. at Harvard. No. I. 

 Ophiuridae. No. II., Acalephae. No. III., Asta<ndae. 

 All bound in one volume. American Naturalist. 

 Vols. I.-VII. Cloth. Sllliman's Am. Jour, of 

 Science and Arts. Third Series. Vols. I.-X. Cloth. 

 Binney.— Terrestrial Mollusks of N. A. Colored 

 plates. 4 vols. Stretch.— Zygaenidae and Bomby- 

 cidae of N. A. Colored plates. Also a considerable 

 library of monographs, reports, and scientific 

 books, and a large number of duplicates of fossils, 

 minerals and shells. E. A. STRONG, Ypsilanti, 

 Mich., Sept., 1893. 



Exchange.— I have the finest shells of Anodonta 

 corpulenta, C'p'r, and Suborbiculata, Say, in the 

 world. Will exchange for fresh water. laud, and 

 mariae shells, iu large or small quantities. Have 

 also for exchange 50 varieties of fresh water and 

 land shells from Spoon River, lil. Dr. W. S. 

 STRODE, Lewistown, 111. 



To exchange for books on birds or insects, or 

 fo back volumes of American Naturalist : Ecker's 

 "Anatomy of the Frog,'' Packard's "Guide," 

 Guyofs "The Earth and Man." R.-ckhill's, "The 

 Land of the Lamas." Parker's "Biology." Shoe- 

 maker's "Heredity, Health and Personal Beauty," 

 Dexter's "The Kingdoms of Nature." all new. M. J. 

 ELROD, 111. Wes. Llniv.. Bloomington, 111. 



For Sale.— About 1087 volumes of the private 

 library of Dr. Nicolas Le6n, foimerly direct-^r of 

 the Museum at ^orelia, embracing publications of 

 special value for Mexicologists, like those of Bishop 

 Zum^rraga (16th century), of Si^uenza y Qongora, 

 of Aleman, etc., the Missal of Spinoza, ail very 

 scarce : manuscripts on tLe history of MichoacAu 

 and other Mexican States, on tbe Tarasco (the 

 Indian language of MichoacAn) and several works, 

 of which The only copy kLown to exist is in this 

 collection. Parties interested in the sale please 

 address Dr. NIC LEON, Portal de Matamoras, 

 Morelia, Mexico. 



Wants. 



METALLtTRGICAL CHEMIST will give instruc- 

 tion in the metallurgy and chemical analysis 

 of iron and steel. Complete or special courses ap- 

 ph ing to the manufacture of pig irons and steels, as- 

 weli as to their uses. Address " METALLURGIST/* 

 care Science. 



A GRADUATE of the University of Pennsylvania 

 and a practical mineralogist of twenty years' 

 experience desires to give his services and a cabi- 

 net of 25,1 CO specimens, all named, with about the 

 same number of duplicates, in minerals, crystals, 

 rocks, gems, fossils, shells, archseological and ethno- 

 logical specimens and woods to any institution de- 

 siring a fine" outfit for study. The owner will in- 

 crease the cabinet to SO.OuO specimens in two years 

 and will act as curator. Correspondence solicited 

 from anv scientific institution. J. W. Hortter, 

 M.D., Ph.D., San Francisco, Cal., General P. O. 

 Delivery. 



Tl 7ANTED.— A position as zoological artist in con- 

 VV I ection with a scientific expedition, institution 

 or individual investigations. Experienced in micro- 

 scopic and all scientific work. References given if 

 desired Address J. HENRY BLAKE, 7 Prentiss - 

 Place, N. Cambridge, Mass. 



CHEMIST AND ENGINEER, graduate German 

 Polytechnic, Organic and Analytical, desires a 

 position in laboratory or chemical works. Address 

 213J^ E. 7th Street, New York, care Levy. 



A MAN, 36 years old, of extensive experience, hav- 

 ing the degrees of A.M. and Ph.D . desires a 

 first-class opening as a teacher of Zoology and 

 kindred studies in a college or university. Can 

 furnish numerous testimonials 

 success and skill iu most 

 methods. Address E. W. D., 

 College Park, Md. 



references as to 

 rn laboratory 

 Agr. College, 



A 



JOHNS HOPKINS graduate (1898) desires a 

 position as instructor in mathematics and 



physics. Address. A. B. TURNER, Johns Hopkins 



University, Baltimore, Md. 



A YOUNG MAN, with a thorough training in Ana- 

 lytical Chemistry (including analysis of miner- 

 als, food, water, etc ), and holding a diploma of the 

 School of Practical Science, of Toronto, and good tes- 

 timonials, desires a position as Analytical Chemist 

 or as assistant to such. Address to WM. LAWSON, 

 16 Washington Ave., Toronto, Ontario. 



