October 14, 1892.] 



SCIENCE. 



223 



In treating of each main division of the animal kingdom, the 

 author begins with a classification of the group and general re- 

 marks on its biology and characteristics. Then he takes each 

 class in order, and gives an account in some detail of a type-ani- 

 mal, followed by notes on other interesting genera in the class. In 

 the smaller classes, the type may be omitted. Finally the embry- 

 ology and affinities of the group are discussed. Sometimes the 

 orders also are characterized, especially among the vertebrates, at 

 other times this is unnecessary. 



It is impossible to mention fully either the good or bad points 

 of the book in a short review. It is very well up to date in most 

 respects. Resumes are given of important discussions, such as 

 that regarding the origin of the vertebrates, the position of 

 Balanoglossus and other Hemichordata, etc. In most cases the 

 treatment of the various subjects discussed is impartial to a de- 

 gree. We hear something of "anabolism," "katabolism," "male- 

 ness," " femaleness,'' and so forth, but not too much; and the 

 author's opinions are never dogmatically expressed. On the oppo- 

 site side of the account must be placed the fact that some phylo- 

 genetically important groups are very inadequately discussed, 

 apparently because of their small size, the Polyzoa and Bracbio- 

 poda, for example. Among the Rotatoria, TrouhospluEra is ap- 

 parently not mentioned at all. A feature of questionable advan- 

 tage is the constantly recurring tables of resemblances and differ- 

 ences between families, orders, classes, and sub-kingdoms. These 

 tables undoubtedly present matters in a striking form, but as 

 undoubtedly they lead to " cram work" in the case of many stu- 

 dents. Perhaps this is the reason for their presence. Mr. Thomson 

 says that his book is partly intended for medical students, who, 

 for the M.D. degree in Edinburgh and other British universities, 

 are required to pass an examination in zoology. It may be that 

 the tables were inserted with a special view to their requirements^ 

 And still another serious defect in the book is the way in which it 

 is mis-illustrated by 32 full-page plates of rough diagrams. None 

 of the illustrations can be called good, some are atrocious. 



Still, taking the book all in all, it is perhaps the best lecture- 

 companion for college students in English at present, and it is to 

 be hoped that an American edition may soon be forthcoming. 



John Gardiner. 



University of Colorado, Boulder, Col. 



AMONG THE PUBLISHERS. 



To encourage the use of tlie microscope, which certainly has 

 proved a fascinating hobby for many as well as a most important 

 art for all science-workers, the Bausch & Lomb Optical Company, 

 Rochester, N.Y., has for some time published a hand-book, enti- 

 tled "Manipulation of the Microscope" (75 cents), by Edward 

 Bausch. That this book has served a good purpose is evidenced 

 by there having been ten thousand copies sold. 



— In the announcement of new books and new editions for the 

 hohday season of 1893 the eight-volume set of "The Lives of the 

 Queens of England," by Agnes Strickland, is foremost in J. B. 

 Lippincott Company's list. The work is a reprint of the author's 

 latest revised edition and contains portraits of the queens of Eng- 

 land and numerous other illustrations especially prepared for this 

 edition. Dr. Charles C. Abbott, so well known as a most delight- 

 ful writer upon nature, has a volume of his " Recent Rambles." 

 Most of them were made through the Delaware Valley, the region 

 he has made peculiarly his own, but by way of contrast we also 

 have trips in New Mexico and Arizona, and a wandering through 

 a seaside forest. This is the first one of Dr. Abbott's books to be 

 illustrated, and it contains nineteen reproductions of photographs 

 made by himself. In addition to other important announcements, 

 we note that Mr. W. S. Baker has again laid students of Ameri- 

 can history under obligations in the " Itinerary of General Wash- 

 ington," which with great pains and accuracy he has compiled 

 from original sources. The work embraces the period of the rev- 

 olutionary war. 



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CALENDAR OF SOCIETIES. 



Numismatic and Antiquarian Society, 



Philadelphia. 



Oct. 6.— The president. Dr. D. G. Brinton, 

 described a recent visit to the aboriginal 

 jasper quarries in the Lehigh Hills, Pennsyl- 

 vania. Two sites were examined, in com- 

 pany with the discoverer, Mr. H. C. Mercer, 

 and Mr. Charlemagne Tower, president of 

 the Board of Managers of the Museum of the 

 University of Pennsylvania. The pits at 

 one site numbered about sixty ; at the other 

 nearly double that number. Some were 

 eighty feet in length by twenty to thirty 

 feet wide and must have been at least twenty 

 to thirty feet deep. An enormous amount 

 of the material had been excavated and car- 

 ried away to be worked into arrow and 

 spear-heads. Quantities of quarry rejects 

 were visible, and one work-shop site was 

 visited. Thediscovery of these quarries adds 

 greatly to the correct knowledge of the 

 archseology of Pennsylvania. Dr. Robert 

 H. Lamborn exhibited and described two 

 copper turtles of singular workmanship, one 

 from the Casas Grandes, the other frona 

 Chiriqui, Central America. Both displayed 

 the peculiar character of wire-work in use 

 by the native copper and gold smiths. 



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