SCIENCE. 



Editorial Committee : S. Newcomb, Mathematics ; R. S. Woodward, Mechanics ; E. C. Pickering, As- 

 tronomy ; T. C. Mendenhall, Physics ; R. H. Thitrston, Engineering ; Ika Remsen, Chemistry ; 

 Joseph Le Coxte, Geology; W. M. DA\ns, Physiography; O. C. Marsh, Paleontology; W. K. 

 Brooks, Invertebrate Zoology ; C. Haet Meeriaji, Vertebrate Zoology ; N. L. Beitton, 

 Botany ; Hexey F. Osborn, General Biology ; H. P. Bowditch, Physiology ; 

 J. S. Billings, Hygiene ; J. McKeen Cattell, Psychology ; 

 Daniel G. Beinton, J. W. Powell, Anthropology. 



Friday, April 5, 1895. 



CONTENTS: 



The Animal as a Machine and Prime Mover : R. H. 



Thurston 365 



Harshbergrr on the Origin of our Vernal Flora : 



Charles Robertson 371 



Srisson's Genera of Mammals, 1762: C. Hart 



Merriam 375 



Agricultural Notes (/. ) : Byron D. Halsted . . .376 



Science in Canada : J. T. C 379 



Correspondence : — 381 



Classijivation of Skulh: HARRISON ALLEN. 



Notes on the Biology of the Lobster : FRANCIS H. 



Herrick. 

 Scientific Literature : — 382 



Haeckcl's Jfonism: W. K. BROOKS. Life of 



Jiiijine.iqiie : G. BROWN GOODE. Lydekker's 



h'oyul y^aliiral History; The Book of Antelopes: 



C. Hart Meeriam. 



Notes and News : — 390 



Societies and Academies : — 391 



The Neu- York Academy of Sciences. 



Scientific Journals 39'2 



New Books 392 



MSS. Intended for publication and books, etc., intended 

 for review should be sent to the responsible editor, Prof. J. 

 McKeen Cattell, Garrison on Hudson, N. Y. 



Subscriptions and advertisemenis should be sent to Science, 

 41 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa., or 41 East 49tb St., New York. 



THE ANIMAL AS A MACHINE AND PRIME 

 MOVER* 



The \sTiter of these! papei-s has been 

 greatlj' interested in the study of the vital 

 machine in its relations to the special work 

 of the engineer and to the methods illus- 

 trated bj- it in transformation of potential 



•Abstracted from Tlie .\nimal as a Prime Motor ; 

 X. Y., J. Wiley & .Sons, 1894. Journal of the Frank- 

 lin Institute, Jan. -March, 1895. 



energies into the mechanical form for use- 

 ful purposes in the industries. 



The value of this form of prime motor to 

 the engineer is enormous, though rarely ap- 

 preciated or realized. Until the introduc- 

 tion of the steam-engine into mills and 

 factories through the inventions and enter- 

 prise of Watt and his partner, at the begin- 

 ning of the century, horse-power and 

 manual labor only were available for any 

 work for w'liich w^ater-power could not be 

 obtained, and hundreds of horses had even 

 been employed, in earlier times, in draining 

 of single mines. But, even at the present 

 time, the horse is the prime motor for an 

 enormous section of the industries ; and all 

 transportation on short routes or available 

 lines, all agricultural work nearly, and 

 work of whatever kind on the highway and 

 in the by-ways must rely on this vital 

 machine for its performance. 



The theory of the machine and studj- of 

 its methods of operation, of energy -conver- 

 sion, and of economical application of power, 

 is one of the most important subjects prac- 

 tically presented to either the engineer or the 

 man of science, and this for tw^o quite dif- 

 ferent reasons. In the first place, the vital 

 machine has a higher efficiency than any 

 steam-engine and involves methods of trans- 

 formation, storage and application of energy 

 which are as yet a mystery, and which, 

 could thej' be discovered and simulated in 

 engineering practice, might possibly prove 



