810 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 125. 



whicli appeared several years ago. The first 

 impression was that this smaller volume was 

 written around a set of illustrations of respect- 

 able age, but for the most part still serviceable. 

 More careful reading, however, makes it clear 

 that we are dealing with a pretty good elemen- 

 tary presentation of the subject, and that our 

 first impression was not altogether just. We 

 are ourselves somewhat skeptical of the scien- 

 tific value of physiology in the secondary 

 schools. Everything depends here upon the 

 excellence of the teacher, and a good one will 

 find M'Kendrick's book useful. It is to be 

 sure, quite uneven, and in some places there is 

 more detail than can be taken in by the class of 

 students which the author seems elsewhere to 

 have in mind. Much of the discussion is given 

 with evident care and discrimination, and the 

 facts presented are in general, despite the 

 necessary brevity, quite fully modernized ; even 

 argon and the hot and cold spots are not 

 forgotten, and the problems of interstitial 

 secretion are suggested. There are, to be sure, 

 many points on which one may well difier with 

 the author, but most of them are perhaps not 

 such as to involve serious defects. It must be 

 said that the account of the nerve cells is alto- 

 gether inadequate. The picture of them (Fig. 

 140) is quite in opposition to our present views 

 and will make a stronger impression, we fear, 

 than the explanation which partially corrects 

 them and also shows that Professor M'Ken- 

 drick is well aware what the prevailing view is. 

 The description of voice production is unsatis- 

 factory and requires fuller illustrations without 

 which most young students must find Fig. 164 

 hard to understand. 



Joseph W. Wakeen. 

 Beyn Ma we College. 



The Story of a Piece of Coal — What it is, whence 

 it comes and whither it goes. By Edwaed A. 

 Maetin, F.G.S. New York, D. Appleton 

 & Co. With thirty-eight illustrations. 

 16mo. Pp. 168. 



Mr. Martin's little book shows that the au- 

 thor has read widely, has selected judiciously 

 and has told the story pleasantly. The narra- 

 tion is attractive, and is likely to be commended 

 by the readers for whom it is intended. 



All this makes one regret that the judicious- 

 selection was not associated with accurate read- 

 ing. There are serious slips in too many places, 

 and there is too much of positive assertion 

 where modest suggestion would be preferable. 

 As for some of his statements, it must be said 

 that he should have every opportunity to prove 

 them, since many persons would not accept 

 them without hesitation. 



Among other things, he tells us that iron, 

 silver and water alone possess the power of ex- 

 panding, when passing from the liquid to the 

 solid state (p. 80); that no explosions in the 

 anthracite region of Pennsylvania were due to 

 coal dust (p. 100); that coke if properly made, 

 should consist of pure carbon, and that good 

 coal should yield as much as 80 per cent, of 

 coke in the gas retort (p. 109); that our anthra- 

 cite is inexhaustible, and that the 'mammoth 

 vein ' extends for 650 miles along the west 

 bank of the Susquehanna (p. 147). 



Mr. Martin says (p. 152) that Britain will 

 feel, with tremendous efiect, the blow to her 

 prestige when the first vessel laden with coal 

 weighs anchor in a British harbor. Three such 

 blows were administered in 1896 by one Ken- 

 tucky concern, and the attack has been con- 

 tinued this year by another. 



J. J. Stevenson. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON, 276TH 



MEETING, SATUEDAY, APEIL 24. 



Me. M. a. Caeleton spoke on 'Climate as 

 an Element in Wheat Environment,' his re- 

 marks being mainly a comparison of the condi- 

 tions prevailing in the wheat belt of southern 

 Russia with those found in the western United 

 States. He stated that low temperature, ac- 

 companied by aridity, prevented the raising of 

 spring wheat, and that the successful ripening 

 of grain did not depend on the average temper- 

 ature, but on the total temperature of the hottest 

 months. Mr. Frederick V. Coville presented a 

 paper on the ' Plantfood of the Wild Ducks in 

 Chesapeake Bay,' and particularly of the can- 

 vas back and its favorite food of the tubers of 

 the wild celery. A large portion of the best 

 feeding ground of the upper Chesapeake was de- 



