798 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 100. 



the nucleolus and upon the mechanics of the 

 process are succinctly stated again, but with 

 due regard to his critics, and on the physiology 

 of the nucleus in which the somewhat diver- 

 gent views upon nuclear function are balanced, 

 and much useful information brought together 

 regarding the influence upon the nucleus of 

 such environmental forces as gravity, light, 

 electricity, mechanical pressure, heat, etc. In 

 discussing the mechanics of karyokinesis, Zim- 

 mermann uses considerable illustrative material 

 from the field of zoocytology, but, while quoting 

 the interesting results of Henneguy, does not 

 seem to have known the opposite view sup- 

 ported by Watasi from his studies of cephalo- 

 pods. Nor is his account of the center zone in 

 plants altogether abreast of present knowledge, 

 while the discussion of fragmentation is itself 

 rather too fragmentary. 



The second part of the work, the special 

 part, takes up in detail researches upon the 

 nuclei in Angiosperms, Gymnosperms, Pterodo- 

 phytes, Bryophytes, Fungi, AlgSB and Schizo- 

 phyta. Here a large amount of special litera- 

 ture is indexed, and on the whole this is the 

 most useful part of the volume. Several of 

 the recent papers of American investigators 

 receive proper consideration, which is a grati- 

 fying departure from the methods of too many 

 of the European writers. 



A bibliography including nearly six hundred 

 titles and two indices, one a * Sachregister ' 

 and the other to the names of plants, complete 

 the volume. 



In the light of modern study and his own 

 added experience in book-making, it would be 

 very helpful if Dr. Zimmermann could find 

 time to revise and rewrite his older work on 

 the plant cell. Certainly this paper is of the 

 greatestjvalue, but needs a better handling than 

 was given it in the Schenk's Sandbuch. 



Conway MacMillan. 



Univeksity op Minnesota. 



The Myths of the New World: By Daniel G. 

 Brinton, A.m., M.D., LL.D., D.Sc, Pro- 

 fessor of American Archseology and Linguis- 

 tics in the University of Pennsylvania. Third 

 Edition revised, David McKay, Philadelphia. 

 1896. 



The appearance, in 1868, of Dr. D. G. Brin- 

 ton' s 'Treatise on the Symbolism and Mythology 

 of the Eed Race of America ' marked an epoch in 

 the study of the 'Myths of the New World.' 

 Although prior to this date able scholars had 

 made valuable researches among various groups 

 of American aboriginees, in this volume the 

 first attempt was made to mass this scattered 

 information, and to present in a clear and con- 

 cise form whatever contribution might be 

 offered by the natives of this western continent, 

 in answer to the general inquiry as to * man's 

 earliest ideas of a soul and a God, and of his 

 own origin and destiny.' 



In the recent rapid growth of our knowledge 

 of the red race, it is not easy to appreciate the 

 difficulties encountered thirty years ago, and 

 the courage requisite to accomplish the task 

 undertaken by the author. A new claim was 

 set up by him for the natives of America, a 

 claim which was no less than the right to be 

 heard in the general discussion of the upbuild- 

 ing of the intellectual life of the human family. 

 The issue of a revised third edition of ' The 

 Myths of the New World,' in which much of 

 the text has been rewritten, and some fifty 

 pages of new material added, brings forward 

 the arguments offered in 1868, reinforced with 

 additional evidence gathered from the recent 

 work of students who have opened new fields of 

 research or gleaned in those already known. 



The title might imply to those unfamiliar 

 with former editions that the volume contained 

 a collection of myths, whereas myths are only 

 referred to by the author as he seeks to trace 

 the intellectual history and to ascertain the 

 * laws of religious growth of the red race. ' For 

 this purpose he treats the race as a " unit, re- 

 garding its religion as the development of ideas 

 common to all its members, and its myths as 

 the garb thrown around these ideas by imagin- 

 ations more or less fertile, but seeking every- 

 where to embody the same notions." 



The author attacks his theme with directness 

 and force, accepting at the opening of his first 

 chapter the unity of the human family, and 

 granting that the aim of man is to find out God, 

 the cause of all. Natural religions are there- 

 fore ' the effort of the reason struggling to de- 

 fine the infinite.' Concerning the birth of re- 



