July 1, 1904.] 



SCIENCE. 



15 



manifestation of, perhaps, several different 

 causes, one of which is of considerable im- 

 portance in this country and has been shown 

 to consist in unusual amounts of- dissolved air. 



The third section is devoted entirely to the 

 crayfish disease, ' Krebspest,' for years past 

 widespread and destructive in Europe, but here 

 unknown. The author and his assistant have 

 made a special research on this subject and 

 have described as the cause of the disease 

 Bacterium pestis astaci, which attacks also, 

 causing a general infection, several cyprinoids , 

 and allied fishes in the waters of nature as 

 well as in domestication. 



The last section consists of a few pages of 

 general directions to the fish culturist with 

 respect to measures to be taken at the onset 

 of disease. In general there is little encour- 

 agement to the breeder in the way of remedies. 

 Therapeutics with fishes is not far advanced 

 and the prognosis in the ease of the general 

 infections is bad. Some cases of external 

 parasitism may be successfully treated, but 

 the chief reliance must be in prevention. 

 Practical directions are given for the disin- 

 fection of ponds and the natural remedy is 

 frequently advised of removing infected trout 

 to rapidly flowing stream's. 



The book is ' profusely illustrated with 

 colored plates, drawings and photographs, and 

 to these it owes a large part of its usefulness. 

 The representation in color of the lesions of 

 the bacterial diseases aids their identification, 

 which is rather difficult at best. 



M. C. Marsh. 



Katalog der Bibliotheh der Gesellschaft f-iir 

 Erdhunde zu Berlin. Versuch einer sys- 

 tematik der geographischen Literatur. Von 

 Paul Dinse. Berlin, Ernst Siegfried Mit- 

 tler und Sohn. 1903. Pp. xxvii + 925. 

 Price, 12 Marks. 



When the Berlin Gesellschaft fiir Erdkunde 

 moved into its own building the opportunity 

 was given for a rearrangement of its library. 

 The scheme in use had become antiquated 

 and inadequate. To Dr. Dinse was entrusted 

 the preparation of a new plan of arrangement. 

 The results of this work lie before us in this 

 large and in every way satisfactory catalogue, 

 which from its fullness and fine subject classi- 



fication has high bibliographic value. The 

 scheme of classification is close and thorough- 

 going, yet based largely upon considerations 

 of practical convenience. Two main divisions 

 are adopted: general geographic literature 

 and literature of single regions and the sea. 

 Under the former are the subdivisions: (1) 

 bibliography, (2) history of geography and dis- 

 covery, (3) history of cartography, (4) meth- 

 ods and education, (5) encyclopedic literature 

 of geography, (6) collections and miscellane- 

 ous writings relating to geography, (7) gen- 

 eral physical geography, (8) general bio-geog- 

 raphy, (9) general anthropo-geography, (10) 

 geography of political and economic history 

 of nations, (11) onomatology and transcrip- 

 tion. These are again subdivided and when 

 necessary or desirable re-subdivided, some- 

 times according to subjects and sometimes by 

 countries. The second main division, litera- 

 ture of single regions, is subdivided by conti- 

 nents and countries, and when the literature 

 pertaining to a country is very extensive, this 

 is again subdivided by subjects. Periodicals 

 are arranged separately by countries. 



Among the admirable features the follow- 

 ing may be noted. The names of authors, 

 when known, and the titles of books, separates 

 and periodicals are given without abbrevia- 

 tions. When doubt might arise as to where 

 a paper should be placed, it is given in full 

 in the two or more places where it might go. 

 At the end of every entry is given, incon- 

 spicuously, the letter and number indication 

 showing the exact location of the work in the 

 library of the Gesellschaft. Under each sub- 

 division the works are arranged in order of 

 publication. An author index with abbrevi- 

 ated title and page reference enhances greatly 

 the usefulness of the work which will prove 

 almost as useful to geographic workers in gen- 

 eral as to the members of the Berlin Gesell- 

 schaft fiir Erdkunde. 



J. M. ISflCKLES. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 

 THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON". 



The 151st regular meeting of the Chemical 

 Society of Washington was held on Thursday 



