SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



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The Moon : a full description and Map of its principal 

 Physical Features. By Thomas Gwyn Elger, 

 F.R.A.S. 181 pp. royal 8vo, illustrated by maps 

 of the moon. (London : George Philip and Son, 

 1895.) Price 5s. net. 



Although this book is chiefly intended for the 

 use of lunar observers, it is nevertheless written in 

 such a manner as to be acceptable to those who 

 would like to know what is known of the moon by 

 astronomers. The author, who is director of 

 the Lunar Section of the British Astronomical 

 Association, and an ex-president of the Liverpool 

 Astronomical Society, has for some time past given 

 special attention to the investigation of the moon's 

 surface. This is admirably delineated on a map 

 which is divided into four sections, produced in 

 the well-known accurate style of Messrs. Philip 

 and Son. An important feature of these maps is 

 the substitution of names for reference numbers ; 

 so that the uninitiated may at a glance obtain a 

 general idea of the moon's superficial configuration, 

 as the mountains, craters, seas, etc., are designated 

 by their names. The letterpress fully describes 

 the maps, giving the height of the mountains, the 

 widths of the craters, and much general informa- 

 tion. The word " seas " thus used is of course an 

 ideal word, brought forward from the early 

 selenographers. and the spaces should be rather 

 called old sea-beds, for it is well known no existing 

 sea or lake of water has ever been found on the 

 moon's surface through even the best telescopes. 

 Although this work is a scientific dissertation upon 

 our satellite, it will rank among the best popular 

 books in that section of astronomy. J. T. C. 



Finger-Print Directories. By Francis Galton, 

 D.C.L., F.R.S. 130 pp. demy 8vo, with 9 plates. 

 (London and New York : Macmillan and Co., 1895.) 

 Price 5s. net. 



This is a remarkable book on a remarkable, 

 though by no means new subject. It deals with the 

 identification of persons through the marks left on 

 white cards by their finger-tips, after being pressed 

 on ink which proof is found to be unerring. The 

 author states that it is probable no two finger-prints 

 in the world are so alike that an expert would fail 

 to distinguish between them. The first portion of 

 the book is devoted largely to an examination of 

 the Report of a Committee appointed by the Home 

 Secretary to enquire into the best means for 

 identifying habitual criminals, which was presented 

 in February, 1894. The report deals with finger 

 prints among other means of identification. Mr. 

 Francis Galton points out how rapidly persons 

 may be identified from a directory of finger-prints, 

 and instances one made by himself, which refers to 

 2,632 different persons. The average time needed 

 to find one of these persons' names is less than 

 three minutes. From the point of view of the scienti- 

 fic reader, the latter portion will be found of most 

 value, as it deals with the classification of finger- 

 prints, and is profusely illustrated with examples, 

 there being nearly 200 figures. This system of 

 identification is now fully acknowledged bv the 



police authorities of most States, including our own 

 department at Scotland Yard. The study of 

 finger - prints was initiated by Sir William J. 

 Herschel some forty years ago, but Mr. Francis 

 Galton is without doubt the present authority on 

 the subject. No longer in its experimental stage, 

 there is future importance for its study. We trust 

 this book will be a warning to some of our friends 

 who borrow our books, and return them with 

 marks of their identity on the margins of the 

 pages. 



A History of British Butterflies. By the Rev. F. 

 O. Morris. Crown 4to. Parts i, ii, and iii, 

 seventh edition. Publishing in six monthly parts, 

 with 79 plates coloured by hand. (London : John 

 C. Nimmo, 1895.) Price 2s. 6d. net, per part. 



This book is too well known to need any 

 description. The seventh edition now appearing 

 is practically a reissue of the earlier book with 

 some new additions, the scientific nomenclature used 

 being that of half a century ago. The publisher 

 would add a useful appendix, when the work is 

 finished, by printing a page extra containing the 

 ordinary synomic list of British butterflies, which 

 has now for years past been in use in this country 

 among scientific entomologists. References to the 

 pages in the work would then enable persons who 

 do not know butterflies to identify the plates and 

 letterpress with the species with their accepted 

 names. 



Methods of the Art of Taxidermy. By Oliver 

 Davie. 178 pp. royal 8vo, with 90 full-page 

 engravings, (Columbus, U.S.A. : Han and Adair. 

 London : H. T. Booth, 38a, Upcerne Road, Chelsea, 



1894.) 



We have received a subscription copy of this 

 splendid work by Oliver Davie, who is the author 

 of another upon the nests and eggs of North 

 American birds. This book on Taxidermy has 

 been prepared with most painstaking care, and if it 

 gets into our public libraries will give an impetus to 

 the preservation of specimens in an intelligent 

 manner. The engravings are well drawn and 

 printed. They are chiefly by Dr. Theodore Jasper, 

 and include about 500 figures illustrating the modes 

 of procedure in bird or quadruped stuffing. With 

 the aid of these drawings and the accompanying 

 letterpress, anyone ought very soon be able to 

 practice taxidermy as an art. Mr. Davie com- 

 menced work on this book in April, i8S2, so it is 

 not a hurried compilation for the book market, but 

 well written and produced in the best possible 

 style, the drawings being from specimens in 

 process of preservation. Chapter v, " The making 

 up of Birds' Skins" is a useful one to our 

 readers, as it indicates the proper way of pre- 

 paring a collection of birds' skins for scientific 

 reference, without having to occupy a large space 

 with birds "set up" in cases. It is an old 

 system, but one which will always be the best. 

 All the author's instructions appear to be imbued 

 with common sense, and less unnecessary apparatus 

 is described than is usual is books of this class. We 

 are unable to give the price of this work, but full 

 particulars may be obtained from the English 

 Agent, Mr. H. T. Booth, 38a, Upcerne Road, 

 Chelsea, London, S. W. J. T. C. 



The Story of the Plants. By Grant Allen. 

 232 pp. foolscap i6mo. With 50 illustrations. 

 (London: Geo. Newnes, Limited, 1895.) Price is. 



This is one of a popular series of books upon 

 scientific subjects issued by the Newnes Company. 



