SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



323 



as is the habit of his countrymen, Mr. Keyes opens 

 his introduction to these two volumes with a 

 dissertation upon the economic value of the study 

 of fossils, which he considers to be to generally 

 overlooked. " To the laity these remains of life 

 are merely curious, to the specialist the interest in 

 the ancient organisms is largely scientific. But with 

 him who wills it, even a slight acquaintance with the 

 true character of fossils enables him to read the rocks 

 as a printed page. It is one of the best established 

 facts in modern geological science that there is an 

 intimate relation between mineral deposits and the 

 surrounding rocks ; hence the geological age of the 

 particular beds becomes an important factor in the 

 early attempts to develop new mineral industries. 

 The geological succession of strata is determinable 

 readily by the remains of life contained. A very 

 little study of these forms soon determines whether 

 or not the rocks of any given district are liable to 

 furnish coal." He goes on to point out instances 

 of expensive and futile adventures after minerals, 

 where the loss would have been spared to the 

 prospectors had they had even elementary know- 

 ledge of geology. The State of Missouri is one of 

 the most favoured provinces in all the great 

 Mississippi basin for the study of geology. The 

 range of formations represented extend from the 

 earliest or Cambrian to the close of the Paleozoic. 

 It is a rich field for the student of fossils. In 

 speaking of the magnitude of the work of the State 

 Geological Survey and its publications, Mr. Keyes 

 says : " Private enterprise cannot undertake such 

 work, and it thus becomes the duty of the State 

 to vouch for its accomplishment." These two 

 volumes sum up what is known of the subject dealt 

 with, besides giving much information that is new. 

 Volumes vi. and vii. are nominally devoted to the 

 lead and zinc deposits of the State, but really 

 include in addition a valuable treatise upon those 

 minerals, historically and geographically con- 

 sidered, from all parts of the world. This work 

 has been ably undertaken by Mr. Arthur Winslow, 

 assisted by Mr. J. D. Robertson. 



Our Country's Butterflies and Moths, and how to 

 know them. A Guide to the Lepidoptcra of Great 

 Britain. By W. J. Gordon. 150 pp. 8vo, illus- 

 trated by 1,000 examples in colour by H. Lynn. 

 (London : Day and Son ; and Simpkin Marshall, 

 Hamilton, Kent and Co., Ltd. 1896.) Price 6s. 



This is indeed a picture-book, as may be gathered 

 from the fact that it devotes only about 150 pages 

 of printed matter to all purposes. The style of 

 work may be understood from the following 

 quotations. " It is not so easy as it might appear 

 to name a butterfly or moth. The technical nom- 

 enclature is in so chaotic a state. . . . Hence 

 it is that entomologists have got into the way of 

 using specifics alone. . . . Another difficulty 

 lies in the enormous number of ill-defined species. 

 . The lepidoptera have suffered severely 

 from the mania for species-making. At least half 

 the accepted species are of no more relative value 

 than the varieties of the horticulturist, and it 

 would really be to the general advantage if the 

 existing classification were in many cases put 

 down a step, so that genera became species, and 

 the families genera. Then a new classification, on 

 the basis of neuration, probably, would be possible, 

 and there would be an end to those vague and 

 futile attempts at definition which are now but a 

 source of amusement to everyone but the definer." 

 Was ever greater bathos written ? What the 

 " lepidoptera have suffered severely from " in this 



work, is book-making, and certainly not from 

 either scientific description or investigation. 

 As an example of the author's style, if 

 further were needed, we will only refer to the 

 chapter headed " Sortation," which is his word 

 for identification and classification. In it the 

 evidence and system recommended is of a negative 

 character. Having, in fifteen lines, proved a white 

 butterfly is not Papilio niachaon, " it must be one of 

 the Pieridse, and as there are only six genera in the 

 family, we ought easily to locate it." Eventually, 

 by the aid of seven more lines of negative evidence, 

 it turns out to be Leucophasia sinapis. With regard 

 to the plates we find the figures very unequal. 

 Many suffer from the number of colours used or 

 unemployed on a particular plate. The white 

 plume-moth, Aciptila pentadactyla, appears in the 

 same vivid green colour as the " Foresters " of the 

 genus I)io. In figure 213 we at first think of a new 

 species, for we find a "buff-tip" moth of most 

 gorgeous colouration, whilst, on the opposite page, 

 on plate 13, there are some varieties which would 

 fetch long prices at Mr. Stevens' auction rooms, 

 especially the three upper and three lower 

 specimens. We must regret that Mr. Gordon 

 should have taken this manner of bringing out 

 works on certain groups of animals and plants, but 

 he may nevertheless do some good with them if the 

 pictures attract people to different branches of 

 natural history. 



Historical and Future Eclipses. By Rev. S. J. 

 Johnson, M.A., F.R.A.S. New Edition. 178 pp. 

 8vo, illustrated by diagrams. (London : James 

 Parker and Co., 1896.) Price 4s. 6d. 



This is a popular account of the eclipses of the 

 sun and moon to which is appended Part ii., 

 devoted to general matters astronomical, including 

 notes on planets, double stars and constellations. 

 The first edition was published in 1S74, followed 

 in 1889 by a Supplement. The subjects in this 

 book are treated pleasantly and brightly, carrying 

 one on, page after page, with increasing pleasure. 

 The chapters on historical eclipses are especially 

 entertaining. In his diagrams the author looks 

 well ahead, and they will doubtless last out the 

 present edition of his work, for they represent the 

 various occultations of the sun and moon from 

 April 22nd, 1902, until March 9th, 2491, being 222 

 in number. These diagrams give one an excellent 

 idea of eclipses, far more than could be gathered 

 by calculating. When we see a number thus dis- 

 played we find how rarely observed in this 

 country, is a total eclipse of the sun. 



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

 it comes, and whither it goes. By Edward A. 

 Martin, F.G.S. 179 pp. i2mo, with 3S illustra- 

 tions. (London : George Xewnes, Limited. 1S96.) 

 Price is. 



This is one of the " Library of Useful Stories," 

 and is not the least pleasantly told of those 

 already issued. Of necessity, this little book is 

 exceedingly popular in character. We do not 

 quite agree with the author that those who lived 

 fifty years ago did not generally know of the 

 association of coal and "gorgeously verdant vegeta- 

 tion of a forest of mammoth trees," as indicated 

 by his opening sentence. It is a pity to start badly 

 with such a statement ; it makes the reader 

 suspicious of more loose statements to come. The 

 story of coal has, in this instance, been carefully 

 arranged and well told. Altogether, the book is 

 one to be recommended as a nice and useful 

 present for young people. 



