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SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



NOTICES BY JOHN T. CARRINGTON. 



Elementary Physics. By John G. Kerr, M.A. 

 140 pp. crown 8vo., illustrated with 54 figures. 

 (London, Glasgow and Dublin : Blackie and Son, 

 Limited, 1898.) is. 6d. 



This isoneofanew series of handbooks issued 

 with the object of setting forth in order the 

 essentials of a laboratory and class-room course of 

 Science suited to the capabilities of pupils 

 commencing the studies to which the books are 

 applied. Each handbook will contain the instruc- 

 tion for one year's work ; the one before us being 

 for the first year. They are divided into two 

 sections, the first being for practical work and 

 the second for class-room or theoretical work. 

 They are designed to meet the requirements of the 

 Education Department, and also for encouraging 

 accuracy of observation, directness of method, 

 fertility of resource, and self-reliance. These hand- 

 books will be valuable alike for teachers and home 

 workers. 



Storm and Sunshine in the Dales. By P. H. 

 Lockwood. 94 pp. crown 8vo, illustrated with 

 8 plates. (London : Elliott Stock. 1898.) 3s. 



This little work belongs to the category of 

 country lore, and contains in addition some 

 references to the habits of plants and animals 

 inhabiting the beautiful country around Sedbergh, 

 in Yorkshire, the locality where the author writes. 

 The book is prettily illustrated from photographs 

 by the author, and it will doubtless find some 

 readers beyond the circle of his own acquaintances. 



The Botanical Laboratory. Vol. i. No. 3, 160 pp. 

 large Svo, illustrated with 19 plates. (Phila- 

 delphia University, 1897.) 



This is one of the publications of the University 

 of Pennsylvania, being contributions from the 

 botanical laboratory. The part contains three 

 valuable papers, each being by a lady. The first 

 is "A Chemico-Physiological Study of Spirogxra 

 nitida," by Mary E. Pennington, Ph.D.; " On the 

 Structure and Pollination of the Flowers of 

 Eupmtorium " is by Laura B. Cross, Ph.D. ; and 

 "Life-History of Amphicarpaea monoica" is by 

 Adeline F. Schivelly, Ph.D. The latter paper is 

 illustrated by eighteen plates. 



Experimental Farms of Canada : Report for 1896. 

 Edited by William Saunders, LL.D., F.L.S. 

 474 pp. large 8vo, illustrated with many plates 

 and drawings in the text. (Ottawa : S. E. Dawson, 

 Queen's Printer, 1S97.) 



We have on previous occasions had the pleasure 

 of referring to the admirable reports issued under 

 the supervision of Professor Saunders, relating to 

 the splendid work done at the experimental farms 

 under his direction. These farms are distributed 

 in various parts of the Dominion, with the object 

 of supplying scientific information to the farmers 

 of the various regions which they represent. 

 The chief central farm is near Ottawa, and there 

 are others in Nova Scotia, Manitoba, in the 

 North- West Territories and in British Columbia. 



We have only to turn over the pages of the 

 work before us to discover how carefully and 

 scientifically is prepared the information supplied. 

 Neither political party in the Dominion appears to 

 begrudge the grant of public money which is 

 annually expended at the discretion of Professor 

 Saunders. The subjects contained in this last 

 report are very varied, and include, in addition to 

 farm crops, remarks upon the culture of fruit- 

 bearing trees and shrubs, and some garden flowers. 

 The chemistry of the subject is elaborately dealt 

 with. An interesting section of this report is that 

 furnished by Mr. James Fletcher. LL.D., F.L.S., 

 etc., entomologist and botanist to the establishment. 



Phytogeny and Taxonomy of Angiosperms. By 

 Charles E. Bessey, Ph.D. 34 pp. small 4to. 



This is a reprint from " The American Botanical 

 Gazette " (vol. xxiv.), and is the presidential address 

 of Dr. Bessey, Professor of Botany in the University 

 of Nebraska, delivered before the Botanical Society 

 of America, at Toronto, August, 1897. It is a 

 carefully worked out dissertation which has evi- 

 dently taken much time and research to compile. 

 It will be found of importance to students of the 

 phylogeny of plants, on account of Dr. Bessey's 

 reputation as a botanist. The author illustrates 

 his paper by some excellent diagrams. 



North American Lemnaceae. By Charles Henry 

 Thompson. 22 pp. large Svo, illustrated with 4 

 plates. (St. Louis, Mo. : at the Gardens, 1897.) 



This very useful pamphlet forms a portion of the 

 Ninth Annual Report of the Missouri Botanical 

 Garden. It includes descriptions of about fifteen 

 species of duckweeds. These are illustrated with 

 beautifully executed drawings of the plants, and 

 anatomical details to assist in identification. 



British Game Birds and Wild Fowl. By Beverly 

 R. Morris, M.D., revised by W. B. Tegetmier, 

 F.Z.S. Parts vii. viii. ix. and x., super royal 

 8vo, with coloured plates. (London : John C. 

 Nimmo, 1897.) 2S - 6d. per part. 



Part vii. commences the second volume. It 

 completes the Snipes and commences the Geese, 

 which are continued through Part viii. Part 

 ix. contains the Swans, the Sheldrakes, the 

 Shoveller, and commences the Ducks, which are 

 concluded in Part x., where are also the Teals and 

 Widgeon. As we stated in a previous notice, when 

 complete the work may be useful to sportsmen, 

 but from the ornithologist's point of view it is 

 greatly to be regretted that this new edition has 

 been so inefficiently revised, as a good deal of 

 recent knowledge in connection with this popular 

 group of birds appears to have been omitted. 



Glass Blowing and Working for Amateurs. By 

 Thomas Bolas, F.C.S., F.I.C. 212 pp. 8vo, with 

 coloured plate and 103 figures. (London : Daw- 

 barn and Ward, Limited, 1898.) 2s. net. 



To those who are in search of a hobby which 

 can be worked at home without too much expense, 

 or desire to make for themselves some of the more 

 simple glass apparatus used in scientific work, this , 

 work is recommended. It is based upon a series of 

 lectures, and the demonstrations to illustrate them, 

 given under the auspices of the Technical Educa- 

 tion Committee of the Middlesex County Council. 

 The author has aimed at making the book a labora- 

 tory, workshop and household guide to glass- 

 working with the blowpipe. The instructions 

 given will be useful to many students who find 

 the obtaining or alteration of glass apparatus a 

 matter of some difficulty. 



