SCIENCE GOSSIP. 



179 



B.D., Saintfield, Co. Down, and the lion, distributor, 

 Mr. J. A. Wheldon, of Liverpool. Tho notes upon 

 species that have passed through the club arc 

 valuable, and show thai this modestly conducted 

 society is one of the most scientific in Britain. 



The Royal Observatory, Greenwich. By E. 

 Walter Maunder, k.k.a.s. 306 pp., 8 in. x ~>\ in., 

 with 54 illustrations. (London: The Religious 

 Trad Society. 1900.) 5s. 



This is one of the most pleasing popularly 

 written bonks mi a scieiit ilic subject that we have 

 met with for some time past. Irs object is to give 

 a simple description, understandable by the multi- 

 tude, of one of the most important institutions in 

 Britain, and of world-wide celebrity. The author's 

 literary wurk in connection with the science of 

 astronomy is so well known that it would be 



Object Lessons in Elementary Science for Standards 

 I.. II. and, III. liy A. H. Garlic, B.A.,and T.F.G.. 



Dexter B.A., I'.s.-. New edition, ix + 254 pp., 

 7.', in. x 5 in., illustrated. (London: Longmans, 

 Green \: Co.) Is. lid. each. 



I hese three little books will doubtless be found 

 useful under the present objectionable system of 

 primary education, wherein the most rudimentary 

 knowledge is crammed into children with the hope 

 that at some future time they may take an 

 in the knowledge. The information appears to be 

 correct, as far as it goes, in these volumes. Of 

 course we cannot expeel detail, a- they only deal 

 with object-lessons ; but, as the subjects are most 

 diffuse, the chief fear is thai the teachers will stop, 

 in most instances, at these suggested lessons and 

 not carrv the teaching anv further. 



Double Stab Observation with the South-East Eqcatmuai,, 

 (From Maunder'* " Rnual Greenwich Ooservatnru") 



supererogation to say more than that he has ex- 

 celled in the pages before us. They contain not 

 only a history of the Greenwich Observatory, but 

 also a popular description of its interior and the 

 man] beautiful instruments which are used bj the 

 author, and the other astronomers of the general 

 staff. The illustrations, commencing with a por- 

 trait of Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, are 

 chosen with good judgment. They carry the 

 reader from early days to the present time, show- 

 ing the remarkable progress in optical science 

 since the days of the firsl Astronomer Royal, We 

 have the pleasure, by permission of the publishers. 

 of reproducing one of the plates, showing a portion 

 of the South-East Equatorial 



CoralReefs. By Charles Darwtk. xx ,549pp., 

 7| in. x 5 in.,' with portrait, 7 plates, and b> illus- 

 trations in text. (London: Ward. Lock .v ( »., 

 Limited). 2s. 



This cheap reissue of Darwin's classic on the 

 structure and distribution of coral reefs, with 

 geological observations on the volcanic islands and 

 pan- of South America visited during the voyage 

 of 11. M.S. Beagle, cannot fail to make the work 

 better known among the general public. The 

 portrait chosen as frontispiece has been copied 

 from the painting in the National Portrait Gallery 



b\ the Hon, John Collier. The work is prefaced 

 lis a critical introduction by Professor John W, 

 Judd, K.i;> 



