272 



SCIENCE- G OS SIP. 



Studies, Scientific and Social. Bv Alfred Russel 

 Wallace, LL.D, D.C.L., F.R.S. 2 vols. xviii + 

 1,067 pp., 1\ in. x 5 in., with 114 illustrations. 

 (London and New York: Macmillan & Co., Ltd. 

 1900.) 18s. -;— 



In these two volumes are reprinted some of the 

 articles by Dr. Russel Wallace, contributed to 

 various periodicals during the thirty-five years 

 from 1865 to 1899. In entitling these reprints 

 " Studies." Dr. Wallace does so because they deal, 

 in a lare-e part, with problems in which he has 

 been particularly interested. Among them is of 

 course the modern theory of evolution, with which 

 the author has been so intimately connected. The 

 others are chiefly educational, political, and social 

 questions. These have been illustrated copiously 

 so as to aid some readers to get a better apprecia- 

 tion of their intention in exposition or criticism. 

 With regard to general divisions, the articles are 

 grouped into "Earth Studies," or geological, "De- 

 scriptive Zoology," " Plant Distribution," " Animal 

 Distribution," " Theory of Evolution," " Anthro- 

 pology," and " Special Problems," which make up 

 the first volume, the second being devoted to po- 

 litical, social, and ethical essays. The whole of the 

 chapters are written in Dr. Russel Wallace's easy, 

 charming style, and several contain novel views or 

 new arguments. 



The Harlequin Fly. By L. C. MlALL, F.R.S., 

 and A. R. Hammond, F.Z.S. viii + 196 pp., 9 in. 

 x 6 in., with frontispiece and 129 illustrations. 

 (Oxford : at the Clarendon Press. 1900.) 7s. 6d. 



This is an in^ortant book from the strictly 

 educational point of view, and one that will long 

 serve as a text-book in entomology, and practically 

 as an introduction to the anatomy and morphology 

 of a section of the great Order Diptera. The full 

 title of the work is " The Structure and Life- 

 History of the Harlequin Fly (Chironomus)." In 

 the larval condition Chironomus dorsalis is popu- 

 larly known as " blood-worms." and is to be met 

 with at the bottom of many slow-flowing streams. 

 They are often abundant and easily reared in cap- 

 tivity, thus forming a good subject for study. 

 Professor Miall's name is sufficient guarantee for 

 the accuracy of the work in the book, and Mr. 

 Hammond's figures are admirable as usual in his 

 drawings. The book is a worthy companion to 

 Miall and Denny's similar treatise on " The Cock- 

 roach." 



Arsenical Poisoning in Beer-drinhers. By T. N. 

 Kelynack, M.D., M.R.C.P., and William Kirkby, 

 F.L.S. xii + 125 pp., 8^ in. x 5| in., with 16 illus- 

 trations. (London, Paris, and Madrid : Bailliere, 

 Tindall, & Cox. 1901.) 3s. 6d. net. 



After the wide attention to the epidemic of 

 ''isease caused, as is supposed, by arsenical 

 poisoning of beer, we might naturally expect some 

 authoritative book upon the subject. The authors 

 are respectively, the former Medical Registrar and 

 late Pathologist at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, 

 and the latter Lecturer on Pharmacognosy in 

 Owens College, of the same city. The book is 

 divided into sections, dealing with " Introductory," 

 •• Clinical." " Chemical," and " Biography." In 

 their extensive investigations the authors have had 

 much assistance and ready help from several firms 

 brewers "implicated in the brewing of the 

 arsenical beer." Peripheral neuritis in alcoholic 

 subjects is not very new to the medical profession 

 in certain districts, and was diagnosed as early as 



1884-5. Indeed, for the past twenty year> it has 

 been a very common affection in Lancashire 

 amongst alcoholics, and a prolific cause of paralysis, 

 invariably among beer-drinkers. Latterly these 

 evil effects have reached the proportions of an 

 epidemic, chiefly in working-class neighbourhoods. 

 For some time past the authors have been investi- 

 gating this subject, with every assistance from 

 various authorities interested. Dr. Reynolds was 

 the first who really directed attention to the 

 association of arsenic with the epidemic, and this 

 has abundantly been confirmed by the authors of 

 the work before us. The illustrations are remark- 

 able, and are from photographs taken from indi- 

 viduals actually suffering. The effects are appa- 

 rently typical in nearly all cases, though varied 

 and certainly most unenviable. 



Momentary Mechanics of Solids. By W. T. H. 

 Emtage, M.A. viii + 333 pp., 7 in. x 4f in., with 

 157 illustrations. (London and New York : Mac- 

 millan & Co., Ltd. 1900.) 2s. 6d. 



The author, who has had much experience in 

 teaching and examining in theoretical mechanics,, 

 gives the benefit of his observation, and points out 

 the importance of carefully explained examples. 

 It is a book that may be used without, any mathe- 

 matical attainments beyond an ability to solve 

 easy algebraical equations, and will be found 

 generally useful for reference or more extended 

 education. 



Scientific Foundations of Analytical Chemistry . 

 By Wilhelm Ostwald, Ph.D., translated by 

 George M'Gowan., Ph.D. Second English Edi- 

 tion, xx + 215 pp., 8 in. x 5 in. (London and 

 New York: Macmillan & Co., Limited. 1900.) 

 6s. net. 



This volume is a translation of the second 

 German edition, to which has been added some 

 alterations and additions by the author, who has 

 also examined the translator's pages. The subject 

 is treated in an elementary manner by Dr. Ostwald, 

 who is Professor of Chemistry in the University of 

 Leipzig. In the present edition there is also a 

 section upon electro-chemical analysis, and other- 

 additions and revisions have taken place. 



.British Flies. By G. H. Verrall. 691 + 121 pp., 

 10J in. x 9^ in., with 458 figures. (London : 

 Gurney & Jackson, 1901). £1 lis. 6d. net. 



The long-expected first volume of the fourteen 

 to be issued by Mr. Verrall upon the diptera 

 inhabiting Britain is now before us. Mr. Verrall 

 has indeed undertaken a stupendous work, if the 

 rest is to be judged by this one, which is 

 admirably produced alike in arrangement, scientific 

 description, and illustration. We are pleased to 

 note that with regard to synonymy, the author treats 

 this debateable subject in a separate paragraph 

 after his descriptions, instead of loading the first 

 line, as is so commonly the case in other works on 

 Natural History. The volume to hand is Vol. VIII., 

 of the proposed fourteen, and we congratulate Mr. 

 Verrall upon his wisdom in making it complete in 

 itself, which is his intention with future sections, 

 so that they may become separate works of refer- 

 ence, in case, which would be greatly to be de- 

 plored, the author is not able to finish the whole. 

 They would otherwise remain as an rmfinished 

 fragment. In an explanatory page the author 

 sketches the contents of the proposed volumes as 

 divided by families. Volume VIII. contains the 

 Platypeziclae, Pipunculidae, and Syrphidae. ^ These 



