54 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XI. No. 261 



' Outlines of Proximate Organic Analysis,' and deals mainly with cer- 

 tain common organic compounds of importance in commerce or phar- 

 macy. Many topics which are touched upon in the smaller book — 

 such, for example, as the properties of the alcohols and alcoholic de- 

 rivatives, and of the carbohydrates — are here passed by, excepting, 

 perhaps, mere incidental mention ; but such substances as are dis- 

 cussed at all, are in general treated fully and exactly, with liberal 

 citation and reference to authorities. The alkaloids naturally hold 

 an important place ; and schemes for plant-analysis, the examina- 

 tion of coloring-materials, and the separation and identification of 

 fats and oils, are prominent. The title of the book is suggestive of 

 a view broader than that actually presented, but it should be said 

 in this connection that information upon the more important topics 

 omitted is easily accessible elsewhere. This book is a decidedly 

 valuable contribution to the literature of analysis. 



Elementary Chemistry. By M. M. Pattison Muir and CHARLES 

 Slater. Cambridge, Eng., University Pr. 12°. $1.25. 



Practical Chemistry. By M. M. Pattison Muir and Douglas 

 Carnegie, Cambridge, Eng.. University Pr. 12°. 80 cents. 



These two books are complementary, and together outline a pro- 

 gressive course in elementary chemistry. 



The ' Practical Chemistry ' leads experimentally from the demon- 

 stration of the distinction between simple physical and chemical 

 changes up to such topics as the investigation of atomic weights, 

 the phenomena of dissociation, the relative affinities of acids, the 

 constitution of compounds, rates of etherification, and specific vol- 

 umes ; the acquisition of the elements of qualitative and quantita- 

 tive analysis being assumed as an intermediate and outside incident 

 of the course of work. The ' Elementary Chemistry ' presents the 

 essential facts and theories of chemistry, carefully distinguished and 

 correlated in a clear and logical manner, the properties of bodies 

 being discussed in the light of the 'periodic law.' The -plan of 

 instruction is in many respects unique and admirable, and reflects 

 very strongly the growing tendency toward the early introduction 

 of methods approximately quantitative. 



Down the Islands. By William Agnew Paton. New York, 

 Scribner. 8«. $4. 



The author, who made a brief voyage to the Caribbees and Brit- 

 ish Guiana, tells the experiences and observations of his voyage. In 

 an introductory note he confesses that on starting he had no knowl- 

 edge whatever of the country he was going to visit. If this be true, 

 he has made good use of his brief trip, for the book contains much 

 valuable information ; not the less valuable, as told in a very attrac- 

 tive form. In reading the description, it would seem as though the 

 writer gives nothing but the impressions of an observant traveller 

 who is unexpectedly taken to a world entirely new to him ; and this 

 makes his tale very charming. His remarks show that he is quick 

 to catch the characteristic features of the country he visits ; and his 

 descriptions of the character of the several islands, of the English 

 and French Creole, of the negroes, the ' black and yellow Caribs,' 

 and of the Hindu coolie, are worth reading. Besides, a consider- 

 able amount of reliable statistical and historical information is em- 

 bodied in this book, which gave us greater pleasure and satisfaction 

 than many a pretentious book of travel. 



Under the Southern Cross. By M. M. Ballou. Boston, Ticknor. 

 12°. $1.50. 



The author, who has spent much of his time in travelling all 

 over the world, tells in the present volume the story of a journey 

 to the Pacific Ocean. Starting from Boston, he crossed the conti- 

 nent, and began his sea-voyage in San Francisco. A few days 

 were spent on the Hawaiian Islands, a few hours' stay was made at 

 Samoa, and then he proceeded to New Zealand and Australia. 

 The time has passed when scientific results of great import may 

 be gleaned from such a journey ; but the author tells in an attrac- 

 tive form his observations and experiences, and gives us a glance of 

 the life of the colonists and natives of the Pacific Ocean so far as 

 he has seen it. 



Special attention is devoted to the political relations of the South 

 Sea colonies to America and Europe. The author dwells upon the 

 question of the proposed federation of the Australian colonies and 

 the probabiUty of their becoming an independent republic, upon 



American influence in Hawaii and the development of American 

 trade on the islands in consequence of the reciprocity treaty, and 

 upon the late events in the Samoan Islands. Australian stock- 

 raising and mining, and British immigration to these countries, 

 are discussed, as well as the influence of the Chinese and of 

 coolie labor, but the main and best part of the book are the inter- 

 esting sketches of cities. Several descriptions of scenerj' are vivid 

 and attractive, but those passages in which the author attempts to 

 touch upon questions of geography or ethnology show that he has 

 only paid a flying visit to the Pacific Ocean, and that he has not 

 lived long enough in those regions to gain a thorough insight of 

 their nature and of their natives. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The Railway Review says that the Russians are pushing for- 

 ward the Transcaspian Railroad as rapidly as possible. Seven 

 thousand men are now grading the road through Bokhara. It is 

 now ready for the rails for four-fifths of the way between the Oxus 

 and Samarcand, nearly three hundred miles ; but the track cannot 

 be laid until the bridge over the Oxus is completed. This bridge, 

 now more than half finished, will be three miles long. It will con- 

 nect the road now completed to the Oxus with the extension to 

 Samarcand, and next spring the line will probably be in operation. 



— It is but a short time since we called attention to Edwards's 

 ' Butterflies of North America,' and now a new part lies before us. 

 Indeed, within a twelvemonth four parts of the new series have ap- 

 peared, the intervals between them being briefer than has been the 

 case with any preceding numbers in the twenty years it has been 

 running. More species of the prolific genera Colias and Argynnis 

 are figured, but the specially attractive plate of the number — and 

 there is always one — is that devoted to Ccenonympha California, 

 or galactinus 2& Mr. Edwards would prefer to have us call it. The 

 transformations of this genus are now for the first time illustrated 

 by the early stages of one of our American forms ; and the number 

 of exquisite figures 'given to these early stages would be deemed 

 almost luxurious if we were not accustomed to this kind of gener- 

 osity on Mr. Edwards's part. The species is abundant on the 

 Pacific coast, but was first raised in West Virginia from eggs sent 

 the author from California, and we now know its history better than 

 any species of the genus is known in Europe. Two forms, distin- 

 guishable by slight differences in the intensity of the markings, 

 have long been regarded as one and the same species ; but it was 

 reserved to Mr. Edwards to prove by his precise experiments that 

 the two were seasonally dimorphic forms of one and the same 

 species, the darker giving birth the same summer to the lighter. 

 We wish that this work, so great a credit to American science and 

 American art, were better supported, and not published at so heavy 

 an expense to its indefatigable author. It is in fact superior, both 

 in matter and in execution, to any thing which is done abroad, and 

 ought to receive ample support at home. Yet we chance to know 

 that nearly forty per cent of the regular subscribers to the work 

 come from outside of the United States. This shows, indeed, its 

 appreciation in other countries ; but it is a kind of work which 

 should be found in every considerable library of the country, as a 

 stimulus and an aid to workers young and old, and to show what 

 one man, remote from associates, libraries, and even from much of 

 his own field of work, may accomplish therein. 



— Gardiner G. Hubbard, C. E. Dutton, O. H. Tittman, J. H. 

 Gore, C. H. Merriam, J. R. Bartlett, R. Birnie, jun., J. W. Powell, 

 Henry Gannett, A. H. Thompson, A. W. Greely, Henry Mitchell, 

 George Kennan, Marcus Baker, and Gilbert Thompson, all of 

 Washington, have incorporated the National Geographical Society 

 for a term of one hundred years. Its principal objects are to in- 

 crease and diffuse geographical knowledge, to publish the transac- 

 tions of the society, to publish a periodical magazine and other 

 works relating to the science of geography, to dispose of such pub- 

 lications by sale or otherwise, and to acquire a library under the re- 

 strictions and regulations to be established by its by-laws. The 

 officers elected for the current year are as follows : president, Gar- 

 diner G. Hubbard ; vice-presidents, H. G. Ogden (United States 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey), Com. J. R. Bartlett (Hydrographic 



