3io 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[Sept. 21, li 



that the body could not have been all covered with 

 feathers, but must have had a smooth skin ; this was 

 gathered from the accurate impression left by the wing 

 and tail feathers, while no impression was left of feathers 

 elsewhere, except a circlet surrounding the neck, like that 

 of the Condor. The size was about that of a rook, but its 

 structure seemed half to resemble a bird, half a reptile. 

 The presence of feathers, which denote hot blood, and 

 the anchylosed metatarsals proclaimed it a bird, but the 

 reptilian characters, which have now disappeared in pro- 

 cess of evolution in modern birds, were decidedly present 

 in three forms. 



(i) True teeth, which can be easily distinguished in 

 our illustration, were embedded in distinct sockets. 



(2) It possessed a lizard-like tail. 



(3) The hand resembled that of a lizard, though the 

 phalanges of the digits in number agreed with birds. 

 Taking the various parts of its body into consideration, it 

 became regarded as an example of the now known fact 

 that there can really be no definite line drawn in the 

 animal kingdom, and that things seem to glide into one 

 another from the simplest forms to the highest structures. 



Some dispute and discussion on the point, however, 

 arose, and Dr. W. Dames, a German man of science, 

 published in 1884 a monograph on the subject, in which 

 he maintained that the archaeopteryx was by no means 

 an animal occupying an intermediate position between 

 birds and reptiles, but that it was a distinct bird of the 

 Carinate class ; and that in the latest-found specimen 

 examined by him a well-preserved coating of feathers 

 covering the body was noticeable. 



It is not improbable that birds may have existed long 

 before the time indicated by the records discovered, and 

 we should be cautious in not inferring their non-existence 

 in strata because we find no actual proof of their pre- 

 sence. For, as Sir Charles Lyell says, " The powers of 

 flight possessed by most birds would insure them against 

 perishing by numerous casualties to which quadrupeds 

 are exposed during floods," and " if they chance to be 

 drowned, or to die when swimming on water, it will 

 scarcely ever happen that they will be submerged so as 

 to become preserved in sedimentary deposits," the hol- 

 Iownessand lightness of their bones would cause them to 

 float a considerable time ; probably bones and all would 

 become the food of hungry animals. 



In the valley of the Connecticut river, in the United 

 States, are, however, certain footprints which have been 

 thought to be the impressions of birds. The strata in 

 which they have been found are Triassic sandstones, and 

 if the traces are really those of birds, then their ancestry 

 can be traced to the beginning of Mesozoic times, or even 

 into Palaeozoic ages; but some think them to be impres- 

 sions left by Deinosaurian reptiles which have hopped 

 about on two hind legs. On this point geologists are 

 divided in opinion. 



DURABLE BOOKBINDING. 



A BOUT a year ago (Scientific News, vol. i., p. 85) 

 -* ■*■ we called attention to the causes of decay in 

 leather-bound books, and offered hints as to likely reme- 

 dies. It may be of use to those who have suffered in 

 this way if we quote the specification and estimate 

 adopted by the Library of the Yorkshire College, Leeds. 

 The specification aims at securing such permanence as 

 can be given by the best materials and the most approved 

 methods of binding. It has been in use for three years, 



and though this is too short a term to justify a very con- 

 fident opinion, all the indications favour the belief that 

 the books so bound will prove really durable. It will 

 be seen that no leather except the best morocco is used 

 at all. The choice of leather or cloth is determined 

 mainly by the amount of wear to which the book is sub- 

 ject. By comparison with a number of binders' accounts, 

 it appears that the prices here given would not have 

 been considered unreasonable for ordinary binding in 

 cloth or half-calf, with no stipulation as to materials or 

 workmanship. 



Specification for Bookbinding. 



Collation. — Each book to be carefully examined, and 

 notice of any imperfections to be sent to the 

 Librarian. 



Sewing. — The books to be sewn single-sheet-on, i.e., 

 each section to be sewn the full length, and on best 

 quality of broad tape. 



Forwarding. — Each back to consist of two boards glued 

 together, the tapes being placed between the two 

 boards and firmly pressed. Fast backs, raised 

 bands, silk head-bands, edges washed with colour, 

 and burnished. 



Finishing. — No paste-washing to be used in finishing the 

 books. Books to be lettered with author's name, 

 short title, and date, gold fillet on the raised bands, 

 blind fillet on each side of band, and on sides. 

 End-papers not to be fastened down. 



Plates. — Double plates to be mounted on guards. 



Cloth Joints. — Folios and quartos to have cloth joints. 



Materials. — The boards to be of best Buckinghamshire 

 millboard. The cloth to be Winterbottom's first 

 quality, of approved colour and pattern. The 

 leather to best morocco, dyed with natural dyes, 

 and supplied by Messrs. J. J. Flitch and Son, Leeds. 





Estimate. 







Full Cloth. 



Half-Morocco 



Crown 8vo 



is. 6d. 



2S. o,d. 



Demy 8vo 



is. iod. 



3s. 2d. 



Royal 8vo 



2S. 2d. 



3s. 9d. 



Imperial Svo 



.. 23. 6d. 



4 s. 3d. 



Crown 4to 



2S. o,d. 



4s. pd. 



Demy 4to 



• • 3s- 



5s. 2d. 



Royal 4to 



3 5 - 4d. 



5 s. Sd. 



Imperial 4to 



. . 4S- 



6s. 



Crown folio 



4s. 4d. 



6s. 6d. 



Demy folio 



4s. 9d. 



7s. 3d. 



Royal folio 



Ss. 2d. 



7s. gd. 



Imperial folio 



Ss. 6d. 



8s. 6d. 



The Electric Light in Fishing. — Recent experiments 

 have been made on the Welsh coast to determine the 

 application of the electric light to fishing in the night. 

 The nets were let down to the depth of three fathoms ; 

 the one furnished with an Edison-Swan glow-lamp, and 

 the other in the ordinary conditions. The first when 

 raised was found full of fish, whilst the second was 

 empty. At the depth of six fathoms the same result was 

 obtained. In another experiment the nets were both 

 illuminated, but the one was let down to the depth of 

 five fathoms and the other was placed at the surface. 

 Both contained a large quantity of fish, but those caught 

 at the depth of five fathoms were not the same as those 

 obtained from the surface. 



