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LV. Notices respecting New Books. 
The Evolution of Earth-Structure, with a Theory of Geomorphic 
Changes. By T. MuttarD Reape. Longmans, Green & Co. 
HIS work is a continuation and in part a recapitulation of the 
author’s work on Mountain-building. Secular changes of level 
of land-surfaces are, according to the author, to be accounted for 
on the assumption of changes of voluine of deep-seated matter :— 
‘The volumes and the specific gravities of the constituent minerals 
are subject to increase and decrease consequent upon internal 
changes of temperature and chemical.interactions ...... the 
loci of these opposite actions change with the sequence of the 
ages’ (p. 38). As might be expected by those who have reflected 
upon this possible explanation, the author fails to give adequate 
reasons for such recurrent changes of temperature. 
The author further dwells on the view, already stated in.‘ The 
Origin of Mountain-Ranges,’ that changes of temperature in the 
erust will lead to the ridging up and lateral creep of the surface 
lavers. But the adequacy of probable temperature changes in 
strata to produce the effects observed in Nature will be questioned 
by many. Several experiments on various modes of applying 
compression to plastic materials are described, and the results 
shown by photographs. Some of the author’s papers on cognate 
subjects are reprinted. | J. 
Untersuchungen uber die Radioaktiven Substanzen. Von Mme. S. 
Curie. Uebersetzt und mit Litteratur-Ergdnzungen versehen von 
W. Kaurmann. Mit eingedruckten Abbildungen. Braunschweig : 
F. Vieweg und Sohn. 1904. Pp. vii+132. 
In this interesting monograph we have an account, by Madame 
Curie herself, of the epoch-making researches which have justly 
earned her a world-wide reputation. The account is rendered all 
the more fascinating by the simple and unpretentious style in which 
the writer unfolds the story of her classical researches. The work 
is divided into five chapters. After a brief general introduction 
the authoress deals in Chapter I. with the radio-activity of uranium 
and thorium and the radio-active minerals. Chapter II. contains 
an account of the discovery of the new radio-active elements— 
polonium, radium, and actinium. Chapter III. deals with the 
nature of the radiations emitted by the new radio-active substances, 
and Chapter IV. with induced radio-activity. The very brief 
concluding Chapter V. is devoted to a consideration of the nature 
and cause of radio-activity. 
To the references contained in the body of the work, the trans- 
lator has added a most useful bibliographical appendix, bringing 
-the references down to October 1903. 
