n 



SCIENCE. 



BOOKS RECEIVED. 



The Construction of Gas-Works and the Manufacture 

 and Distribution of Coal Gas. By William Rich- 

 ards, C. E. 6th edition Crosby, Lockwood and Co., 

 7, Stationer's Hall Court, London. 1880. 



This is a new and enlarged edition of the work originally 

 written by Samuel Hughes, C. E., but now enlarged, re-writ- 

 ten by William Richards, C. E., who has brought his facts 

 down to the most recent knowledge of the subject. 



At a time when a revolution in our methods of illumina- 

 tion has become an established fact, and the death knell of 

 gas has already been sounded, it is very convenient to find 

 a hand-book full of the most valuable details respecting 

 that method of illumination, written by one who is evidently 

 a master of the subject. We find a great number of good 

 engravings and many valuable tables. In view of the re- 

 cent serious explosion of a gas main in London, England, 

 the chapter on " Gas explosions " will be read with inrerest. 



Electric Light : its Production and Use. By J. W. 

 Urquhart, C. E. Edited by F. C. Webb, M. I. C. E , 

 M.S. T. E. Crosby, Lockwood & Co., London. 1880. 



The object of the author is to present for general reading 

 an account of the various methods of obtaining the electric 

 light, both from voltaic and galvanic batteries, and it also 

 treats of the various forms of dynamo-electric machines. 



This work will serve the very useful purpose of placing 

 within reach of those who are not acquainted with the his- 

 tory and growth of electric lighting, a clearly written de- 

 scription, well illustrated with wood engravings. It is not 

 a text book, and the author makes no pretentions to teach 

 electricians the art of electric lighting, but it is, in fact, 

 a popular guide to the subject. 



The rapid development in the various forms of electric 

 lighting led to a re-arrangement of the book, even while it 

 was being written ; it is not therefore surprising to find that 

 on certain points the work is already obsolete. The chapter 

 on the Edison electric lamp was written twelve months 

 since, and is devoted chiefly to his experiments with incan- 

 descent platinum, which has been long since abandoned, 

 while the author merely speaks of the carbon lamps to 

 prophesy their failure. Reading this, at this date, when 

 every difficulty in the way of their practical use has been 

 removed, and arrangements are in progress to produce them 

 in sufficient numbers to permit their general adoption, we 

 cannot but regret that prejudice has been allowed to de- 

 range the better judgment of those who have assumed to 

 lead public opinion on this subject. 



We do not propose to examine too critically what is ad- 

 mitted to be a popular work, and while we are not in accord 

 with much we find in the book, we have no doubt that the 

 numerous wood-cuts of electric generators and other 

 apparatus will be most useful to those who desire to 

 acquaint themselves with the various methods of electric 

 lighting. 



Manual of the Alkali Trade, Including the Manu- 

 facture of Sulphuric Acid, Sulphate of Soda and 

 Bleaching Powder. — By John Lomas. Crosby, Lock- 

 wood & Co. London. 1800. 



This is a handsome volume ot three hundred and fifty 

 pages, containing two hundred and thirty-two illustrations 

 and working drawings, and provides a complete hand-book 

 for those intending to manufacturer Alkalis, or for those 

 already in the field who desire to improve their plant, or 

 become practically acquainted with the latest developments 

 of the trade ; it also may be useful for manufacturers to 

 place in the hands of their managers and foremen, as a 

 useful guide in their daily rounds of duty. 



The author appears to have had fifteen years' of practical 

 experience as an alkali manufacturer, during which time he 

 slates he has erected new plants, remodeled old works, and 

 trained managers. We advise all engaged in the alkali 

 manufacture, to procure this most practical work, as from 

 the examination we have made of it, we feel sure a perusal 

 will be the means of saving infinite time, patience and 

 labor. 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[1.] In reply to the Query of J. H. G. in regard to Tucka- 

 hoo or Indian Bread, I regret not being able to give all the 

 particulars asked for, but the following extract from the 

 Treasury of Botany may be useful : 



"Tuckahoo is the Americo-Indian name for a curious 

 tuberous production, which is dug out of the ground in 

 several parts of the United States, and which has been re- 

 ferred by Fries to the genus Pachyma. Like Sclerotium, 

 however, Pachyma has no fruit, and there is some reason 

 to doubt whether it has any pretensions to be classed with 

 Fungi at all. It is composed entirely of pectic acid, and 

 it is very probable that it is a peculiar condition of some 

 root, though of what plant has not at present been ascer- 

 tained. One similar production at least has been found 

 in China, where it is supposed to possess medicinal vir- 

 tues ; and there is reason to believe that another exists 

 there, attaining a diameter of several inches like the 

 American Tuckahoo. As may be supposed from its chem- 

 ical consiitution, it affords a nutritive article of food, 

 for which purpose it is dug up by the natives like the 

 Mylitta or Native Bread of Tasmania, with which, however, 

 it does not correspond in character. It is also employed 

 occassionally as a material for making jelly, for which it is 

 well adapted, the pectic acid of currants and other fruits 

 being the principle which disposes their juice when boiled 

 to form a jelly-like mass. The principal objection which 

 is brought forward against the suppossed phaenogamous 

 origin of the production is the absence of all trace of vas- 

 cular or cellular structure like that of phaenogams, or of 

 bark, except such as may be suppossed to arise from 

 mere contact with the soil ; but the dissimilarity of its 

 structure and that of Fungi is quite as great, and the con- 

 version of a fungus into pectic acid would be more surpris- 

 ing." J. R. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Curious Electric Phenomenon. — At about 4.30 P. M. 

 this day a severe thunder storm with a deluge of rain came 

 up from the north-west, and lasted about an hour. At 5.30 

 my wife was standing at the window watching the receding 

 storm, which still raged in the south, just over Leicester, 

 when she observed, immediately after a double flash of 

 lightning, what seemed like a falling star, or a fire-ball from 

 a rocket, drop out of the black cloud about 25° above the 

 horizon, and descend perpendicularly until lost behind a 

 belt of trees. The same phenomenon was repeated at least 

 a dozen times in fifteen minutes, the lightning flashes follow- 

 ing each other very rapidly, and the thunder consisting of 

 short and sharp reports. After nearly every flash a fire-ball 

 descended. These balls appeared to be about one-fifth or 

 one-sixth the diameter of the full moon, blunt and rounded 

 at the bottom, drawn out into a tail above, and leaving a 

 train of light behind them. Their color was mostly whitish, 

 but one was distinctly pink, and the course of one was 

 sharply zig-zagged. They fell at a rate certainly not greater 

 than that of an ordinary shooting star. I have never wit- 

 nessed a phenomenon of this kind myself, but my wife is a 

 good observer, and I can vouch for the trustworthiness of 

 her report. F. T. Mott. 



Bristal Hill, near Leicester, June 22, {Nature). 



MM. Le Bon and Noel have extracted from tobacco 

 smoke the following products, which they recently pre- 

 sented to the French academy in three flasks: 1, Prussic 

 acid ; 2, an alkaloid of agreeable odor, but as poisonous as 

 nicotine ; 3, aromatic principles still undetermined, but 

 contributing, with the alkaloid mentioned, to give tobacco 

 smoke its perfume. The alkaloid in question is thought to 

 be identical with a compound, collidine, the existence of 

 which has been observed in the distillation of various or- 

 ganic substances, but whose physiological and toxical pro- 

 prieties have been overlooked. 



