[    sio    ] 
LIV.   Notices  respecting  Neio  Books. 
The  Theory  of  Experimental  Electricity.  By  W.  C.  D.  Whetham, 
M.A.,  E.R.S.,  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  Cambridge : 
at  the  University  Press.     1905.     Pp.  xi  +  334. 
\  LTHOUGrH  there  are  countless  books  in  existence  dealing  with 
-^-  the  subject-matter  of  the  present  volume,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  this  text-book  fills  a  distinct  gap,  and  that  it  will  strongly  appeal 
to  all  students  who  look  for  something  more  in  a  text-book  than  a 
mere  exposition  of  the  leading  facts  and  principles  of  the  science, 
and  who  are  capable  of  feeling  something  of  that  spirit  of  enthusiasm 
which  has  inspired  numerous  recent  investigators  in  their  epoch- 
making  discoveries.  It  is  owing  to  these  discoveries  that  a 
considerable  remodelling  of  our  electrical  text-books  has  become 
not  only  desirable,  but  imperative.  For,  to  quote  the  author's 
remarks  in  his  preface,  "  the  great  shift  in  the  chief  points  of 
interest  of  experimental  electricity,  due  to  recent  development  in 
physical  science,  has  changed  the  proportion  of  the  various 
branches  of  the  subject,  and  has  put  out  of  date  many  of  the 
older  standard  text-books."  We  therefore  cordially  welcome  the 
author's  effort  at  presenting  the  subject  from  a  thoroughly  modern 
standpoint  and  in  correct  perspective,  and  congratulate  him  on  the 
success  with  which  he  has  accomplished  his  task. 
As  compared  with  the  older  text-books,  the  work  under  review 
is  characterized  by  the  relatively  large  amount  of  space  devoted 
to  electromagnetic  waves,  electrolysis,  the  conduction  of  electricity 
through  gases,  and  radio-activity.  These  subjects  occupy  fully 
one-third  of  the  volume,  and  the  author's  account  of  them  is  both 
clear  and  fascinating.  The  book  seems  remarkably  free  from 
minor  blemishes,  although  we  must  protest  against  the  author's  use 
of  the  expression  "  the  electromotive  force  between  two  points" 
and  against  the  statement,  on  p.  Ill,  that  "in  the  science  of 
current-electricity,  it  is  usual  to  call  a  difference  of  potential  an 
electromotive  force  " — a  statement  which  is  somewhat  surprising 
in  a  modern  text-book  on  the  subject. 
La  Theorie  Moderne  des  Phenomenes  Physiques  :  Radioactivite,  Ions, 
Electrons.  Par  A.  Highi,  Professeur  a  l'Universite  de  Bologne. 
Traduction  libre  et  notes  addition neljes  par E.  Neculcea.  Preface 
de  Gr.  Ltpp^iajs-n.  Paris :  "  L'Eclairage  Electrique,"  1906. 
Pp.  125. 
When  reviewing  the  first  Italian  edition  of  Prof.  Eighi's  little 
treatise  some  two  years  ago,  we  had  occasion  to  refer  to  it  as  one 
of  the  most  lucid  and  delightful  expositions  of  a  subject  of  ab- 
sorbing interest.  That  the  work  in  question  has  met  with  the 
appreciation  which  it  deserves  in  other  countries  is  evidenced  by 
the  appearance  of  the  present  French  translation  of  the  second 
Italian  edition.  The  translator — M.  Neculcea — has  supplied  some 
additional  bibliographical  and  other  notes,  and  a  very  interesting 
