90 Scientific Intelligence. 



In addition to photographic and spectroscopic work, the bolom- 

 eter was used by at least two parties with special reference to 

 variations of heat radiation in the rifts and streamers of the corona 

 near the sun's limb. The corona showed a conformity to the 

 types of the last three periods of minimum sun spots so close 

 as to be very striking even to the naked eye. The equatorial 

 streamers were of moderate extent, and the curved polar rays 

 sharply denned to very near the photosphere. w. b. 



2. Lessons in Elementary Physiology ■ by Thomas H. Huxley, 

 LL.D., F.R.S., edited for the use of American Schools and Col- 

 leges by Frederic S. Lee, Ph.D. Pp. 577, 8vo. New York, 

 1900 (The Macmillan Company). — Huxley's Physiology is so well 

 and favorably known to teachers and students of biology that 

 an extended review of the aim and methods of the book is scarcely 

 necessary in this place. Despite the marked advances in physiol- 

 ogy since the preceding revision of the Lessons in 1885, many 

 teachers have felt reluctant to abandon the book, owing to the 

 many points of excellence which it retained. Indeed, it can 

 fairly be stated that few text-books of science equal Huxley's 

 Lessons in the clearness of exposition and a type of analytic 

 treatment which has contributed largely to the development of a 

 proper scientific attitude. The American publishers are there- 

 fore to be complimented in having secured the assistance of 

 Professor Lee in a new revision which is extremely satisfactory. 

 The histological portions have appropriately been transferred 

 from their former separate chapter to the descriptions of the 

 various tissues to which they apply. The descriptions of the 

 chemistry of the blood and lymph have been revised and extended ; 

 the chapter on digestion has been corrected and greatly improved ; 

 statistics of nutrition have been added and the metric system has 

 been introduced. The parts dealing with the nervous system 

 and innervation have been rewritten almost entirely and have 

 been adapted to the recent progress in this department of physiol- 

 ogy. Many new illustrations and diagrams have been inserted ; 

 and though the book has grown by nearly 200 pages, the spirit 

 of the earlier work is retained. We cannot refrain from quoting 

 from Dr. Lee's Preface the concluding sentence, which describes 

 the attitude of more than one physiologist towards Huxley's 

 Lessons : " The present writer has performed his task with a long- 

 standing feeling of affection for the pages Avhich introduced him 

 to the study of Physiology, and first gave him a clear insight 

 into the nature of scientific conceptions and scientific reasoning." 



L. B. M. 



3. OsticahVs IQassiker der Exakten Wissenschaften. Leipzig, 

 1899 (Wilhelm Engelmann). — Number 109 of this valuable series 

 has recently been issued, it contains a memoir entitled " Leber 

 die JMathematische Theorie der elektrodynamischen Induction von 

 Riccardo Felici." Translated by Dr. B. Dessau (Bologna) and 

 edited by E. Wiedemanx (Erlangen). 



