Miscellaneous Intelligence. 251 



as one of the Temple Primers. It gives a short account of the 

 plant's various organs and of the work which they do. The 

 topics treated are divided under three headings : the internal 

 structure of plants (anatomy), the external organs of plants 

 (morphology), and the life of the plant (physiology). The book 

 is so concisely written that it is not always clear, and the general 

 reader might easily gain from it incorrect ideas about some of the 

 most important botanical facts. a. w. e. 



IV. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. Comparative Physiology of the Brain and Comparative 

 Psychology ; by Jacques Loeb. 8vo, pp. x, 309. New York, 

 1900 (G. P. Putnam's Sons). — The motive of this very interesting 

 work is well stated by the author in the following words of the 

 preface : " It is the purpose of this book to serve as a short intro- 

 duction to the comparative physiology of the brain and central 

 nervous system. Physiology has thus far been essentially the 

 physiology of vertebrates. I am convinced, however, that for 

 the establishment of the laws of life-phenomena a broader basis 

 is necessary. Such a basis can be furnished only by a compara- 

 tive physiology which includes all classes of the animal kingdom." 

 The nervous phenomena in medusae, ascidians, actinians, echin- 

 oderms, worms, arthropods and mollusks are discussed in suc- 

 cession, and then those of vertebrates. Prof. Loeb is strongly 

 anti-metaphysical, supposes all nervous and mental phenomena 

 due to physico-chemical changes in cell protoplasm, and regards 

 the dynamics of the process of association as the true problem 

 of brain physiology. Whether its conclusions are accepted or 

 not, the book will be useful and interesting to the student of 

 biology as well as to the special student of physiology. The 

 metaphysical psychologist also might find mental stimulus in it. 



s. i. s. 



2. Microbes et Distillerie ; par Lucien Levy. 8vo, pp. vi, 

 323. Paris, 1900 ( Carre et Naud). — The first and larger part of 

 this manual, intended specially for the use of distillers, gives a 

 concise account of the more important technique of microbiolog- 

 ical investigation and a review of the biology of the organisms 

 (here grouped under the general term microbes) which concern 

 the brewer and distiller. The description of the various forms of 

 yeast and their properties is of interest to the general biologist. 

 The second part is devoted to the theory of the application of 

 microbiology in the distillery. The book is fully illustrated with 

 diagramatic outline figures. s. i. s. 



3. Der Gesang der Vogel, seine anatomischen und biolog ischen 

 Grundlagen ; von Valentin Hacker. 8vo, pp. viii, 102. Jena, 

 1900 (Gustav Fischer). — In the first part of this memoir Prof. 

 Hacker describes the structure of the vocal organs of birds 

 and points out important sexual differences in the anatomy of the 

 syrinx. In the larger and very interesting second part he dis- 



