244 Scientific Intelligence. 



the valley during the ice retreat ; 2. Iromohawk river — draining 

 glacial lake Iroquois and cutting the rock channel at little falls; 

 3. The Mohawk River. 



6. Observations of a Naturalist in the Pacific; by H. B. 

 Guppy. Vol. I, Vanua Levu, Fiji, xix, 392 pp., 7 plates, 2 maps, 

 20 figures. London, 1903 (Macmillan & Co.). — This handsome 

 volume describes in great detail the geology and petrography of 

 Vanua Levu. The author concludes that " Vanua Levu is a com- 

 posite island built up during a long period of emergence, that 

 began probably in the late Tertiary period, by the union of a 

 number of islands of volcanic formation." The platform on 

 which the island rests is supposed to be built up of submarine 

 basaltic flows. The rocks are chiefly basalts and andesites, with 

 a few dacites, trachytes, quartz-porphyries, gabbros and diorites. 

 The author adopts a peculiar classification of his own for these: 

 Classes being based on the ferromagnesian mineral present, the 

 Sub-classes on the presence or absence of groundmass, Orders on 

 the arrangement of the groundmass feldspars, Sub-orders on the 

 ferromagnesian mineral of the groundmass, Sections on the pres- 

 ence or absence of feldspar phenocrysts, Genera on the vitreous 

 or opaque character of these, and Species on their length. There 

 is no discussion of the reasons for the adoption of this classifica- 

 tion, criticism of which is uncalled for here. Although the rocks 

 are described petrographically in great detail, not a single chem- 

 ical analysis of them is given. A chapter is devoted to the mag- 

 netic characters of the volcanic rocks, many of which are stated 

 to show marked polarity. Vol. II will deal with the dispersal 

 and distribution of Pacific plants. h. s. Washington. 



II. Miscellaneous Scientific Intelligence. 



1. Elements of Algebra for Beginners; by George W. Hull, 

 159 pp. American Book Company. — This little book has been 

 prepared for young pupils as a substitute for some of the later 

 work in arithmetic. It does not afford a basis of instruction 

 adequate for preparation for college examinations, nor does it 

 aim to do so. For teaching the technique of algebra, the book 

 is admirably adapted, though in some cases, notably in evasion 

 of negative numbers, the aim for simplicity runs counter to sound 

 science. The collection of examples includes many simple ones 

 carefully graded. h. e. h. 



2. Elementary Algebra ; by J. H. Tanner. American Book 

 Company. — This book is adequate for the preparation of students 

 for the examinations in Elementary Algebra for any college or 

 scientific school. The development of the numbers used in 

 algebra is careful, and the most striking feature of the book. To 

 a class of somewhat mature students, the book would undoubtedly 

 be of value. h. e. h. 



A " Complete Mineral Catalog " in handsomely printed form has 

 recently been issued by the Foote Mineral Co. 216 pp., price 

 25c, in flexible cloth, 50c. 



