Miscellaneous Intelligence. 167 



through what it receives from donors as well as by what it 

 acquires by purchase and, directly and indirectly, from the 

 Government. 



3. Das Schicksal der Planeten • by Svante Arrhenius. Pp. 

 55. Leipzig, 1911 (Akad. Verlagsges. M. B. EL). — Professor 

 Arrhenius is well known as a writer on cosmogonic subjects and 

 one welcomes this little tract containing a brief exposition of his 

 conclusions concerning the present and future conditions of the 

 inner planets. In reaching his results the author does not confine 

 himself to any one department of physical science : the estab- 

 lished facts of astronomy, geology, chemistry, physics, and biol- 

 ogy are all brought into service. More particularly, stress is laid 

 on the application of the physiography of the arid parts of the 

 earth's surface in order to explain present conditions on Mars and 

 the Moon. 



The appearance of a popular account of more extensive re- 

 searches elsewhere calls for a criticism of the manner rather than 

 of the matter. In setting forth his views, Professor Arrhenius 

 writes clearly and easily, avoiding involved sentences and quali- 

 fying clauses. For this the reader is grateful. It has, however, 

 perhaps caused the author to fall into a too dogmatic statement 

 of his conclusions. The subject is not one on which any large 

 body of scientific men are agreed, and the uninitiated, for whom 

 the publication is apparently intended, may accept as the final 

 results of science what should properly be considered the views 

 of one of its exponents. Ernest W. Brown. 



4. The Capture Theory of Cosmical Evolution ; by T. J. J. 

 See, F.R.S. 4 to, pp. vii, 735. Lynn, Mass., 1910 (Thomas P. 

 Nichols & Son Co.). — This is the second volume of the author's 

 " Researches on the Evolution of the Stellar System." It is 

 elegantly printed and the plates, nearly 100 in number, mostly 

 reproductions of astronomical photographs, are most admirable. 



The term " Capture Theory," first used to designate the method 

 of formation of the Jovian family of comets, is taken by Dr. 

 See as the name for his system of cosmogony. The " capture," 

 however, is made possible on a grand scale only by the agency of 

 a resisting medium of cosmic dust which can be supplied where 

 necessary from the vapors of a central body through light pres- 

 sure. The author pronounces his theory to be incompatible with 

 the Nebular Hypothesis of LaPlace, and constantly refers to the 

 latter as disproved. 



It is true that the Nebular Hypothesis has been found insuffi- 

 cient to explain the process of evolution indicated by the struc- 

 ture of many of the nebulae, and notably the great class of spiral 

 nebulae, and that tidal evolution as developed by Darwin adds a 

 new chapter to it ; but astronomers will hardly agree to relegate 

 it to the category of " creeds outworn " until Dr. See's arguments 

 have been subjected to a rigorous criticism. They will rather 

 still lean to the opinion expressed by Simon Newcomb at the close 

 of his brilliant career that he yet retained " a little incredulity as 



