Geology and Natural History. 237 



■distances of the X-ray bulb gave the data for determination of 

 the velocity of the rays. X-rays of different penetrating power 

 were employed and the velocities of the rays were measured in 

 paraffin, wax, beech wood, vaseline, oil, and essence of turpentine. 

 The velocity was the same in all these media and was equal to 

 the velocity of light in air. — Comptes Rendus, Oct. 27, Nov. 3- 

 10, Dec. 29, 1902. J. t. 



13. Sound Waves and Electromagnetics. — Oliver Heavystde 

 calls attention to the photographs of flying bullets taken, some 

 years ago, by Professor Boys, and asks if there is anything analo- 

 gous in electromagnetics to the mass of air which the photo- 

 graphs showed to be pushed in front of the bullet. Suppose that 

 the electron is jerked away from an atom so strongly that its 

 velocity exceeds that of light. Heavyside discusses the question 

 from a mathematical point of view, and the conclusion apparently 

 is that there are mathematical solutions which give color to the 

 possibility of such a motion of the electron. — Nature, Jan. 1, 

 1903. J. t. 



14. The PhysicalPapers of Henry Augustus Rowland. 697 pp., 

 6 pis. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore. — A committee of the 

 faculty of Johns Hopkins University has edited Professor Row- 

 land's papers as a memorial of their colleague. The bibliography 

 contains 72 titles and of these there are now reproduced: 4 

 Early Papers (written before 1874); 31 papers on Magnetism and 

 Electricity; 4 papers on Heat; 16 papers on Light; 6 Addresses. 

 A description of the Dividing Engines for ruling gratings is 

 here published for the first time. 



15. Laboratory Manual of Physics ; by Henry C. Chestqn, 

 Philip R. Dean and Charles E. Timmeeman. 128 pp. Ameri- 

 can Book Co. — Three instructors in the New York High School 

 have produced a practical brief manual for elementary work in 

 physics. 



II. Geology and Natukal Histoey. 



1. United States Geological Survey. — The following publica- 

 tions have recently been received: 



Bulletin No. 196. Topographic Development of the Klamath 

 Mountains; by J. S. Diller. 66 pp., 13 pis., 7 figs. — The Kla- 

 math Mountain region has experienced a long and complicated 

 series of changes beginning with the early Mesozoic. Mr. Diller 

 traces sixteen different movements and erosion stages, beginning 

 with an uplift at the close of the Eocene and ending with the 

 recent Coos Bay subsidence. 



Bulletin No. 197. Origin of Certain Place Names in the 

 United States; by Henry Gannett. 280 pp. — The origin of 

 10,000 names has been investigated and interesting facts regard- 

 ing local history are brought to light. 



Bulletin No. 198. The Berea Grit Oil Sand in the Cadiz 

 Quadrangle, Ohio; by W. T. Griswold. 42 pp., 1 pi., 1 fig. — 

 A detailed study of the Berea Grit adds proof to the anticlinal 



