1896.] Recent Literature. 469 



trict of Columbia. There are various reasons why humanitarians 

 should take especial pains to prevent this attempt to restrict human 

 knowledge and prevent the diminution of human suffering. They sup- 

 pose, that National legislation once secured, State legislation will be 

 easily obtained. Perhaps they expect to get a national law forbidding 

 such research in all parts of the United States ! Such people must, 

 however, present very clean hands in the cause of prevention of cruelty 

 to animals before they appear as advocates of the suppression of the 

 most important method known of reducing human suffering. Do any 

 of them wear articles made from the furs of animals? Do they carry 

 pocket-books or grip-sacks made of the skins of animals ? Do they per- 

 nors for their comfort or ornament? 

 Finally, do they encourage the enormous slaughter of animals by land 

 and sea, for food and other purposes ? 



There is much important work done in the departments at Wftehisg^- 

 ton which will be affected by the bill that is soon likely to come before 

 the Senate, and the educational institutions of the highest grade will be 

 injured by it if it passes. 



The bill it is said will be favorably reported to the Senate. It will, 

 however, probably not come up for final action before the next session. 

 Meanwhile biologists and humanitarians generally should urge on their 

 Senators and Representatives the importance of defeating the bill in 

 the interest of progress and humanity. Let them write to their Repre- 

 sentatives for the Public Documents on Antivivisection of the District 

 Committee of the Senate. The Medical men are active, but the biolo- 

 gists are not yet sufficiently awake to the importance of the situation. 

 If members of the National legislature are fully informed, they will 

 hardly pass the bill. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



The Cambridge Natural History. 1 — Sometime ago we referred 

 to the volume of this series containing the Molluscs and Brachiopods ; 

 the second volume in order of publication is now before us. As in the 

 former volume there is a great lack of uniformity in the different parts 



1 The Cambridge Natural History, Vol. V. Peripatus by Adam Sedgwick ; 

 Myrlapods by F. G- Sinclair ; Insects, Part 1 by David Sharp. London, Macmil- 

 lan and Co., 1895, pp. xi-584. 



