212 The American Naturalist. [Mareh, 
especially important as regards the productions of the Government 
scientific experts. Their results may lie in the hands of the Govern- 
ment printer for two or three years before publication, a state of affairs 
which should not exist in a progressive country, The progress of sci- 
ence is rapid, and our bureaus at Washington should be able to pub- 
lish their results as soon as they are prepared for the press. 
—A COLLECTION of living monkeys and snakes was recently seized 
by the New York Custom House authorities and sold by auction for 
the nonpayment of duty. It is strange that our tariff law has not yet 
been corrected so as to permit the im portation of such objects free. 
They contribute to the educational material of the country both while 
living and after their death, and it would seem that the scientific work 
of the country should command sufficient respect to enable such a 
change to be made. Of course the Committee of Ways and Means has 
no especial desire to stimulate the growth of the native species of 
monkeys and snakes by levying duties on foreign species. We venture 
the assertion that the native production of these articles will not be 
seriously affected by acts of Congress. 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
Experimental Morphology.'—It is a pleasure to learn that the 
activity of the new German school of “ Entwicklungsmechanik ” has 
stimulated so happy a response on this side of the ocean as that in the 
book before us. The author’s aim is to collect, in order, the observa- 
tions and results thus far gained by the experimental method as ap- 
plied to the understanding of “why” organisms develop as they do. 
Knowing, then, what has been attempted, we may more clearly advance 
with definite purpose and prospect of success. 
The present volume treats of the effects of outside reagents upon 
protoplasm : three following volumes are promised, to treat in the same 
way, growth, cell-division, differentiation. 
Such agents are somewhat arbitrarily divided into the following 
heads of chapters: chemical agents; varying moisture ; density of the 
medium ; molar agents; gravity; electricity ; light; heat. : 
The chapter on chemical agents considers the change in motion, 
change in metabolism or the death of organisms acted upon by various 
Experimental Morphology. Charles Benedict Davenport. Woodcut, pps: 
280. The Macmillan Co., 66 Fifth Ave., New York. Price, $2.60. 
Ls ‘ 
