July 31, 1885. 



SCIENCE, 



97 



should be made, as it is, at the end of the 

 chapter on time and space. But, leaving 

 aside all captious criticism, it is safe to say 

 that ' Properties of matter ' is one of the best 

 introductory text-books of physics of which 

 we are as yet possessed. 



Whether the lectures on ' Recent advances 

 in physical science ' can be used in the class- 

 room, may be questioned. Of the value of the 

 book for collateral reading, there can be no 

 question. This is well enough show^n in the 

 fact that we now have the third edition. The 

 desire to deduce much of our knowledge of 

 physical principles from Newton's writings is 

 apparent on many pages of the book, and has 

 given rise to a discussion which is referred to 

 in the preface. 



The 'Practical physics,' of which we are 

 promised three volumes, — the first only giving 

 an account of general physical processes, — is 

 intended as a guide for laboratory work. The 

 explanations are clear, and the matter and 

 instruments referred to are such as one ac- 

 tualh' meets in practice. The book is given 

 up to a description of the wa3's to measure 

 length and mass ; the determination of density ; 

 the testing of the laws of elasticity, tenacity, 

 and capillarit}' ; and the measurement of at- 

 mospheric pressure, time, and the force of 

 gravit}'. At the end is given an appendix on 

 the selection, conduct, and discussion of op- 

 erations suitable for the ph3'sical laboratory. 

 The other volumes planned are to be devoted 

 to electricity and magnetism, and heat, light, 

 and sound. It is to be hoped that the suc- 

 ceeding volumes ma}' equal that already pub- 

 lished, which is the best book, for its purpose, 

 we know of. 



The school world is certainl}^ to be congrat- 

 ulated on the addition to its literature of two 

 such books as ' Properties of matter ' and 

 'Practical ph3^sics.' 



METHODS OF BACTERIA CULTURE. 



The need of a book in English, giving in- 

 formation as to the best methods of bacteria 

 culture and observation, is a growing one ; and, 

 before opening the work under consideration, 

 we were led to hope that it would fill, in 

 a satisfactory manner, the vacanc}^ that now 

 exists. 



We are disappointed in it, however, and for 

 these reasons. A large number of methods 

 and materials are described, staining-fluids are 



The technology of bacteria investigation. By Charles S. 

 DOLLET, M.D. Boston, Ca-^siwo, 1885. 12+263 p. 12°. 



given, and authors mentioned ; but the whole 

 is thrown together with little or no criticism, 

 and the beginner is as likely to adopt the 

 wrong as the right method of procedure. Par- 

 ticularly is this the case in that portion of the 

 book giving the methods of staining the bacil- 

 lus of tuberculosis. These methods have been 

 prett}' well tested and sifted out ; and there is 

 no reason why they should all be given at 

 length, with no more criticism of their value 

 than we find here. As far as investigation 3'et 

 shows, Koch's or Ehrlich's methods are the 

 ones which are to be absolutely relied upon. 

 Gibbs's double method of staining is absolutely 

 worthless, as the author should know. 



The preface to the book states the author's 

 hope that it will be of value to " American in- 

 vestigators, and assist them in adding their 

 share ... to the mass of facts concerning 

 bacteria; " but surely it would have aided the 

 student still more if he had been informed that 

 all the materials for culture-media and staining- 

 fluids can be obtained in this country as well 

 as abroad. 



The form of the book, being of thick paper, 

 and opened with difficult}-, is exceedingly 

 inconvenient ; and we cannot condemn too 

 strongly the fact that over one-third of the 

 space is taken up by the references, which are 

 printed in the same type as the text. 



THE PERMIAN REPTILES OF BOHEMIA. 



Of this excellent work, we have now before 

 us the first volume, and the first part of the 

 second one, containing the Stegocephali Cope 

 (Labyrinthodontia autorum) ; in all, two hun- 

 dred and fourteen quarto pages text, and sixty 

 plates, some of them folding. The present 

 work is not only the best ever given on the 

 subject, but one of the most valuable publica- 

 tions which has ever appeared in paleontology. 

 The Lyell prize, awarded to the author by the 

 Geological societ}- of London, is one testi- 

 mony to its excellence. The plates are among 

 the best we have ever seen, and were all drawn 

 by the author himself. 



After an introduction showino- the o-eologri- 

 cal position of the fossils, a preliminary review 

 of the fossils found is given, which consist of 

 the following species : Stegocephali, 43 ; Dip- 

 noi, 2 ; Pisces, 31 ; Insecta, 1 ; Arachnoidea, ? ; 

 Myriapoda, 3 ; Crustacea, 5 ; Mollusca, 1. 



This is followed by a detailed history of the 



Fauna der gaskohle und der kalksteine der permfoiinaiiori 

 Bohmens. Von Dr. Ant. Fbitsch. Band i., ii., 1. Prai?, 1879- 

 85. 4°. 



