410 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
Our sun is a member of one of these. Was that grander scheme evolved 
from a yet grander Nebula ? Who can tell ? If so, how infinitely more 
simple would appear the unity of creation ! ” 
W. H. Stone. 
THE MOON.* 
M R. PROCTOR’S works have so recently received attention in these 
pages, that it is hardly necessary to do more now than to record the 
appearance, in a second edition, of one of his best books. The present, it 
seems, however, is not merely a reprint, nor even an amplification of the 
former issue, but rather a subdivision for the convenience of non-mathema- 
tical readers. 
In a short preface, Mr. Proctor says, “ I have found reason to believe that 
portions of the original work were too difficult for the general reader. I 
have, therefore, removed from the present edition matter relating to details 
of the lunar theory (leaving the general account of the moon’s motions) and 
also the more difficult parts of Chapter III. These will be reprinted in 
another volume. The last chapter on the moon’s physical condition has 
been considerably enlarged.” 
W. H. Stone. 
AMERICAN STATE PUBLICATIONS. 
We have once more to call attention to a long series of valuable publica- 
tions issued either by the Central Government of the United States, or by 
individual states ; and we do this with a certain feeling of sadness, as we have 
heard a rumour that perhaps the most important of the sources to which we are 
indebted for this seemingly perennial spring of scientific literature, namely, 
the “ Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories,” so ably con- 
ducted by Dr. F. Y. Hayden, is about to be, if not suppressed, at least con- 
siderably shorn of its means of useful work. It is true that the liberality 
with which the publications of this survey have been scattered over the face 
of the earth might easily be construed into unnecessary profusion by legis- 
lators of economical tendencies, and it would be easy to show that many of 
the works have thus fallen into the hands of those who did not appreciate 
them, for he would need to be indeed an u all-round man ” who should be 
equally interested by all the volumes produced ; but on the other hand, we 
may be sure that many of the books which thus apparently go astray in 
the first instance, eventually find their way to the shelves of those who 
feel a lively interest in their contents, and thus justify the liberality with 
which they are distributed. On the other hand, the work done by this 
Survey (of the quality of which the “ Atlas of Colorado ” noticed below is a 
brilliant illustration) is so exceedingly good, and the importance of accurate 
information upon the natural phenomena of a new country like these 
western territories is so great, that we cannot imagine any valid objection 
being raised to the continuance of its labours. We must, therefore, express 
* “ The Moon, her Motions, Aspect, Scenery, and Physical Condition,” 
by Richard A. Proctor. Second Edition. London : crown 8vo. pp. 314. 
Longmans. 
