LITERAK 
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NOTICES 
Ameboid Movement. By Asa A. Schaeffer, 
Ph. D. Princeton, New Jersey: Prince- 
ton University Press. 
The author has two objects in presenting 
this account of his investigations of ame- 
boid movement. The first is to offer the 
latest material on the subject in a convenient 
form for the student of medicine, the psy- 
chologist, the physiologist, the evolutionist 
and the general biologist. The second is to 
present the thesis, that moving organisms in 
which orienting organs are absent or not 
functioning always move in orderly paths; 
that is, in helical or true spiral paths. 
The Book of Nature Stories. Bv H. Wad- 
dingham Seers. New York City: Dodd, 
Mead and Company. 
Each one of these stories has been chosen 
with a definite aim, either because it is the 
life story of some very familiar plant or 
animal, or because it has been found by the 
author to be peculiarly attractive to the 
child mind, or because it offers a simple 
introduction to the great truths of evolu- 
tion. The author’s language is simple and 
direct and the mistake is not made of repre- 
senting the subjects as too human. Every 
child lucky enough to get a copy of the 
book will be introduced to a world full of 
romance, wonder and deli ght. 
Einstein’s Theories of Relativity and 
Gravitation. A Selection of Material 
from the Essays Submitted in the Com- 
petition for the Eugene Higgins Prize 
of $5,000. Compiled and Edited and In- 
troductory Matter Supplied by J. Mal- 
colm Bird. New York City: Scientific 
American Publishing Company. 
A broad background of scientific knowl- 
edge and of scientific habit of thought is 
needed to prepare the mind of the layman 
to comprehend the Einstein theory of rela- 
tivity. To prepare this background is the 
aim of this book which is the outcome of a 
five thousand dollar prize placed in the hands 
of the “Scientific American” for securing 
within three thousand words the best popu- 
lar explanation of the theory. 
Many contributions were received. These 
have been examined and selected with care. 
The book contains excerpts from many of 
the essays, and the winning one, by Lyn- 
don Bolton, British Patent Office, Condon, 
and several others in full. The value of the 
book is increased by the great skill and 
care with which the compiler has explained 
the contest and its conduct and the reason 
for what at first glance seems an extraordi- 
nary arrangement of the resultant material. 
The work has been so carefully done that 
the result from the beginning to the end of 
the three hundred and forty-five pages 
should be welcomed as popular reading. 
More Hunting Wasps. By J. Henri Fabre. 
New York City: Dodd, Mead & Com- 
pany. 
In October, 1915, Henri Fabre passed 
away quietly at the advanced age of ninety- 
two, at his modest home in the south of 
France. For the last twenty years he had 
been able to devote his entire time to the 
dearest wish of his life — the uninterrupted 
study of his little insects. 
His life work is embodied in “Souvenirs 
Entomologique,” comprised in ten volumes, 
of which this is one. The publication of 
these volumes brought to the aged philoso- 
pher a world-wide fame and an especial 
recognition and veneration from his native 
France. 
His praises come from all sources. Dar- 
win, long years ago, referred to him as “a 
savant who thinks like a philosopher and 
writes like a poet.” In the preface to the 
English edition of his works, Maeterlinck 
calls him "The Insects’ Homer” and accords 
him the distinction of having inspired his 
own masterpiece, "The Life of the Bee.” 
Field Book of Insects. By Frank E. Lutz, 
Ph. D. New York City and London: 
G. P. Putnam’s Sons. 
Members and friends of The Agassiz As- 
sociation will be especially interested in 
this book, since the author, in his 
preface, says that he had us in mind 
when preparing it. We are grateful for this 
thoughtfulness, and take pleasure in espe- 
cially recommending the work to our ob- 
servers. Dr. Lutz is well-known to our 
readers because he is one of the technical 
entomologists that have sympathetic regard 
for the amateur and the novice. He has 
prepared his book for such observers. He 
says the title might justly be “Answers to 
Common Questions about Insects.” He has 
had many of these common questions from 
this office. We are glad that he has so 
thoroughly and faithfully worked out a 
manual that is convenient in size, yet ex- 
tended and complete in contents. 
The book also contains hints concerning 
collecting, breeding, preserving and classi- 
fying insects, giving “catch characters, 1 ” 
rather than lengthy descriptions, by which 
commonly observed insects, and insects 
which would repay observat : on, may be rec- 
ognized; it outlines interesting or economic- 
ally important life histories, and it offers 
an untechnical but scientifically accurate 
text. 
