646 
Notices of Books. 
[September, 
Mr. Higgs’s work gives us a very fair resume of the whole 
subjedt of elecftric lighting, accompanied by an impartial dis- 
cussion of the subjedt, and illustrated by excellent and numerous 
woodcuts. The perusal of the book forcibly impresses upon us 
the belief that the subjedt is still quite in its infancy, and that if 
the advances of the next fifteen years are as great as those of the 
last fifteen, we may expedt to see gas very largely replaced by 
eledtricity. 
The Student's Text Book of Electricity. By Henry M. Noad, 
F.R.S. A new edition. Edited by W. H. Preece. 
London : Crosby Lockwood and Co. 1879. 
This well-known work has been carefully edited by Mr. Preece, 
who has supplied new chapters containing a description of the 
most recent developments in all branches of eledtricity. The 
principles of duplex and quadruplex telegraphy, of the various 
eledtric lamps and candles, and of the telephone, and microphone 
have been fully explained, and constitute some of the most 
valuable portions of a book which will meet the requirements 
of a large number of students now as heretofore. 
Four Lectures on Static Electric Induction. By J. E. H. Gordon, 
B.A. London : Sampson Low and Co. 1879. 
These ledtures, delivered at the Royal Institution, contain, as 
the author truly remarks, an account of a few phenomena which 
we can explain, and of a great many which we cannot. The 
results, however, have been discussed in a very suggestive and 
able manner, and the work cannot fail to recommend itself to all 
students of eledtricity. The more so when we remember that 
since the memorable monographs of Faraday comparatively 
little has been written on static eledtrical induction. 
Mechanics. By R. S. Ball, F.R.S. , Royal Astronomer of 
Ireland. London : Longman and Co. 1879. 
This volume belongs to the “London Science Class Books” 
Series, and is carefully written and well illustrated. It will be 
useful for the higher forms in our public schools. The style is 
