ontology the magnificent limbs of four monstrous dinosaurs commanded special attention. Similarly in Zoology the beautiful new case illustrating the nesting habits of the brown pelican rather out ran in popular favor other objects of great scientific interest. As may be inferred even from the above brief and unsatisfactory sketch, the exhibition was as wide in its scope as it was scientifically interesting in its details. It must have been seen to be appreciated, and the thanks of those who did see it are due to the zeal of the exhibitors, especially those out of town, among whom should be mentioned Princeton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Chicago Universities, Lick and Yerkes Observatories, the United States, Maryland and New York Surveys. WILLIAM HALLOCK, SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. Lectures on the Evolution of Plants. By DOUGLAS HOUGHTON CAMPBELL, PH.D., Professor of Botany in the Leland Stanford Junior University. New York, The Macmillan Company. 1899. 12mo. Pp. viii+319. Professor Campbell is probably the foremost of the small group of what may be termed the philosophical botanists in America, and he is, no doubt, better prepared to discuss the questions taken up in this book, at least in so far as they deal with the archegoniates and seed plants, than any other of our students of plants. Some years ago he brought out his book 'The Structure and Development of the Mosses and Ferns,' in which he treated the subject in such a modern way as to give new meaning to what had to too great a degree been mere dry detail. In no uncertain words he traced the genetic relationship of group to group, and the student following him was made to feel that the fact of relationship was real and necessary, and not doubtful or shadowy. In the little book before us the author discusses, in succession, the conditions of plant life, the simplest forms of life, algæ, fungi, mosses and liverworts, ferns, horsetails and club-mosses, gymnosperms, monocotyledons, dicotyledons, geological and geographical distribution, animals and plants, influence of environment, and at the end brings together his results in a chapter entitled 'summary and conclusions.' We can do no better in endeavoring to give our readers an idea of the author's treatment and conclusions than to quote a sentence here and there from his final chapter, as follows: "All plants agree closely in their essential cell structure, the typical cell having a cellulose membrane and a single nucleus.' "The lowest plants are mainly aquatic, and it is exceedingly probable that this is the primitive condition of plant life." "The peculiar group of motile green algæ, the Volvocineæ, probably represents more nearly than any existing forms the ancestral type of all the higher green plants. These ciliated algæ are also probably related to certain colorless flagellate Infusoria, which in turn may represent the starting-point for the whole group of Metazoa among animals. It is not unlikely that the separation of the two great branches of organisms, plants and animals, took place among the Flagellata." "Starting with this primitive motile unicellular organism, there have evidently arisen a number of independent lines of development resulting in very divergent types of structure." "In these lowly organisms there is no clearly marked line between vegetative and reproductive cells." "The increasing complexity of the plant body has been accompanied by a corresponding specialization of the reproductive parts." "The origin of the Phaeophyceæ, or brown algæ, from freeswimming brown flagellate organisms, is by no means unlikely, and if this be shown to be the case they must be considered as a line of development parallel with the Chlorophyceae, rather than an off-shoot from these." "The relationship of the fungi is still an open question." "The ancestors of the higher green plants must be sought among the simple fresh-water green algæ. The genus Coleochate, the most specialized of the Confervaceæ, is the form which shows the nearest analogy with the lower * Bryophytes." "In the mosses *the persistence of the motile spermatozoid indicates the derivation of the Archegoniates from aquatic ancestors." "The Pteridophytes, also, show traces of an aquatic ancestry in the develop. ment of spermatozoids, which require water in order that they may reach the archegonium." "Of the Spermatophytes the Gymnosperms are obviously the lowest types, i. e., they show more clearly their derivation from the Pteridophytes." "The Angiosperms are preeminently the modern plant type. These have largely crowded out the other earlier types of vegetation, and at present comprise a majority of existing species." "It is among the Angiosperms that the plant body reaches its highest expression. In the keen struggle for existence among the manifold forms of plants the Angiosperms have shown themselves to be extraordinarily plastic, and have developed every possible device to enable them to survive this fierce competition." We need quote no more from this very sug gestive and very readable book. Every botanist and every earnest botanical student will read it with interest and profit. CHARLES E. BESSEY. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. Die Spiele der Menschen. Von KARL GROOS. Jena. 1899. Professor Groos follows up his work on Animal Play with his promised book on Human Play. He divides this last work into two sections, the first discussing the facts of play under headings, Touch Plays, Temperature, Hearing, Sight, Motor Plays of various kinds, and purely psychic plays; the second, discussing theories of play under headings, Physiological, Biological, Psychological, Esthetic, Sociological and Pedagogical. The general grouping of facts is, as regards biological results, into activities which serve as exercise and those which serve as display in impressing others that is in the two divisions, where individual significance is dominant, or social significance. Of course, this is a quite objective classification; the child not consciously taking exercise-this being really work-but continuing the activity for its immediate pleasurable ness. The showing-off play is largely consciously such; there is here more of the subjective and teleological factor. Under Hearing and Sight Plays Professor Groos is quite full and interesting, really giving in outline the evolution of these senses in the race and individual. We might ask why he divides Hearing Play into passive and active, and not other sense plays. The child is, indeed, diverted either by your singing, or by his singing to himself, but also both by your passing things before his eyes and himself passing things before his own eyes. Later he both looks at pictures in books and draws pictures for himself. Indeed, it is plain that gratification of any sense may be either active or passive, the active side leading off into art activity and art work. Professor Groos's account of Motor Plays is hardly as full and satisfactory as that on Sense Plays. We find here, as elsewhere, too often a heaping-up of facts and of quotations with very cursory interpretation. Thus (p. 95) he rather hastily lumps the American habit of gum chewing with betel-chewing, and with the habit of chewing bits of sticks and grass, as motor plays for jaws and tongue. But while it is plain that the gum-chewer may use a piece gum as a mouth-plaything, yet to a large extent gum chewing is merely a morbid nervous habit, or a means of gratifying sense of taste, and in both these ways not play. So also the athlete who chews gum or other articles during a football game is not in this playing. Chewing is only play when it is chewing for chewing's sake, and not as a mere relief from nervous tension, or for taste pleasure or to help endurance and grit. Professor Groos rightly regards the psychological mark of play not as imitation, but as direct pleasurableness. The mere biological activity comes first as outcome of bare physiological impulse; thus the infant grasping indefinitely feels something soft, experiences pleasure and keeps handling the object. Objectively and biologically all this activity is play, but psychologically only the later half (p. 95). As to physiology, "Es sind zwei Hauptprincipien, die eine psychologische Theorie des Spiels beherrschen müssen, das der Entladung über schüssiger Kräfte und das der activen Erholung erschöpfter Kräfte.” The æsthetic social point of view is enlarged on throughout much in the same way as in his previous work. In general the remarks we have made on Professor Groos's previous work (Psychological Review, Vol. 6, p. 86 ff.) apply also to this. The last book is larger, fuller and more cautions, but it lacks in clearness and directness and penetration. Though sometimes suggestive, it is rarely illuminating. Very comprehensive and learned, it is useful as a summary and discussion, but it has not the vitality of real research. The book is swamped in quotation, and we have more a history and discussion of opinion than a first-hand investigation. Though by bringing in everything of the least relevancy Professor Groos attains a certain completeness, it is greatly to be doubted whether in breaking ground in a new subject this is the most useful method. The foundations for a real science of play can only be laid by the direct detailed study of the life-history of the individual, the results being made to an extent verifiable by the photograph and phonograph. HIRAM M. STANLEY. BOOKS RECEIVED. The Elements of Practical Astronomy. W. W. CAMPBELL. New York and London, The Macmillan Company. 1899. Pp. xii + 264. $2.00. Nature Study for Grammar Grades. WILBUR S. JACKMAN. New York and London, The Macmillan Company. 1899. Pp. 407. $1.00. The Fairyland of Science. ARABELLA B. BUCKLEY. New York, D. Appleton & Co. 1899. Pp. x+ 252. $1.50. Electricity in Town and Country Houses. PERCY E. Boston and New York, 1899. Pp. 106. 75 cts. Photographic Optics. R. S. COLE. New York, D. Van Nostrand Company. 1899. Pp. 330. SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND ARTICLES. The Botanical Gazette for April contains the following leading articles: 'A Conspectus of the Genus Lilium,' by F. A. Waugh, which brings together and organizes the widely scattered material; 'Some Appliances for Elementary Study of Plant Physiology,' by W. F. Ganong, in which are described, with figures, a temperature stage, a clinostat, a self-recording auxanometer, an osmometer, a respiration apparatus, a germination box, a transpiration device, the graduation of roots, tubes, etc., and a root-pressure gauge; 'Oogenesis in Pinus Laricio,' by Charles J. Chamberlain, a paper with plates, in which the following results are announced : The ventral canal cell occasionally develops as an egg; the chromatin of the egg nucleus takes the form of nucleoli which finally collect from all parts of the nucleus to a definite area near the center and there develop into a typical spirem; the chromatin of the two sexual nuclei is in the spirem stage at fusion; the fate of the spindle indicates that the kinoplasmic fibers arise through a transformation of the cytoplasmic reticulum; a continuation of 'The Ecological Relations of the Vegetation of the Sand Dunes of Lake Michigan,' by Henry C. Cowles, the present part, profusely illustrated, discussing the encroachment on preexisting plant societies and the capture of the dune-complex by vegetation. Under Briefer Articles' Julia W. Snow describes (with plate) the life history of a new Ulvella (U. Americana), and Bradley M. Davis discusses recent work on the life history of the Rhodophyceae. The number closes with the usual reviews, notes for students and news. American Chemical Journal, April, 1899. 'On the Hydrolysis of Acid Amides: By I. Remsen and E. E. Reid. The rate of hydrolysis of a large number of acid amides was compared and certain groups or positions of groups were found to exercise a marked influence on the reaction. In general the results agree with those obtained in the study of the rate of formation of ethereal salts. Ortho groups were found to exert a very marked 'protective' influence in many cases. 'Aliphatic Sulphonic Acids :' By E. P. Kohler. The author describes the preparation and reaction of (1) brome thylene sulphonic acid and its derivatives. 'A Serviceable Generator for Hydrogen Sulphide' By W. P. Bradley. This generator is so arranged that all the acid is used, and it only needs filling several times a year. The iron salt formed does not mix with the acid, but is drawn off and thrown away. J. ELLIOTT GILPIN. SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. THE annual stated meeting of the National Academy of Sciences was held at Columbian University beginning Tuesday, April 18th, and ending Thursday, April 20th. The members missed the rooms to which they were so long accustomed in the National Museum, but the growth of this institution has been so marked that there is no longer any room available for such purposes. A committee has been appointed to secure, if possible, permanent quarters, and it is hoped that, in view of the relations of the Academy to the United States government, rooms may be set aside in some public building for the use of the Academy. The papers presented at the public sessions were as follows: 1. Ophiura Brevispina, W. K. Brooks and Caswell Grave. 2. The Shadow of a Plant, A. Hall. 3. On the Tanner Deep Sea Tow Net, A. Agassiz. 4. On the Acalephs of the East Coast of the United States, A. Agassiz and A. G. Mayer. 5. On the Limestones of Fiji, E. C. Andrews; communicated by A. Agassiz. 6. On the Bololo of Fiji and Samoa, W. McM. Woodworth; communicated by A. Agassiz. 7. On the Diamond and Gold Mines of South Africa, A. Agassiz. 8. Progress in Surveying and Protection of the U. S. Forest Reserves, Chas. D. Walcott. 9. The Resulting Differences between the Astronomic and Geodetic Latitudes and Longitudes in the Triangulation along the Thirty-ninth Parallel, H. S. Pritchett; introduced by Chas. D. Walcott. 10. The Work of the Division of Forestry, Department of Agriculture, Gifford Pinchot; introduced by Chas. D. Walcott. 11. On the Development by Selection of Supernumerary Mammæ in Sheep, A. Graham Bell. 12. On Kites with Radial Wings, A. Graham Bell. 13. Remarks on the Work of the Nautical Almanac During the Years 1877-98 in the Field of Theoretical Astronomy, S. Newcomb. 14. Exhibition of Specimens of Nautilus pompilius, W. K. Brooks and L. E. Griffin. The new members elected are: Professor C. E. Beecher, Yale University; Professor George C. Comstock, University of Wisconsin; Professor Theodore W. Richards, Harvard University; Professor Edgar F. Smith, University of Pennsylvania, and Professor E. B. Wilson, Columbia University. The Academy adjourned to meet in New York next November. THE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. THE 499th meeting of the Society was held at 8 p. m., April 1st, in the assembly room of the Cosmos Club. The first paper was by Mr. G. W. Littlehales on The Prospective Place of the Solar Azimuth Tables in the Problem of Accelerating Ocean Transit.' A brief abstract of this paper will appear later in SCIENCE. The second paper was by Mr. E. G. Fisher on 'Data Relating to Nickel Iron Alloy.' The third paper was by Mr. H. A. Hazen on 'Electric and Magnetic Weather.' Mr. Hazen said in part: One of the earliest coincidences between the weather and magnetism was published in a set of curves in the Annual Report of the C. S. O. for 1882, showing the exact correspondence between the curves of diurnal range of magnetic declination and pressure of the air. In April, 1898, a period of 25.912 days was found from temperatures for 20 years at Omaha, Neb., and this period applied to the annual observations in the United States from 1870 to 1898 (about 400 occurrences) showed a marked maximum point on one day throughout. The largest number of auroras observed in any one day in the United States fell upon this same day (not included, however, in the count). In February, 1899, Dr. Ekholm sent a paper in which he had established a period of 25.92876 days from observations of the auroras in Sweden for 175 years. This period, applied to the above observations, gave almost a straight line. The great danger of using the twenty-four-hour change in any element was pointed out. It was shown that there was almost an exact accordance between the diurnal range in magnetic diclination, horizontal and vertical form. When the fluctuations in these elements from day to day were compared, however, there were remarkable periods of coincidence, combined with non-coincidence. It was shown that the curves for grains in a cubic foot of air and for pressure fluctuations were exactly coincident at St. Louis, Mo. When these curves were compared with the magnetic curves there was no difficulty found in matching them with one or another of the latter. This seemed to show an intimate connection between the phenomena, and it now remains for those versed in terrestrial magnetism to explain the want of coincidence in the phenomena. E. D. PRESTON, Secretary. GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. AT the regular meeting of this Society, held in Washington, D. C., on April 12, 1899, Mr. Alfred H. Brooks communicated some 'Notes on the Geology of the Tanana and White River Basins, Alaska.' The region embraces the Lower White and the major part of the Tanana River, both tributary to the Yukon. To the south the area is bounded by a part of the St. Elias range, by the Natzutin Mountains and by the Alaskan range, and lies chiefly in the region of the dissected Yukon plateau. A complex of gneisses, gneissoid and massive granites, with some dioritic rocks, are believed to be the basal series. They are succeeded by metamorphic rocks which have been differentiated into three groups. These are unconform ably overlaid by the Wellesley formation, consisting chiefly of conglomerate, of Devonian or Carboniferous age. On the Lower Tanana some sandstone and slate beds were noted and called the Nilkoka beds, and these are probably also Paleozoic. These have all suffered considerable deformation and often carry mineralized quartz veins. In the older and more altered rocks the quartz is more plentiful than in the younger beds. Assays of a number of samples gave traces of both gold and silver. A small area of very slightly deformed soft yellow sandstone was tentatively classed as Eocene. The position of two systems of structure lines goes to show that the deformation of the region was caused by two synchronous thrusts coming from different directions, and these were probably lines of movement during several periods of deformation. The summits of the old plateau remnants are a striking feature of the region and mark an old peneplain. During the late Tertiary time this peneplain was elevated and probably somewhat deformed and was then deeply dissected. The evidence goes to show that the drainage of the upper Tanana and middle White then flowed southeast and probably found its way to Lynn Canal by way of the valleys of the Nissiling, upper Alsek and Chilkat Rivers. A depression succeeded the uplift, and the partially drowned valleys were then filled with sediments. ward the close of this period of depression the White River Valley was occupied by ice, and probably a little later glaciers moved down some of the southern tributaries of the Tanana. No evidence of general glaciation was found in the region. The last orographic disturbance was the elevation of the land mass to about its present position, and this caused a partial dissection and terracing of the sediment of the older valleys. To Mr. J. S. Diller exhibited specimens of Paleotrochis which had been described in 1856 by E. Emmons as siliceous corals and regarded as the oldest fosssils known. Professor James Hall regarded them as concretions. Professor J. A. Holmes, of North Carolina, examined the rock in the field and considered it of igneous origin, while Mr. C. H. White, who examined the specimens collected by Holmes, pronounced the forms organic. Nitze and Hanna, of the Geological Survey of North Carolina, maintain the igneous characters of the rock, and this view is strongly supported by Mr. Diller, who showed that the supposed fossils and concretions are spherulites in a more or less altered rhyolite. Mr. Diller's paper will be published in full in the American Journal of Science. U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. W. F. MORSELL. CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON. THE regular meeting was held on March 9, 1899. |