fish-hooks and harpoon-heads of bone and horn, fragments of nets, and certain perforated stone disks, which may have served as line or net sinkers. Similar implements have been found at other places in Europe. Fish-hooks of bronze also have been found on the sites of the lake-villages. Dr. Rau gives figures of about thirty bronze hooks. They vary much in form and size; a part only are barbed, but nearly all are bent over at the top to form an eye for the attachment of the line.

The second part of the memoir treats of American aboriginal fishing, and is based on the materials contained in the archæological division of the National Museum, of which division Dr. Rau has charge. Some of the hooks of aboriginal manufacture are similar in general form to ordinary modern fish-hooks, but only one regularly barbed specimen is known to the author. It was found in Madison County, New York, and is thought to have been made since 1600, and in imitation of the hooks brought to this country by Europeans. The hooks of bone and shell found in California are peculiar. The curved point approaches so closely to the shank that some persons have doubted their ever being used as fishing implements. It would probably be impossible to hook fish with hooks of this shape, but just such hooks have been brought from Pacific islands by travelers, who report that the natives are very successful with them in taking fish that bolt the hook instead of nibbling at it. No bait is used, as the hook itself looks somewhat like a worm. Twentyeight dart-heads of bone and horn are here figured, most of which the author believes were armatures for fishing implements. Twenty of them have barbs on one side only, while the others are barbed on both sides. Several dart-heads of copper, each of which has a single barb, are in the collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. A large number of grooved, notched, or perforated stones have been found, which must have been used as sinkers for fish-lines and nets. Similar stones are used as sinkers by both Indian and white fishermen to-day. Two specimens of copper sinkers have come within the knowledge of the author. Stone carvings and pottery representing fishes have also been

found in this country. The evidence that the American aborigines used mollusks as food is abundant; great heaps of oyster, clam, mussel, and other shells are found along our sea-coasts and river-banks. Intermingled with these shells are bones of various animals, implements, fragments of pottery, and vestiges of fireplaces. Dr. Rau appends to this memoir fifty-eight pages of extracts from various writings of the last four centuries, in which reference is made to aboriginal fishing in North America, and some notices of fishing implements and fish representations discovered south of Mexico. The text is illustrated by four hundred and five figures.

TOWN GEOLOGY: THE LESSON OF THE PHILADELPHIA ROCKS. Studies of Nature along the Highways and among the Byways of a Metropolitan Town. By ANGELO HEILPRIN, Professor of Invertebrate Paleontology at, and Curator-incharge of, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Published by the Author. Academy of Natural Sciences, 1885. Pp. 152, with Seven Plates.

Nor only from the simple to the complex, and from the concrete to the abstract, but from the immediate to the remote, lie the true directions of mental movement in the growth of knowledge and in rational study. To begin where there is much familiarity, some knowledge, and more or less curiosity and interest, and pass on to that which is remoter and deeper, is the true method. But, strange to say, the reverse method is that usually pursued. Instead of starting with the known and building upon it, the custom is to begin with the distant and unknown, and often, indeed, stay there so long that the knowledge acquired in many cases never becomes a reality at all. Geology, particularly, is liable to be pursued in this way, general ideas being accumulated from the books, with little application to facts within the limit of common experience.

The present volume is an admirable exemplification of the true method of geological study. The author takes up the facts with which all Philadelphians are familiar, and in which they may be therefore assumed to have a certain degree of interest, and connects them in a very simple and instructive way with the great body of geological

truths in which these facts find their explanation. The rock systems in the Philadelphia neighborhood are described, together with the changes which have led to the present condition of things, and the accompanying succession of life as disclosed by fossil relics. "White-Marble Steps and Windowfacings," ""Brown-stone Fronts and Jersey Mud," "Philadelphia Brick and Cobblestone," are the familiar texts used by the author to interpret the wonderful workings of Nature in the immeasurable past, and which, through long chains of causes and effects, have given rise to the present order of things. The work is admirably done, and the studious citizens of the Quaker metropolis owe their best thanks to the young geologist who has performed the task. It would be a good thing if we could have something of the kind in New York.

PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA, 1884. Montreal: Dawson Brothers.

THIS second volume, issued by the Royal Society of Canada, comes to us with its united departments of literature and science, in French or English, as the language of the contributor may be. Of the scientific memoirs only need we here speak; they are varied and excellent. Dr. George Lawson, Professor of Botany at Dalhousie College, Halifax, Nova Scotia, gives a revision of the Canadian Ranunculaceœ, in confirmation and extension of a monograph published in 1870. During fifteen years he has given direction to the observation of this important order by botanists afield throughout the wide provinces and territories of the Dominion. Direction of this kind gives value to much of what might otherwise be but disconnected observation. Dr. Lawson's memoir, though extensive, is incomplete in certain groups to which he directs the attention of Canadian botanists.

Dr. T. Sterry Hunt, of Montreal, president of the society, presents a review of the much controverted Taconic question in geology, and shows ground for believing that the newest member of the great series of pre-Cambrian, crystalline, stratified rocks is what is called Lower Taconic, or Taconian, and is widely distributed over North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Dr.

Hunt has arrived at his conclusions from protracted study in America and Europe.

From the same eminent geologist we have a paper on the "Origin of Crystalline Rocks." He approaches the great problem of the origin of such rocks as granite and gneiss, and after a discussion of the Neptunian, igneous, and the metamorphic schools, rejects them all as untenable, in favor of what he calls the crenitic hypothesis, and claims it as a legitimate development of the Neptunism of Werner. This hypothesis supposes the existence of a primary Plutonic stratum, the outer layer of the original aqueous globe, which, more or less modified by the subsequent penetration of water, has been the direct source of eruptive rocks like basalt and dolerite, and at the same time has furnished indirectly and by aqueous solution the elements of all granitic and gneissic rocks. This radical and far-reachíng hypothesis will doubtless command the attention of chemists and geologists the world over.

Other papers of interest, on topics chemical, zoölogical, and physical, evidence the activity of original research among men of science in Canada.

THE COPPER-BEARING ROCKS OF LAKE SUPERIOR. BY ROLAND DUER IRVING. Washington: Government Printing - Office. Pp. 464, with Twenty-nine Plates.

THIS is a paper prepared in connection with the United States Geological Survey under Mr. Clarence King. It aims at a general exposition of the nature, structure, and extent of the series of rocks in which occurs the native copper of Lake Superior; a work which has never been attempted before, nor, it is asserted, could it have been accomplished sooner. Much had been written on different parts of the Lake Superior basin, but gaps still existed in the surveys, and much remained to be learned concerning the nature of the crystalline rocks. These obstacles have been removed by the later surveys, and the gaps that still remained have been filled by the personal observations of Mr. Irving and his aids. All the information at command has been examined and drawn upon and is used, and the views of different authors, often conflicting, are discussed in the present work.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OLDER MESOZOIC FLORA OF VIRGINIA. By WILLIAM MORRIS FONTAINE. Washington: Government Printing-Office. Pp. 144, with Fifty-seven Plates.

THE Mesozoic beds of Virginia are all situated east of the Blue Ridge, and most of them are found within the terrain of the crystalline Azoic rocks. The beds are divided into two classes, which appear to have but little in common with one another. The older Mesozoic beds, which furnished the plants described in this book, are of freshwater or brackish-water deposit, and often contain coals. The younger formations also contain plants, but of a totally different character from that of the plants of the older Mesozoic. The most important of all the beds passes about ten miles west of Richmond, and is about thirty miles long and six broad. It contains nearly all the coal and yields nearly all the plants found in the formation. Besides the plants found in these beds, and for the sake of comparison with them, plates and descriptions are given from Emmons's work of plants from the older Mesozoic strata of North Carolina, most of which, however, coming from strata above the coal, are supposed to be of a somewhat later age than the Virginia plants.

THE Q. P. INDEX FOR 1884. Fourth annual issue. Bangor: Q. P. Index. Pp. 57. Price, $1.

In this issue, which forms No. 17 of the Q. P. series, the numbers for 1884 of fifty periodicals, and of the United States consular reports and education circulars, are indexed. The list includes all the important American literary magazines and reviews, most of the British literary magazines which have a circulation in this country, and about a dozen German periodicals. The "Revue de Belgique" is included, but not the "Revue des Deux Mondes." Since the British reviews were indexed in No. 16, they do not appear in this issue. When one realizes that about seventy-five thousand pages are indexed in these fifty-seven pages, it becomes evident that Mr. Griswold has brought the art of abbreviating to a wonderful state of efficiency. He is also a spelling reformer who has the courage of his convictions, for he writes "forein," VOL. XXVIII.-9

"welth," "tarif," "primitiv," "fotografy," "iland," etc.

COMMERCIAL ORGANIC ANALYSIS. By AL

FRED H. ALLEN, F. I. C., F. C. S. Sec-
ond edition, revised and enlarged. Vol.
I. Philadelphia: P. Blakiston, Son &
Co. Pp. 476. Price, $4.50.

THE edition of this work now publishing is to appear in three volumes instead of two, as in the first edition. A new arrangement of the subject-matter has been adopted, so that each volume may treat more especially of kindred products. The volume now presented is devoted chiefly to the consideration of bodies of the fatty series and of vegetable origin, and includes chapters on the alcohols, ethers, and other neutral derivatives of the alcohols, sugars, starch and its isomers, and vegetable acids. In revising this volume, the author has made considerable changes and additions in order to bring the information contained up to the latest possible date, so that very few pages remain as they stood in the first edition. He promises as thorough treatment of the rest of the work.

INSOMNIA; AND OTHER DISORDERS OF SLEEP. By HENRY M. LYMAN, M. D. Chicago: W. T. Keener. Pp. 239. Price, $1.50. THIS book discusses in a clear and readable style one of the severest afflictions to which man is liable. In the discussion the author covers an even wider ground than is indicated in his title, and considers all the phenomena of sleep, both normal and troubled. He begins with a full chapter on "The Nature and Cause of Sleep," which is followed by the consideration of the immediate subject of the treatise-insomnia, or wakefulness, the remedies for it and the treatment of it in particular diseases; and after this are given chapters on "Dreams," "Somnambulism," and "Artificial Somnambulism, or Hypnotism."

LIST OF TESTS (REAGENTS).

By HANS M. WILDER. New York: P. W. Bedford. Pp. 88. Price, $1.

THE nine hundred and fifty-three tests are described briefly under the names of the originators, which are arranged alphabetically, and a subject-index is added. The very common tests are not included.

DESCRIPTIVE AMERICA. A Geographical and Industrial Monthly Magazine; L. P. BROCKETT, Editor. Pp. 32. Price, $5 a year; 50 cents a number.

EACH number of this publication is devoted to a particular State. The number

before us, which is marked Vol. I, No. 6,

is given to Georgia. It includes a fine map of the State, a list of cities, towns, villages,

and stations, an editorial article on interna

tional exhibitions, and chapters describing the State in general and relating to cotton and rice culture, lands, population, immigration, education, the representative men, the religious condition, government, finances, debt, and taxation and history of the State,

with a statistical table of counties. Several of these articles are furnished by men disl tinguished or representative in the speciafields to which the papers respectively relate.

its application in the field. Tables for the reduction of observations are added which the author has used in the Geological Survey of Pennsylvania, and with them the trigonometrical four-place tables.

No. 78. THE STEAM-ENGINE INDICATOR.

By WILLIAM BARNET LE VAN. Pp. 169.

In this book the indicator and its object are described; its construction and action are the horse-power of engines is illustrated. explained; and the method of calculating An endeavor has also been made to explain the most important parts of the theory and action of steam, and to show the modes of

working engines that have been found to

be most advantageous.

VAN NOSTRAND'S SCIENCE SERIES.

cents each.

New

No. 73. SYMBOLIC ALGEBRA; or, The Algebra of Algebraic Numbers. By Professor WILLIAM CAIN. Pp. 131. The object of this essay is the discussion of negative quantities of algebra, with the purpose of finding a logically developed system that shall include such quantities as special cases. The volume also includes some critical notes on the methods of reasoning employed in geometry.

No. 74. TESTING-MACHINES: Their History, Construction, and Use. By ARTHUR V. ABBOTT. Pp. 190. Mr. Abbott has been engaged for several years in developing and applying methods of testing the strength of materials, and in this book explains such of his most successful methods as seem likely to be generally useful and interesting.

No. 75. RECENT PROGRESS IN DYNAMOELECTRIC MACHINES. By Professor SILVANUS P. THOMPSON. Pp. 113. This is a reprint of lectures delivered before the English Society of Arts on the subject indicated in the title, which were supplementary to a previous series of lectures on the theory of the dynamo and its functions as a mechanical motor.

No. 77. STADIA-SURVEYING. BY ARTHUR WINSLOW. Pp. 148. This hand-book contains a complete exposition of the theory of stadia measurements, with directions for

No. 80. HEALTHY FOUNDATIONS FOR

HOUSES. BY GLENN BROWN. Pp. 143. This is a reprint of a serial paper published in the "Sanitary Engineer" during 1884, with fifty one illustrations from drawings made for the articles by the author.

MAPS OF THE DOMINION OF CANADA. Telegraph and Signal Service. Sir HECTOR L. LANGEVIN, Minister of Public Works. In sheets.

THESE maps are intended to be full, and are very handsomely executed. The group now under notice contains two sheets of the Eastern section, two of the West-Central section, two of the Western or Pacific coast lines and electric-cable connections throughsection, with a Mercator chart of telegraphic out the world; and a map on a spherical projection showing the world's submarine cables and principal telegraph lines.

NOTES FROM THE PHYSIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. Edited by N. A. RANDOLPH and SAMUEL G. DIXON. Philadelphia. Pp. 88. A COLLECTION of "brief records of facts of interest brought to light in the course of physiological study." The constant aim of the writers has been to present these facts with the greatest conciseness compatible with scientific accuracy.