[Book Reviews]

Abstract

We are sorry that the first words of this Report are words of complaint at the small number of real workers among the numerous members of this society; some of the Sections we regret very much to be told, are either deserted or inactive. We hope no such complaint will be called for next year, and that the new regulation as to membership may be of service as a stimulus to work among the younger associates; by this new rule the number of members is henceforward limited to 15, for the purpose of making election to membership a real distinction. To judge from the number and value of the papers in the Report, there are, after all, not a few really good workers among the members. Of the various selected papers and reports one-half are by members who were actual pupils of the school at the time they were written. B. R. Wise's paper “On the Earliness of the Season” (1872), shows the possession of a power of observation which, if carefully cultivated, ought to produce good results. The same may be said of A. G. Burchardt's paper on “The Work of the Anatomical Section,” which contains an account of some of the animals found in the Rugby district, and some very useful directions on the preservation of specimens. E. J. Taylor's account of “A Visit to Norway” is interesting, and shows the author can make use of his eyes. L. Maxwell's essay on “Spectrum Analysis,” well deserves the Society's Prize, which was awarded to it: the author shows that he possesses a clear idea of the nature of Spectrum Analysis, the principles on which it is based, and the many valuable purposes it is calculated to serve. It is accompanied by some rough but intelligible drawings of various absorption spectra. The second prize was awarded to an intelligent paper by H. N. Hutchinson on “Motive Power,” in which the author describes and illustrates various substitutes for coal as generators of motive power, including an ingenious flux motor, or tidal engine. Among other interesting papers we would mention the valuable observations on Hippocampus brevirostris, by the Rev. T. N. Hutchinson; and some very curious facts as to protective mimicry in spiders, communicated by the Rev. C. W. Penny. From the Astronomical Report, by Mr. Wilson, we learn that a large amount of good work is being done, especially in solar observation. Appended to the report are Messrs. Lockyer and Seabroke's paper “On a New Method of Viewing the Chromosphere;” and a report on the November Meteors, by L. Maxwell. The Meteorological Observations seem to have been regularly and carefully taken, though we hope there will be more to report in the zoological Section as the result of the present year's work; the anatomical department of this section has, however, made a fair start under the direction of the late member, Mr. A. G. Burchardt. W. B. Lewis's Report of the Geological Section, with accompanying plates, shows there has been some activity in this department. A. F. Buxton's Entomological Report consists of a complete list of the Lepidoptera which have been noticed within eight miles of the School Close. Under Mr. Kitchener's, the President's, guidance, some good work has been done in the Botanical Section, though the workers seem to be few. Appended to the report of this section is an abstract of two papers by Mr. Kitchener on a Pelerian form of Linaria vulgaris. On the whole, the Report of this Society's work for 1872, is one of which there is no reason to be ashamed, and we hope that each year will add to the number of those who take an active part in the work. From many scientific societies it is not advisable nor often expedient to exclude non-workers, but in such societies connected with schools, it should be insisted on that every member be an active worker: only thus can they completely serve the purpose for which they are established.

Report of the Rugby School Natural History Society for the Year 1872.

(Rugby: Billington, 1873.)