Our Book Shelf

Abstract

THIS little work appears as the 44th and 45th of a series which, under the title “Das Wissen der Gegenwart,” is published at Leipzig. The series embraces works on Astronomy, Geology, Physics, Biology, as well as treatises on History, Geography, Philosophy, and Art, all of which are issued at the extremely low price of one mark each. The present work consists of two parts, each of about 220 pages, with illustrations, and treats of the mechanics of the animal machine. The first part is concerned with the Vertebrates—where the construction is more complex—and in eight chapters we have the first principles of mechanics, so far as they relate to animals in general, discussed, and then the actions involved in locomotion, prehension, &c., are treated of in detail. The second part glances at the same facts, so far as they are found manifested in the lower animals, more especially in the Arthropods, Mollusca, and Worms. Many of the woodcut illustrations are from original drawings, and of these those representing the muscles engaged in prehension and mastication are very good.

Die äusseren mechanischen Werkzeuge der Thiere.

Von Vitus Graber. (Leipzig: G. Freytag, 1886.)