Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 9.djvu/528

504

this bulletin are embodied the results of an examination of the eggs brought from Kerguelen Island by the United States Transit-of-Venus Expedition, the identification of the botanical specimens, and determinations of the small but interesting zoölogical collections. The latter contain a large number of new genera and species, especially in mollusks, insects, crustaceans, and echinoderms.

The controversy as to the true nature of Eozöon Canadense—whether it is of organic origin, or whether it is simply and purely a mineral formation—still continues. A short time ago we made mention of a paper by Otto Hahn, on the negative side of this question. In the paper before us Dr. Dawson presents with considerable force the arguments in favor of the organic origin of this curious fossil.

1872, while on a visit to the Bermudas, Dr. G. Brown Goode, assistant curator of the United States Museum, studied the fishes of those islands. The present number of the Bulletin contains the results of Dr. Goode's studies. His "Catalogue of the Fishes of the Bermudas" names and describes seventy-five species of fishes belonging to Bermudan waters—most of them observed by the author himself. Up to the time of his visit, only seven species of fishes had been recorded from that locality.

twelve papers bearing the following titles: "Ozone in Kansas Atmosphere," "The Nebraska Hot Bluff," "Kansas Chalk," "Kansas Soils," "Kansas Salt," "Calamites," "Kansas Mammalia," "Habits of Certain Larvæ," "The Cottonwood-leaf Beetle," "Rocky Mountain Locust," "Sage Sphinx," "Lepidoptera of Eastern Kansas."

in the first place, analyzes the Messianic idea as it existed in the minds of the prophets and in the traditions of the people of Israel. He then examines the New Testament writings, in order to show what manner of man Jesus really was, and what religious and moral doctrines he held. These, according to the author, were purely Jewish—"Jesus was nothing but a Jew." The Christian system really originated with the apostle Paul, who boldly cut the new religion loose from its parent trunk, Judaism.

the seven papers contained in this volume three are on chemical subjects, viz., "The Composition of Date-stones," "Analysis of Potassic Fertilizers," "Occurrence of Ammonia in Anthracite." The author of these papers is Prof. F. H. Storer, dean of the institution. The other four papers are on botanical subjects, viz.: "A Disease of Olive and Orange Trees," "The American Grape-vine Mildew," "Fungi found in the Vicinity of Boston," and "The Black Knot." These papers are by Prof. W. G. Farlow.

announce the publication of a "Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States," by David S. Jordan. The work is designed to reduce the labor of classifying and ascertaining the names of specimens, and to fill in the study of zoölogy the place that Gray's "Manual of Botany" has long filled in the study of plants. 1 vol., 12mo, pp. 342. Price $2.

the title "Condensed Classics," Henry Holt & Co. will soon commence the publication, in condensed form, of a series of standard works of English fiction, the purpose being to save the time of the reader by eliminating those portions of the text that can be spared without impairing the continuity of the story. The work of condensation is in the competent hands of Mr. Rossiter Johnson. The initial work of the series will be "Ivanhoe," by Sir Walter