ings, and its proximity to London will no doubt insure a large attendance.

The KENT ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, one of the oldest and best conducted of our local antiquarian bodies, has just issued the seventh volume of its "Archæologia Cantiana." The papers contained in it are of very high merit. Two-thirds of the volume are occupied with an elaborate and extremely valuable and interesting "Architectural History of the Conventual Buildings of the Monastery of Christ Church in Canterbury," by Professor Willis of Cambridge. Those who, now many years ago, took a part in the foundation of the British Archæological Association, and were soon afterwards present at its first congress at Canterbury, will remember with pleasure the interest with which every one listened to Professor Willis's lecture upon the history of the ancient buildings of the cathedral and convent, delivered to us on that occasion. Since that time a quarter of a century has already passed, during much of which the professor has been working up his subject, until now it appears in a perfect form, in which it can hardly be over-estimated. The volume is further enriched by the concluding portion of the richly illustrated report of the exploration of the extensive Anglo-Saxon cemetery at Sarr, between Canterbury and Sandwich, which was conducted at the expense of the Kent Society, by John Brent, jun., F.S.A., of Canterbury, to whom we owe this report. It is a valuable contribution to the materials for the early history of the Anglo-Saxon race. At the period to which we have just alluded, John Brent was little more than a boy, and it is no doubt to the ideas inspired by the meeting of the Archæological Association at Canterbury, that we owe his development into a good and meritorious antiquary.

T. W.

PROGRESS OF INVENTION.

LAMP.-Mr. James Allisan Hogg, Jun., of Edinburgh, thus describes his invention: two tubes are employed, on the Bunsen principle, one of which is of smaller diameter than the other, the smaller is placed within the larger tube. One tube is placed in communication with condensed gas or air, or both, compressed by a pump; the other tube is in communication with ordinary arrangements for the supply of atmospheric air or gas. The gas, or air, or both, may be supplied at any determined pressure; the mixture of gas and air is passed through a perforated plate of platinum. The mixture of gas and air is thus obtained: the tube conducting one

of those agents is carried through the smaller tube, and discharged through the opening of it into the larger tube, into which the other agent is admitted. The tubes thus act as a sort of blow-pipe; the gaseous mixture passes through the larger tube to a piece or surface of pure platinum. Pierced plate, gauze, or woven platinum wire, or other suitable metal may be substituted for platinum. The minute jets pass through the interstices of the metal work, and are ignited. The metal soon becomes incandescent, the supply of air being duly regulated, combustion is made perfect; flame disappears, and the platinum, or other metal, becomes a disc of intense light.

MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE OF MAGNESIA, by Franklin Winser of Manchester.-Carbonate of magnesia, or dolomite, or the oxide of magnesia, either in lump or ground, is placed in the gas purifiers, instead of carbonate of lime or other articles now used for the purpose of purifying and freeing ordinary gas from sulphur and its other impurities; or magnesia or dolomite, either carbonate or oxide, ground or in lumps, is placed in chambers or any convenient receptacle, and into these chambers sulphurous acid gas is introduced, this gas being formed by burning any sulphides or bisulphides of earths or metals, by which means sulphides of magnesia are formed, which sulphides are converted into sulphates by means of furnaces or other known methods.

UTILIZING FUEL.-Mr. Frederick Hahn Danchell, introduces coal, peat, coke, wood, charcoal, or other combustible matter into furnaces in the state of fine dust or powder instead of in lumps. These powdered materials are supplied to the furnace by means of a blast of either air or steam, or of both combined, which is produced by a fan or bellows, or any blowing engine, or by a steam jet direct from a steam boiler. The air and steam employed in connection with this carbon dust or powder, is heated, or superheated by one of the means generally employed for the purpose.

LITERARY NOTICES.

FACTS AND ARGUMENTS FOR DARWIN BY FRITZ MÜLLER. Translated from the German by W. S. DALLAS, F.L.S., Assistant Secretary to the Geological Society of London. With Illustrations. (John Murray.)— Mr. Dallas has had a difficult job in translating this important work, which will form a valuable addition to our scientific libraries. Dr. Fritz Müller was prompted by reading Darwin's work on the "Origin of Species," to test its theories by carefully studying the results of their application to a particular group of animals. He selected the Crustacea of which he could easily obtain living specimens at Desterro, the scene of his labours. Many talkers and writers on the Darwinian philosophy seem to fancy that little knowledge is necessary to enable them to dogmatize on the subject, and

in this they are quite right; but as Fritz Müller wished to arrive at something better than dogmatism, he adopted the slow method of cautious and prolonged study. He tells us that he speedily saw that it would require years of work before the essential problem could be seriously handled, and that, above all things, a thorough knowledge of development was necessary. The lower Crustacea offer great advantage for the line of investigation he pursued, and it is no small proof of the accuracy of Darwin's views that his researches tend to their confirmation. In several passages, Dr. Fritz Müller speaks very contemptuously of orthodox views, and if an occasional expression is offensive to those who habitually contemplate nature from the stand-point of natural theology, we would urge upon them the necessity for caution and accuracy in the statement of their case. As we have said in another place, we are convinced that natural theology will not suffer from the establishment of doctrines of development, but the natural theologian of the future must be prepared to take into consideration all established facts, and not place himself in hostility to science by rejecting truths he did not expect, and may not see how to reconcile with the general requirements of his system. We protest most strongly against the dissociation of science and religion, but the desired reconciliation can only exist in the minds of those who can discard prejudice, and accept all that is proved, however much it may differ from preconceived ideas.

Dr. Fritz Müller's work is indispensable to students of the Crustacea, whether Darwinians or anti-development theorists. His book is written for professed naturalists, and there is little which the general reader would understand. So far as the former class is concerned, it is not necessary that we should do more than notify its appearance in an English dress, and state that it contains important observations on the development of many species of Crustacea; but we must endeavour to make some portions of the argument intelligible to the latter. Dr. Fritz Müller tells us that, among the male Crustacea, it is not uncommon to find a more abundant development than in the females of delicate filaments on the antennæ, to which, in conformity with Leydig, he ascribes olfactory functions.

In Tanais, two kinds of males are discovered. "Up to the last change of skin preceding sexual maturity, the young males resemble the females, but then they undergo an important metamorphosis. Amongst other things, they lose the moveable appendages of the mouth, even those which serve for the maintenance of the respiratory current; their intestine is always found empty, and they appear to live only for love. But what is most remarkable is that they never appear under two different forms. Some acquire powerful, long-fingered chela (claws), and instead of the single olfactory filament of the female, have from twelve to seventeen of these organs, which stand two or three together on each joint of the flagellum. The others retain the short, thick form of the chela of the females, but, on the other hand, their antennæ are equipped with a far

greater number of olfactory filaments, which stand in groups of from five to seven together."

The Tanais lives among densely-woven confervæ, and by putting this weed in a large glass of sea water, Fritz Muller could observe thousands of the little creatures who soon covered its walls. He found the females all alike, and the males of the two kinds without any intermediate forms. In the pursuit of the females, those males who were good smellers, and those who were good claspers, might both be fortunate, and he accounts for the non-appearance of any intermediate forms by supposing that they may have died out. If, at any time, there were good smellers, and good claspers, and likewise different grades of smellers and claspers of inferior powers, it would be reasonable to expect that the weaker ones would have the worst of the contest for wives, and the two successful forms would remain as possessing divers but equivalent advantages. Another elaborate argument of Fritz Müller is founded upon the diversity of arrangements by which land-crabs are fitted for aërial respiration. In the nearly-allied families of Ocypodidae and Grapsoidæ, the general structure follows the same plan, but the respiratory arrangements differ. The former live in sand, and have their respiratory aperture "placed at the lowest part, directed downwards, and concealed between broad surfaces, fringed with prolific brushes of hair," while in Grapsus (which climbs trees), "the water is allowed to reach the branchia only from the front. I saw it in Ocypoda, says F. Müller, "flow in also through the orifice, just described," between the four fourth pair of feet. The explanation of special adaptation to different modes of life is not sufficient, though true as far as it goes, as it is found that the Gelosimus of the mangrove swamps, which share the same conditions of life with various Grapsoidæ, and yet does not agree with them, but with the armiculous Ocypoda.

The scientific naturalist will be much interested by Dr. F. Müller's observations on the development of the Podopthalama, Ethiopthalama, Entomostraca, etc., which abound in curious facts.

THE HOUSE I LIVE IN: OR, POPULAR ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE HUMAN BODY. For the use of Families and Schools. Edited by THOMAS C. GIRTON, Surgeon. New Edition. (Longmans.)— This is the eleventh edition of a popular treatise on human anatomy and physiology-a fact which shows that its peculiar mode of presenting the subject has found favour with the young, to whom it is specially addressed, and who will find it easy to understand.

WOODNUTS FROM A FAIRY HAZEL-BUSH, CRACKED FOR LITTLE PEOPLE, by JEAN D'ENSIGNE. (Groombridge and Sons.)-An elegant gift book, with handsome red binding, gilt edges, and remarkably good woodcuts. It contains fifteen pretty stories about owls, partridges, rabbits, squirrels, kingfishers, etc., which the young folks will be delighted with, and their elders will be sure to read-of course only to see, and find out, that they are good for the juveniles. The teller of the tales

learns from the fairies the language of the birds, and thus becomes acquainted with many matters hidden from common folk. It is an excellent specimen of this sort of fable, and well merited the graceful dress in which it claims the favour of the public.

RELIQUIE AQUITANICE; BEING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ARCHEOLOGY AND PALEONTOLOGY OF PERIGORD AND THE ADJOINING PROVINCES OF SOUTHERN FRANCE. BY EDOUARD LARTET and HENRY CHRISTY. Edited by THOMAS RUPERT JONES, Professor of Geology, etc., Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Part VIII.-The present part of this splendid work contains the usual complement of plates of bone and stone implements. The most interesting portion of the letterpress contains remarks by Paul Broca on the human skulls and bones found in the cave of Cro-magnon, and affording proof of the contemporaneity of man and the mammoth. M. Broca remarks that the remains of the men of the Quaternary period, hitherto studied, "belonged for the most part to individuals of short stature, with a rather small cranium, and a more or less prognathous (snouty) face." The Cro-magnon men did not conform to this description, but show M. Broca to have been right in his opinion that Europe was inhabited by more than one race during the Quaternary epoch. The remains of the three individuals in the Cro-maguon cave belonged to persons of lofty stature, strong bones, and large dolichocephalic skulls, and differed widely from the stunted races. There is no reason whatever for limiting the antiquity of man to the Quaternary epoch, and if various races existed at that period, the earliest appearance of the human family may be long anterior to it. No discovery as yet brings us within sight of primæval man. Already "the chipped-stone and paleolithic period" is divided into "distinct epochs, characterized by the palæontological aspect of the fauna, and by the progress of art and industry, and, lastly, by the introduction of new habits and customs." Different races may have passed through these periods at widely different dates, and geologists have very much to do before the early history of man can be sketched. At present, each discovery, instead of being conclusive, sends us back in the direction of a higher antiquity than has yet been proved.

NOTES AND MEMORANDA.

THE TRANSIT OF VENUS IN 1874.-Mr. Proctor states that when the circumstances of this transit are calculated with reference to internal contacts (the only phase ever observed in connection with the determination of the sun's distance), the places on the earth's surface, where ingress and egress are most accelerated and retarded, fall severally 314-0, 920-2, 764·5, and 208.7 miles from the corresponding places as determined by the Astronomer Royal. The difference is partly due to the choice of internal contacts instead of the passages of Venus's centre ; and partly to the circumstance that the Astronomer Royal has taken the position-angles as calculated by Mr. Hind for external