The Mystery of Worms in Rain. THE mysterious appearance of earth worms at certain times and places mentioned by Mr. Charles B. Palmer in Science, No. 570, is easily explained, it seems to me, by close observation of the worms under favorable conditions. Several of his queries are answered more or less directly by the following quotation from the manuscript of a little book on animal studies which I prepared saveral years ago, but which was never published: "The time was in May during very rainy weather. The best place for observation was a portion of the lawn over which earth had recently been spread several inches deep. The bare ground of a garden which had not been disturbed since last year was almost as good. "On going out in the early evening, a constant slight snapping sound could be heard proceeding from the ground. Moving carefully, in order not to jar the ground and frighten the worms, a spot was selected for observation. "Looking closely, a dozen or more worms could be seen on each square foot of ground; some extended nearly full length on the surface, others protruding but an inch or so of the head. All were constantly moving the head about as if searching. for something. Next morning several holes were found with blades of grass drawn partly in. BOOK REVIEWS. By An Elementary Treatise on Theoretical Mechanics. ALEX. ZIWET. New York and London, Macmillan and Co. 1893, two vols.; 8vo, pp. 181,175. THE two volumes here mentioned contain, the one the outlines of kinematics, the other those of statics. A third volume, to include the treatment of dynamics, is promised later. The author, Professor Ziwet, of the University of Michigan, has sought to secure a good text-book in pure mechanics, especially well adapted to the student in the higher class of American colleges. The European method of study of the mathematics is stated to be the presentation of the science of mechanics before taking up the higher mathematics and its review after a later study of the calculus and other advanced mathematical studies. In this country it is more usual to study mechanics only after the course of higher mathematics has been taken. The work is intended as an introduction to the science of theoretical mechanics; but is also expected to prove useful to engineering students preparing for work in applied mechanics and related subjects. Theories are illustrated by special problems, and sets of exercises are introduced to be worked out by the student. Good care has been taken to make the references full and amply numerous to facilitate later or collateral reading. The treatise on kinematics is one of the best which has "A two-gallon jar was nearly filled with moist earth been yet presented and gives an excellent presentation of this comparatively recent, and, as yet, incompletely deand placed in the house, where a lamp could be used for observation at night. It is based on Reuleaux and other Some worms veloped, science. were put in and a few blades of grass placed on the earth. All the worms German writers mainly, and is one of the most systematic kept below the surface during the day, but in the evening appeared in English. The subject of statics is well and continuous discussions of the subject which has were always active at the surface. One evening after a rain a worm was noticed crawling on the second step of the porch. A few minutes later it was crawling along the under side of the projection of the third step and was soon over on the top investigating things to its satisfaction." Under ordinary conditions the worms remain concealed in their burrows during the day, but they habitually come to the surface at night, as is well known. That they immediately seek to penetrate the earth on being dug up necessarily follows from their extreme wariness, which prompts them to retreat at the least sign of danger. When they come to the surface "to be pelted by the rain " I have no doubt that they are accepting the lesser of two evils by escaping a deluge underground. Having seen a worm crawl comfortably along the under side of a painted board, I see no reason why it should not reach the roof and go down the conductor to the cistern. Nor does its climbing powers seem remarkable when we consider the moist, clinging body, and the peculiar organs of locomotion. This does not disprove the "rain down" theory, but only shows that, so far as earth worms are concerned, the phenomenon may have a more reasonable explanation. As to the sudden appearance of frogs after a shower, it is stated that this is a common occurrence in certain tropical countries, where the excessive heat and dryness drive them to seek shelter under leaves and earth till the cooling rain calls them out. In the month of August I have found live water beetles of the family Hydrophyllida buried deeply in swamp earth, where they had retreated probably two months before when the last drop of water evaporated. The remarkable degree of adjustment to the evironment, which permits most animals of the lower orders to remain · for a long time in a state of suspended activity, will doubtless explain most of these mysterious apparitions when all the conditions are known. C. D. McLOUTH. Muskegon, Mich., Jan. 20, 1894. planned, well written and well carried out in detail. The whole work is evidentally the product of one familiar with his subject and capable of giving his work the form which experience has shown him to be desirable. The bookmaking is excellent. The paper and press-work are admirable, and the two volumes are most creditable to both author and publisher. A System of Easy Lettering. By J. H. CROMWELL. New York, Spon and Chamberlain, 1893, 27 p., 12mo, $0.50. THIS little book is full of excellent illustrations of the most simple, as well as the most complicated and most graceful, forms of draughtsman's letters, arranged and proportioned especially for his use. The scheme is simply as stated in the preface: "We have but to divide any surface we may wish to letter into squares (or parallelograms, as the case may be) in pencil lines; form the required letters, in ink or paint, and, according to the style chosen, erase the pencil lines, and the lettering is complete." The selections are good, the work is excellent and the make-up of the book all that could be desired. Steam Machinery and the Marine Engine. By J. LANGMAID and H. GAISFORD, of the Royal Navy. London and New York, Macmillan & Co. 1893, 8vo, xv., 267 p. New edition, revised and enlarged. THESE elementary lessons in steam marine machinery are prepared for the use of the naval cadets of the British navy, and are introductory to more formal and mathematical studies. They include a purely descriptive account of the details of machinery, prefaced by chapters on the forms and uses of drawing instruments, statements of the properties of the materials of engineering construction, and of the various forms of joints and fastenings, such as riveting and bolting. The book is very exceptionally well-illustrated, and all the important engravings are made to a stated scale, so that it is easy to ascertain the dimensions, as well as the proportions, of the parts represented. The different shapes adopted for shafts of marine engines and their accessories, cranks and rods, eccentrics and cams; toothed gearing of all usual kinds; stuffing boxes and joints; valves and cocks and pumps, and other minor parts, are all well-described and finely illustrated before the construction of engines and boilers is studied in larger plans. Drawings and descriptive text exhibit the forms and proportions of the modern marine boiler and of all its appurtenances; while in this connection, the fuels and their composition, the properties of steam, and the economics of steam-making, are presented in a simple manner. Similar methods are adopted in the treatment of the marine engine, and the most recent types are fully described. No attempt is made to give the mathematical principles involved in construction, or to teach the art of designing and proportioning the engine, the boiler, and their accessories. The book has little value to the engineer; but, as an introduction to the serious study of the steam-engine for marine purposes, it is admirable. The authors and publishers have done their work well, and we have rarely seen a finer piece of technical bookmaking. Paper, press-work, and binding are good, and its illustrations among the very best that we have ever seen in this department of literature. GERMANIA A monthly magazine for the study of the German language and literature, is highly recommended by college professors and the press as "the best effort yet made to assist the student of German, and to interest him in his pursuit." Its BEGINNERS' CORNER furnishes every year a complete and interesting course in German grammar. $2 a year. Single copies 20 cents. P. O. Box 151, Manchester, N. H. 25 CTS. cave explorations in European archæology, and stated that the one fact that we gather is that early man dwelt in caves. Little cave hunting has been done in this country, chiefly because American archaeologists have gone wild over "relics," and mounds and cliff dwellings had diverted attention from other explorations. The speaker reviewed the work done in examining caves in this country, such as the investigations made by Professor Rogers at Durham Cave and Haldeman at Chikies, as well as the Port Kennedy "bone hole" explored by Professor Cope. A great scantiness of animal remains as compared with similar caves in Europe characterizes American caves, and this is accounted for by the difference in the conditions. The Lookout Cave at Chattanooga he regarded as typical. The floor of the cave, like that of many of the other caves in its vicinity, had been disturbed during the War of the Rebellion by workmen engaged in digging nitrous earth for the manufacture of gunpowder. He talked with the men who had been engaged in this work, and learned from them the portion of the floor which they had not disturbed. The bottom of the cave contained a mass of human and animal refuse. The floor was divided into sections by the explorer, and each fragment of bone, pottery, or stone was marked with the number of the section, and a number indicating the depth; so that things found in the first foot of digging were marked "one"; in the second, "two," etc. This work was carried down a depth of about four feet to the bottom of the animal deposits, and the contents appeared entirely homogeneous. The remains were Indian throughout, and decorated pottery was found in the lowest part. No indication of paleolithic man, nor of pygmies, nor of any one except the familiar Indian was discovered. The bones and shells have been identified by Prof. E. D. Cope, and reveal the following fauna: Deer, opossum, lynx, squirrel, rabbit, bat, peccary, raccoon, marmot, water tortoise, soft-shelled tortoise, sucker, garfish, spadefoot PISO'S CURE FOR CURES WHERE ALL ELSE FAILS. 25 CTS Newspaper Clippings. 25,000 in Stock. What do you want? Let us know. We can supply you. The Clemens News Agency, Box 2329, San Francisco, Cal. 1,000,000 young mothers need Babyhood highest authority on the care of children, dealing with food, dress, instruction, etc. One hundred physicians write for it. "It will save the child an illness, the mother many a sleepless night." Worth its weight in gold."-Boston Transcript. $1.00 a Year Babyhood Publishing Co., New York. MINERALS. GEMS. Largest, finest and most beautifully Choice and rare stones of all kinds. Rubic Two medals at World's Columbian Exposition. Price" VOL VIR OUTPLASTERERAM NO 254 GARDEN AJOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE MASWALKS AGAINZ44 JANUARY 4 - 1893 A beautifully illustrated journal of Horticulture, Landscape Art and Forestry, filled every week with fresh, entertaining, practical and accurate information for all who love nature or take an interest in flowers, shrubs and trecs. Its writers are the foremost American and European authorities, and the editorial and leading articles constitute the best literature of the time on all subjects within the scope of the paper. "The foremost journal of its class. -Boston Herald. "A delightful weekly companion."--Harper's Weekly, PUBLISHED WEEKLY. $4 A YEAR. Specimen copy free on application. lists free. Catalogue rsc., indexing all mineral species, Garden & Forest Pub. Co., GEO. L. ENGLISH & CO., Leading Mineralogists of. the U. S., No. 64 East 12th Street, New York City. Tribune Building, NEW YORK. In toad, tapir. Of shells, two species of Io, seven of Unio, two of Paludina and Trypanostoma were found. Most important of all, in the opinion of the explorer, were remains of the peccary and tapir. Teeth of the latter, the speaker stated, were found so near the bottom of the deposit that they may have belonged to the lower alluvial strata, and not to the period of the human remains. the discussion on the paper President Brinton stated that the tapir was commonly regarded as a South American animal, but that within our century it had been observed as far north as the Isthmus of Teotehuntepec, and that it was not necessary to take refuge in the theory that the teeth of the tapir belonged to the lowest strata, as it is not unlikely that the tapir existed in the Gulf States within a comparatively recent time. Mr. Mercer gave an account of an Indian ossuary that he found in a rift in the Lookout Cave, and exhibited specimens of charred femurs and the fragment of a pierced gorget, with stone arrow points from this deposit. In conclusion, he urged the importance of a thorough exploration of the caves of the entire country as likely to settle the question of early man in America. Dr. Brinton did not think the absence of objects of a primitive type in caves as conclusive with reference to the absence of primitive man. Early man was probably arboreal, and did not live in caves at all. According to the best French archæologists, the man of the river drift was older than the cave man, and his bones are associated with remains of a fauna that required a tropical climate for their development. The fossil remains from the explorations were exhibited at the close of the meeting. -It is with deepest regret that we announce the destruction by fire of the new Engineering Laboratory at Purdue University, LaFayette, Ind. It was burned on the night of Jan. 23-four days after its dedication. The fire originated in the boiler room and spread with great rapidity. Its progress could not be checked until the larger part of a fine building had been destroyed. Three laboratory rooms were burned; the machine room with its twenty lathes, its planers, shapers, drill presses, milling machines, and its large, supply of small tools; the forge room with its thirty-two power forges; and the laboratory for advanced work, which contains Purdue's now famous locomotive "Schenectady," a triple expansion Corliss engine and much other apparatus designed for work in steam engineering, hydraulics, and strength of materials. Nothing in these rooms escaped the fire. Not only was all the apparatus lost but also a large amount of experimental data. The main portion of the building was also consumed. This contained three stories, 50 feet by It was occupied by drawing rooms, recitation and lecture rooms, instrument rooms, offices and a mechanical museum. Some of the furniture and apparatus 150 feet. in these rooms was carried out before the fire took possession, but, as already stated, this part of the building was entirely burned. The only portion still standing comprises the wood room and foundry. These rooms were not damaged except by the temporary removal of the more portable portion of their equipment. The incidental losses by the fire are considerable. Members of the faculty have lost books, papers and data; students, their instruments, and manufacturers, in every part of the country, who, by gifts or liberal discounts, had cooperated in the equipment of the building, have lost their representation there. The excellent facilities for laboratory training which Purdue has been able to offer have made her engineering departments well known and have helped to draw to them a large number of students. It is hoped and expected that the new building will be quite as extensive and its equipment quite as complete as were the building and equipment which have been lost, and, since experience has suggested the modification of many details, it is but reasonable to expect the second plant to be better than the first. BRAIN WORKERS. all or have written me asking for permanent preparations show HORSFORD'S ACID PHOSPHATE KARYOKINETIC FIRES IN MAMMALIAN TISSUES.--Since the publication of my Preliminary Notice in Science for Dec. 1, 1893, many parties is recommended by physicians of ing mitosis. To these parties I have sent slides, and I now offer to all who desire them slides showing mitotic schools, for restoring brain force figures in nuclei of embryo kitten. A good immersion objective is necessary to make out the figures satisnervous energy, in If the slide is not all cases where factorily. Send 60 cents in stamps. satisfactory, return it, and I will return the money. I do the nervous system has been reduced below the normal standard by overwork, as found in lawyers, teachers, students and brain-workers generally. Descriptive pamphlet free on application to Rumford Chemical Works, WANTS. WANTED A young man to canvass for advertise ments for Science. The usual commission of thirty per cent will be paid. Apply in person at Science Office, 874 Broadway, New York. OUBLE honor graduate in Science and Philosophy DOUBLE acork in science, of the nature of teaching preferred. Address, E. A. Beckett, Trinity College, Toronto, Ontario, WANTED. Theory of the Earth, by Hutton. Prin ciples of Geology, by Lyell. Manual of Geology, by Phillips. Lehrbuch der Geolgie und Petrefacenkunde, by Carl Vogt. Etudes sur le Métamorphisme, by L'aubrée ANTED.-Second-hand books on osteology, em bryology, and comparative anatomy. Send list, stating condition and cash price. Can offer a few good sets of birds' eggs if desired. R. C. McGregor, Palo Alto, California. WA not care to exchange slides. Frank S. Aby, State UniWANTED. A copy of Chapman's Flora of the versity, Iowa City, Iowa. FOR SALE-A small collection of bird skins, con- sisting of 135 specimens of New England species, FOR SALE.-Price $150, cost originally between $300 and $400, a microscope and following accessories: Southern United States. I have on hand for sale or exchange sets of the lichens of this vicinity. List furnished on application. Address, C. F. Maxwell, Box 127, Dublin, Tex. WANTED.-Addresses of persons interested in ar chæology. Copies of the new archæologic journal in exchange for lists of collectors. A collection of 10,000 valuable objects, the results of my nine years' exploration in the Mississippi Valley, for sale. Price, $7,650. Warien K. Moorehead, Waterloo, Indiana. Acme (No. 2), stand and case lost. $75; Crouch, one-fifth WANTED. Vol. Birds of the Standard or Riverside collar adjustment and objective, $25; Tolles, four-tenths Beware of Substitutes and Imitations. GEO. L. ENGLISH & Co., of No. 64 East 12th Street, New York, announce that they have added Lo their stock of minerals, during the past six weeks, more choice specimens than during any similar period in their history. In order to make quick sales they have marked the prices very low, and as a further temptation to customers to forget the hard times, they have decided to allow a discount of ten per cent. on all minerals sold during the month of February, SOFTLY STEALS THE LIGHT OF DAY wher filtered through windows covered with CRYSTOGRAPHS, a substitute for Stained Glass that is inexpensive, beautiful, and easily applied. 20c. per square foot. Samples and catalogue, 100. CRYSTOGRAPH CO., 816 North Broad St., Philadelphia. Pennsylvania Bedford Springs Mineral Water For Liver, Kidney and B dder Troubles. It has been used medicinally and prescribed by physicians for nearly one hundred years. DIRECTIONS:-Take one or two glasses about e half-hour before each meal. Case One Dozen Half-Gallon Bottles, $4.50. LIGHTNING DESTROYS! Shall it be your house or a Bedford Mineral Springs Co., Bedford, Pa pound of copper? Philadelphia Office, 1004 Walnut St. Fact and Theory Papers THE WINNIPEG COUNTRY; 1. THE SUPPRESSION OF CON OR, tecting buildings from lightning. Entirely new departure in pro One hundred feet of the Hodges SUMPTION. BY GODFREY W. HAMBLETON, M.D. ROUGHING IT WITH AN ECLIPSE PARTY. Patent Lightning Dispeller 12°. 40c. BY A. ROCHESTER FELLOW. (S. H. SCUDDER.) (made under patents of N. D. C. Hodges, Editor of Science) will With thirty-two Illustrations and a Map. be sent, prepaid, to any ad 12°. $1.50. THE SCIENCE PRESS (JUST ESTABLISHED) Is prepared to do all kinds SCIENTIFIC WORK A SPECIALTY. We shall be glad to give Estimates and think they will be found very satisfactory. NEW YORK OFFICE, 874 BROADWAY, |