CURRENT LITERATURE.
Natural Science, published by Messrs. Macmillan and Co., is the latest addition to the positively appalling list of new monthly magazines. The object of its promoters, as we learn from the first number, is "to interpret simply and without ex- cessive technicalities the main results of contemporary work in natural science to those who try to follow the general progress of modern thought," to, in fact, combat certain present.day ten- dencies towards scientific " specialisation " and sheer "profes- sionalism" We cannot enumerate all the other intentions of the conductors of the new periodical. They mean, however, to expound and deal in a critical manner with "the principal results of current research in geology and biology that appear to be of more than limited application," and to make a prominent feature of original articles referring to the existing status of certain special branches of natural science, with suggestions for further develop- ment. This first number of Natural Science is, to say the least, more than promising. In the list of contributors are the names of Woodward, Beddard, Teall, Boulenger, J. W. Davis, G. H. Car- penter, and R. Lydekker. Among the subjects dealt with are "Recent Observations upon Mimicry," "Marine Snakes," " Deep- Sea Deposits," and "English Lake Dwellings." Mr. Teall's paper on "Deep-Sea Deposits," which is, in reality, a review of the work of the ' Challenger ' expedition, is an ideal paper of the popular — and yet not too popular—scientific sort. Natural Science, in fact., starts with a very full equipment, except in one department. There is a certain intellectual flabbiness about "Notes and Com- ments." This fault, however, time may be expected to cure.
Previous page
