The Annual of Scientific Discovery FOR 1865. PUBLISHED BY GOULD AND LINCOLN, BOSTON. In issuing the ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY FOR 1865, the publishers would take occasion to direct special attention to the character and object of this long-established and popular work. The Annual is published near the commencement of every year, presenting a compact, carefully arranged, and easily accessible summary of all the important new facts and theories in every department of science and the industrial arts, which have been announced to the world during the preceding twelve months,-the statements being made in as popular language as the subjects will admit. The boundaries of every department of science are now enlarging so rapidly, that the publication of a yearly résumé of progress has long been felt by students and specialists to be an indispensable necessity,- -no other so ready and convenient method of "posting up” being available. But there are in addition a very large number of intelligent persons in this country who, without the time or opportunity to devote themselves to any special study or reading, nevertheless desire to become acquainted with the truths of science, and with what is going on in the scientific world. To these the Annual of Scientific Discovery especially addresses itself; and although its circulation has been large, we feel assured that the character and object of the work needs only to be made more fully known to insure for it even a much wider circulation. Appreciated, however, as the Annual has been in previous years by large numbers not only of the intelligent American people, but also the English, its publication at the present time seems more needful and opportune than ever before. The high prices which have prevailed for the last two years, and the preoccupation of the attention of the people with the incidents of a great war, have terminated the existence of some American journals, accustomed to report the details of scientific progress, and have diminished the circulation or fullness of many others. The high rates of foreign exchange have also caused the discontinuance of subscrip8m (1) tions to many European scientific journals, which formerly circulated very largely in this country; and have thus cut off another source of popular information. Under these circumstances, therefore, it will be seen that this is almost the only medium in the United States through which the reports of recent scientific progress, at home and abroad, are promptly rendered accessible to the public,an assertion which is strikingly illustrated by the fact, that the present volume contains the first detailed account, published on this side of the Atlantic, of the remarkable discoveries effected during the past year, through the agency of Spectrum Analysis. Among other noticeable features of the present volume, is a complete résumé of the recent discoveries respecting the "pre-historic man," and the antiquity of the human race; a report of Tyndall's recent investigations in relation to light and heat; photo-sculpture; Draper's speculations on the transition of matter; recent improvements in war implements and constructions; on the cultivation of fish; production of sexes at will; utilization of sewage; production of petroleum; use of steam expansively, &c. &c. The full Series of the Annual of Scientific Discovery now numbers sixteen volumes. They constitute a most complete Encyclopedia of scientific and practical knowledge; and in the language of the N. Y. Times, "Condense a greater quantity of sterling matter than any other set of books in the world!" The series has furthermore this advantage over any Encyclopedia, inasmuch as it chronicles the failures as well as the achievements in science; and a record of the first is equally indispensable with the last, to all who desire to know what has been attempted or speculated upon by the pioneers of invention and discovery, as well as what has been realized. The Series contains fine steel engravings of Professors, Agassiz, Silliman, Hitchcock, Wyman, Mitchel, Joseph Henry, A. D. Bache, H. D. Rogers, Dr. A. A. Gould, Isaac Lea, Esq., Richard M. Hoe, Esq., Capt. J. Ericsson, Admiral Dahlgren, Gen. Gilmore, &c. Price per Volume, 12mo, Cloth, 1 75 Price per complete Set, 16 Volumes, uniform style, with neat, substantial box, 28 00 OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY: OR, YEAR-BOOK OF FACTS IN SCIENCE AND ART FOR 1865. EXHIBITING THE MOST IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICS, USEFUL ARTS, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, TOGETHER WITH NOTES ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE DURING THE YEAR 1864; A LIST EDITED BY DAVID A. WELLS, A. M., M.D., AUTHOR OF PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY, BOSTON: GOULD AND LINCOLN. 59 WASHINGTON STREET. NEW YORK: SHELDON AND COMPANY. LONDON: TRUBNER & CO. • |