Recent University Publications.

Among a number of new publications by Harvard professors and students are three volumes by Professor C. H. Toy. The first, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, is a critical edition of the Hebrew text of Ezekiel, revised by careful comparison with the Greek and fully annotated. The second work is an English translation of Ezekiel, based on the revised Hebrew text. It contains exegetical notes and illustrations. The publisher is Macmillan.

Most important of the publications by members of the Graduate School are three monographs, written by special students in the Department of History. The first of these is on "Feudalism in Canada," by W. B. Munro 2G. It goes deeply into a subject of which little has been known heretofore. When the French came over to Canada, in early colonial times, they transplanted the Feudal System from Europe to America, where it remained till 1854, long after the English came into power in Canada. The system was almost identical with that of the Middle Ages; forced labor was everywhere demanded; and the tenants went regularly to Quebec to do homage to their lords. Finally the farming communities became so oppressed that the English government abolished the system, paying the seigneurs in full for their lands. The second of the monographs, by C. R. Fish, is on "The Origin of the Spoils System." It deals with the beginning and development of this system under President Jackson and his successors, and describes at length the efforts made by the Senate, in 1864, to check the power of the president. The object of the book is to give a clear idea of the position in which civil service stands today, as shown by its past history. Mr. Fish has compiled a set of tables, showing in detail the removals from office under various presidents of the United States. The last pamphlet is by F. H. Miller on "Qualifications for Office." The aim of this work is to show the gradual tendency in our country to throw open public offices to all classes and sects. These three monographs have been accepted by the American Historical Society, and will appear in its next annual report. Eventually they will be published by the United States Government.

An article by F. A. Bushee 3G., which recently appeared in the "American Statistical Quarterly," deals with the growth of the population of Boston, in comparison with that of other American cities, both in nationality and numbers.

"The Geology of the Richmond Basin, in Virginia," and "The Geology of the Narragansett Basin" are the titles of two new books which Professor Shaler and Mr. J. B. Woodworth have collaborated in writing. Mr. Woodworth has also written a monograph on the structure and origin of the rocks in which the coals of Eastern Virginia are found. His report on "The Occurrence of Fossil Vertebrate Footprints in the Carboniferous Rocks of Massachusetts" is ready for publication.

Mr. R. DeC. Ward, Instructor in Climatology, has recently published a paper of general interest on the relative humidity of the air in dwelling houses. The work is based on original investigation. Among other publications in this department are Mr. J. E. Woodman's account of "The Shores of the Bras d'Or Lakes," in Nova Scotia, and also a recent paper in Italian describing certain geological "faults," north of Rome.