9 2 NE 1 1 K S [ .1 ANTAIIV 1899 



for two months. The idea is novel, and should prove useful to those not 

 connected with any large library. We hope that our colleague, Mr Adrien 

 Dollfus, will meet with success. 



The use of the globes, at one time a polite accomplishment, has of late been 

 set aside in consequence of the great improvement in cartography and increased 

 cheapness of maps. But the last year has witnessed a return to favour of the 

 more natural method of representation, and interest in globes has been stimu- 

 lated by the gigantesque proposals of Elisee Reclus. It is therefore an oppor- 

 tune announcement of Dietrich Reimer, Berlin, that he has now on sale a 

 geologically coloured globe of the Earth, prepared by M. Piitz under the direc- 

 tion of Professor W. Dames. This shows not only the solid geology of the 

 land, but also the deposits now forming in the seas, such as red clay and 

 Globigerina ooze ; this part of the work is based on the maps of Murray and 

 Renard in the "Challenger" Reports. The diameter of the globe is 34 centimetres 

 (21^ inches). The price is 25, 32, or 40 marks, according to the method of 

 mounting. 



The Government of British Guiana recently attempted to introduce the 

 Indian buffalo {Bos bubalus) into that colony, but the experiment is likely to be 

 a failure, since the animals cannot get enough water wherein to cool themselves 

 at some seasons. Buffaloes from Indo-China have thrived and bred in Surinam 

 for about four years, while in Cayenne they have done equally well for over ten 

 years. 



The friends of the late well-known Warwickshire geologist, the Rev. P. B. 

 Brodie, have decided to place a window to his memory in Rowington Church, 

 of which he was Vicar for forty-five years. The Hon. Secretary to the fund is 

 Mr. J. Booth, Rowington Hall, Warwick. 



In reference to a remark which we made {Nat. Sci. xiii. p. 435), Mr. George 

 Abbott, Hon. Sec. of the S.E. Union of Scientific Societies, has informed 

 us that the institution of a Postal Magazine Club has been attended by an 

 increase in the number of periodicals bought by the members, and not by a 

 decrease. This, from our point of view, is indeed a consummation devoutly to 

 be wished. 



The London School Board has taken a practical step to further the study of 

 botany. Arrangements have now been made, which will come into operation 

 in April next, whereby a gardener will forward to the schools botanical speci- 

 mens required for teaching botany or for object lessons, or for the combination 

 of drawing and object lessons. 



The total output of gold ore in the United Kingdom in 1897 was, according 

 to Dr. Le Neve Foster, 4517 tons, the total value at the mines being £6282. 

 Copper mining is a decaying industry. The output of lead ore is also declin- 

 ing ; last year it was only 35,338 tons, the smallest recorded during the last 

 half century. The output of zinc ore, 19,278 tons, does not reach the average 

 of the last quarter of a century. On the other hand, the output of coal last 

 year was 202,129,931 tons, the highest hitherto recorded, while the output of 

 iron ore reached 13| million tons. 



The Entomologist of the United States Department of Agriculture has 

 issued an appeal for separate authors' copies of papers on insects, so that these 

 may be filed under their appropriate heads in the Library of his division. The 

 publications of the division are very liberally distributed, but authors' copies are 

 usually sent to individuals, and so become private property. Any that are sent 

 in response to this very justifiable request should be marked " For the Library 

 of the Division of Entomology." The valuable publications of this department, 

 to which we so often refer, will prove a rich return to the senders. 



