78 NEWS | [sur 
evidence of the flourishing condition of the Society, which has 460 members, 
and it chronicles a creditable amount of appropriate work. We observe that 
the Society enlivens its autonomic functions by inviting experts from outside to 
give public lectures, and in this they seem to have proved their wisdom practi- 
cally as well as theoretically, for they made a profit of about £125 on one 
lecture. 
At the annual congress of the South-Eastern Union of Scientific Societies 
held at Rochester at the end of May, Mr. W. Whitaker, the President, gave an 
address on the ‘‘ Deep-seated Geology of the Rochester District,” and there 
were papers by Mr. Benjamin Harrison on plateau implements; Mr. J. J. 
Walker on collecting Coleoptera ; Mr. G. F. Chambers on eclipses ; Prof. G. 8. 
Boulger on botanical bibliography and records ; Mr. J. Hepworth on the history 
of the Rochester Naturalist ; Mr. Paul Mathews on ideals of natural history 
societies ; Mr. C. Bird on the position of science in education; Mr. E. Connold 
on vegetable galls. Prof. Howes was elected president of the 1900 Congress to 
be held at Brighton. 
A striking result of the ‘“ Valdivia” expedition, in regard to which one 
naturally wishes to have more details, is (as translated in WVatwre from Dr. 
Supan’s summary in the April number of Petermann’s Mittheilungen) that “the 
quantity of plankton (in Antarctic waters) increases down to about 2000 
metres, diminishing rapidly at greater depths, although no level is destitute of 
animal life. The quantity of vegetable plankton, on the other hand, reaches its 
lowest within 300 or 400 metres of the surface. The characteristic of the 
Antarctic plankton is the abundance of diatoms, and the occurrence of special 
forms ; the appearance of the Antarctic type begins as far north as 40°S., but 
in 50° S. the presence of forms belonging to warmer seas is still noticeable.” 
Science for May 26 contains an account of ethnological work on the island 
of Saghalin by Dr. Berthold Laufer of the Morris K. Jesup North Pacific 
Expedition. There are certain differences between the Ainu of this country and 
those of Yezzo ; their numeral systems is decimal not vigesimal, their dialect is 
more archaic, and its phonetics richer. Dr. Laufer has obtained explanations 
of many of their decorative designs, and much information as to traditions. 
Measurements were difficult to take, but the hairy nature, at least of Saghalin 
Ainu, is not so great as supposed. From the Olcha Tungus Dr. Laufer obtained 
wooden idols and amulets of fish-skin. Among the Gilyak he saw many secret 
ceremonies, and he induced both Gilyak and Tungus to sing into his phonograph. 
Altogether an excellent record of work, with suggestions of some excitement, 
danger, and hardship. 
Dr. Zwingle, representing the Department of Agriculture of the United 
States, is now in Morocco on a mission which may open a new industry in the 
most arid sections of the South-west. It has been found that date-palms, with 
some irrigation, will grow as well in Arizona as in Arabia. Dr. Zwingle is 
making a study of the African date-palm, selecting the varieties best adapted 
to the American arid region. 
Mr. C. A. Harrison, Jr., Mr. W. H. Furness, and Dr. H. M. Hiller, who 
recently returned from an exploration of Borneo, with collections for the 
University of Pennsylvania, are, we learn from Sczence, about to start on 
another expedition. They expect to make explorations in the northern part of 
Burma and make archaeological and ethnological collections. 
Professor Gustave Gilson, of Louvain University, Belgium, has begun, under 
the direction of the Government of Belgium, a series of experiments in the 
North Sea resembling the observations conducted by Mr. Garstang from 
Plymouth. On April 29 a set of bottles was let off from the West Hindar 
light vessel, 2° 26’ E., 51° 23’ N., ae. about 20 miles north-west of Ostend. 
