286 



NATURE 



[Aprii 



!<H 1 



compared with the collatiral diiia obtained in the 

 cuur.'.e of Dr. Kfisnrr's work in Knyp'- 



In an a|)|Mndix Mr. W. \\. Crtjsihuaitc describes 

 the topofjraphical work carried on by himself, Mr. 

 T. I). Scott, and Mr. U. VV. .Murray, and their niaps, 

 printed in the Survey Department, ap|>ear in the 

 volume of plates. 



There are complete lists of cemeteries excavated, 

 f^raves, objects found, and an index. 



This report de.ils only with the first season's work. 

 During the second season Dr. Reisner had to relin- 

 quish work in Nubia in order to take charge of ex- 

 cavations in Samaria and at the (,ii/a Pyramids; but 

 the first winter's work proved to be so iliuminatin)^ 

 that Dr. Reisner was able to hand over to Mr. Kirth, 

 who surcei'ded him, a knowledge of the history of 

 Nubia, which h;is amply been confirmed at each new 

 site. This winter the survey will reach Korosko and 

 be brouffht to a conclusion. 



When the final results are published the Egyptian 

 Government may congratulate itself on having pro- 

 vided the means for completing the most thorough 

 arrh»ological examination of such an extensive tract 

 of territory, as Lower Nubia is, that has ever been 

 undertaken. 



It only remains to express the hope that the unique 

 collection of antiquities collected with such infinite 

 care and skill, and constituting a tangible record of 

 the history of Nubia, will receive the treatment they 

 deserve. 



G. Ei.i.ior Smith. 



CERMX-NY AND THE PROTECTION OF 

 NATURE. 



T^HE German intellect has a wonderful turn for 

 •*■ organic science. Its achievements in this 

 sphere are admittedly unrivalled, and the workers 

 may be counted by the thousand. Such names as 

 Ho'fmeister, Haeckel, Virchow, Weismann, Sachs, 

 PfefTer, and Verworn are only a fraction of one per 

 cent, of the list. Consider, for instance, the contri- 

 butions to a single department, as shown annually 

 in Just's "Botanischc Jahresbcrichte." The typical 

 Enplish attitude, on the other hand, to nature, and 

 especially to organic life, is hardly that of sympathetic 

 study. It may rather be described as amused, or 

 patient, condescension. This patronising habit re- 

 ceives its only modification in the case of "sporting" 

 animals, or the more spectacular birds and mammals ; 

 and these are but the materials for a " show," pour 

 passer Ic temps. The Press pours out a flood of 

 "nature books," as the factories pour out toys, to 

 amuse the children. Popularisation is the curse of 

 the age. An up-to-date book on anv branch of 

 organic science is not to be found. Instead of a 

 regular issue of sane, scientific accounts of progress, 

 we have outlines for the use of schools, or produc- 

 tions the aim of which is the titillation or excitement 

 of the unintelligent by means of the illustrations, if 

 it cannot be done by the text. Work that does count 

 appears not more often than once in a decade. It is 

 consequently soon out of date. Such books, more- 

 over, are generallv too encyclop.nedic, and their alloca- 

 tion to different departments is far from being scien- 

 tifically impartial. The various meanings ' of the 

 term " nature " suppiv a most interesting studv : 

 a corollary may be foimd in the meanintrs of the 

 term "natural history." If so vapue and obsolete 

 a term is still to be used it should connote the science 



J "B i riy »nr y.-jf-rdenVmalnfleee." Edit-H bv Prof. H. Conwpntx. 

 li-rster Ban J. Pp. xi+510. (Berlin : G'hruder BormraegeMQio.) Price 



NO. 2165, VOL. 86] 



of all nature, as did the good old \> 

 philosophy." 



The practical English instinct aN much 



energy in exploiting the principle <-: , u" in 



nature, and m exercising the habit uf "dru 

 moral." Hut it is really far more practical to > 

 the attention to the mechanism of the phenoin<i> 

 and to leave telirology to metaphysics. Here, and : 

 other matters relating to the study of nature and ; 

 the practical application of science, the German ini< 

 leclual habit can give us a lesson. 



it is refreshing to see a great scientific, and 

 ably practical, movement carried on without .iii\ 

 pandering to amusement, pedagt^y, or sentimental- 

 isin about "nature." This is distinctly the character 

 of the scheme, the progress of which has frequently 

 been noted in these columns, to preserve the natural 

 monuments of Germany. The term comprises the 

 humblest lichen no less than human monuments, such 

 as the Porta Westfalica. 



In Prussia the scheme is highly organised and is a 

 State department. Here we see the cooperation of 

 what we should call municipal and district and county 

 councils with, practically, every man of science in the 

 province, and every voluntary society or association. 

 The German Emperor is patron of the committee for 

 the Hohenzollern district. Every square mile of the 

 country is investigated; when anything approaching 

 a "centre," whether geological or ecological, or even 

 for one characteristic species of animal or plant, is 

 found, that centre receives State protection. The 

 protection, it is well to note, is ef!lcient. The maps 

 printed in the first volume of the " Beitrage " show a 

 remarkable list of such centres reclaimed for nature 

 from man. 



This volume of 500 pages records the w-ork done in 

 Prussia during the last five years. The editor, Dr. 

 H. Conwentz, has from the commencement been the 

 moving spirit of the scheme, and he is to be con- 

 gratulated on a remarkable record of success. But, as 

 we have tried to show, the ultimate factor in this 

 success is the German scientific spirit, which here has 

 the advantage of cooperating with patriotism. It 

 will deserve still more of humanity if its example in 

 this matter is able to inspire other countries. 



A large proportion of the volume is occupied by 

 reports, now collected, which were noticed in N.atire 

 on their first appearance. The most noteworthy of 

 the new matter is a long and very interesting account 

 of the parallel movement in Denmark, with which 

 the distinguished botanist, Prof. E. Warming, h.i~ 

 had much to do. Even a country like Denmark i- 

 fuU of interesting centres of wild nature. The pr> - 

 tected colony of Sterna anglica is particularly notice - 

 able. The lencrthy report of the second conference for 

 Naturdcnkmalpflefie in Prussia, held at the end of 

 iQoq, reveals a remarkable combination of enthusiasm 

 and organisation. What especially appeals to us in 

 the whole scheme is its thoroughness and comprehen- 

 siveness. We read of a score of " bird reservations." 

 and we find that the protection is more than a mere 

 name. We also read — and to the English mind it 

 reads very straneely — of State-protected wild flowers. 

 Of protected landscapes, " beauty spots." Prussia has 

 about forty : bits of geological interest number, so 

 far, about thirtv. What are significantly styled the 

 "remains" of the plant-world and the animal-world 

 are fairlv numerous, but we should suppose the lists 

 to be capable of considerable extension. The foreign 

 reader mav desiderate the Latin name in every zoo- 

 ln£tic.al and botanical snecies ci«^od. This is not 

 ahvavs p^iven, and the disentangling of identity from 

 popular German terms is not easy. 



