154 



NATURE 



[November 30, 191 



in the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 

 (vol. xlviii., part i.). The chief collection, from Gough 

 Island, yielded twenty-one species, of which eleven arc 

 endemic ; the solitary bog moss, Shagnum scotiac, is a new 

 species, but represented also on the island of Ascension. 

 Only two of the species are recorded from Tristan 

 d'Acunha, and, although more common species may be 

 expected, the author finds a closer affmity with the moss 

 vegetation of the Magellan region. The new species from 

 Gough Island and Ascension are described and illustrated. 



The October number of Tropical Life contains instruc- 

 tive articles on various economic products. In connection 

 wifh the cultivation of the coco-nut palm, attention is 

 < the fine grade of coco-nuts shipped from San 



1 un the Panama coast, to the New York market, 



and to a cultivator suitable for removing strong-growing 

 weeds from plantations. A discussion of the value of Nipa 

 palms for the production of sugar and alcohol is based on 

 the recommendations of Dr. H. D. Gibbs, of Manila, who 

 affirms that an area of lOO hectares would supply sufficient 

 raw material to keep a sugar-mill in continuous operation. 

 Statistics relative to soya-bean cultivation in Portuguese 

 East Africa arc quoted, according to which a harvest vary- 

 ing from 25 to 40 bushels of seed per acre is obtainable ; 

 the yield of oil averages about 17 per cent, of the seed. 



A risumi of recent researches into the nature of " graft- 

 hybrids," culminating in the periclinal and sectorial 

 chimaeras obtained by Prof. H. Winkler and E. Heuer, is 

 contributed by Dr. H. Fischer to Naturwissenschaftliche 

 W ochenschrift (September 24). A description is given of 

 the five composite types produced from grafts of the tomato 

 and common nightshade by making an incision and so 

 developing a new shoot from the point of union of scion 

 and stock ; and an illustration is supplied of the most 

 complex combination, where the different branches repre- 

 sent the species nigrum, Ly coper sicum, Koelreuterianutn, 

 Gaertnerianum, and tubingense. It is also explained how 

 the solution was evolved by Dr. E. Baur from a study of 

 the arrangement of coloured and colourless areas in the 

 leaves of zonal pelargoniums. In both phenomena there is 

 a mere juxtaposition of tissues derived from two original 

 types, so that the term " graft-hybrid " proves to be a mis- 

 nomer, and chimaera is accurately applied. 



Prof. Tito Alippi has recently made a further contribu- 

 tion to our knowledge of the mysterious sounds known in 

 different parts of the world as mist-poeffeurs, marinas, 

 Barisdl guns, &c., and for which he proposes the name of 

 brontides (Boll, della Soc. Sismol. Ital., vol. xv., pp. 65-77). 

 The new observations which he has collected come chiefly 

 from the district surrounding Urbino and Rimini, in the 

 north-east of Italy. The phenomena observed in this dis- 

 trict follow the same laws as in other parts of Italy. 

 They are well known in some localities and almost un- 

 known in others not far distant. The detonations are 

 usually described as resembling peals of thunder. They are 

 heard most frequently in summer, with a clear sky and 

 calm air, and generally occur in groups, and seem to come 

 from the south-west. They do not appear to have any 

 relation with local earthquakes, and are generally regarded 

 by their observers as presaging bad weather, and especially 

 snow in winter. From inquiries made elsewhere. Prof. 

 .Alippi concludes that brontides are practically absent from 

 Sardinia and are almost quite unknown in all the western 

 Alps. 



So long as the bench-marks of the levelling system of 

 this country are indicated by so crude a mark as the broad- 

 arrow chiselled in masonry, or even cut upon wood, they 



NO. 2196, VOL. 88] 



do not respond to the needs of modern precis' 

 and small changes in such marks are not tu tx 

 determined. But in view of the probable u 

 main lines, and the employment of hernia;,.. . 

 bolts for the principal points, the experience of tl) 

 of bench-marks at Hamburg is of interest. The;.. . 

 the last twenty-five years the precise levelling luu 

 checked from time to time, and a record of the ci 

 in level of bench-marks has been kept, the results of v 

 are given in the Zeiischrift fur Verme$sungs-J- -- 

 March 11. The bench-marks are partly on i 

 ground, and partly on moist ground which is mor<: v. 

 affected by the rise and fall of the tide ; they are 

 classed as on buildings, on bridges, walls, and >ud 

 masonry constructions, or on stone pillars founded on 

 concrete block. Of the 315 marks on the dry ground, 

 which 301 were on buildings, 76 have shown no setti 

 ment in twenty-five years, 118 have settled from i 

 S mm., 68 from 6 to 10 mm., and 53 from i to 4 c 

 In moist ground, where 399 out of 552 marks were 

 buildings, 291 had settled more than i cm., the ma.ximufl 

 case being 21 cm.; and of these 243 were on buildings, 

 that under such conditions marks on separate niason 

 pillars or small masonry works were less affected. 



The U.S. Weather Bureau has sent us copies of j 

 meteorological charts of the great oceans for Decemt 

 In addition to the usual data which occupy the face of 

 charts, the reverse sides include articles on the average 

 and sea temperatures for that month, illustrated by sped 

 charts. Prof. Mc.Adie supplies some interesting det 

 relating to the steps taken for obtaining wireless telegrj 

 from vessels in the North Pacific, and for supplying v« 

 with a synopsis of weather conditions and fore 

 Cablegrams are received from Honolulu, Manila, ShanJ 

 and Nemuro (Japan), and, through the courtesy of 

 " Western Wireless Press .Association," wireless me 

 will be sent broadcast from San Francisco dailv for 

 benefit of vessels on the Pacific. Thus what has 

 accomplished on the .Atlantic, as regards radio-telegrr- 

 seems likely to be realised shortly on the Pacific also. 



An important investigation by Dr. Hugo Kar 

 relating to the state of the ice in the Gulf of Finland 

 the northern part of the Baltic forms the sixth part . f 

 Finnldndische hydrographisch-biologische Untersuchuu 

 It comprises observations made during the winters of i 

 1902, with ice-charts for each year, showing by diff' 

 tints the conditions at three or four different times d 

 the season. The state of the ice naturally differs 

 siderably in time and space in different years, bi. 

 present there is no general and theoretical discussic: 

 the data. This is projnised with the next volume, nh- 

 to appear shortly, and will, we feel sure, be a v- 

 addition to our knowledge of oceanography. 



In further support of his theory of the existence in 

 electric discharge through vacuum tubes of '* mag 

 rays " made up of doublets formed "by the combinati. 

 a negative electron with a positive ion, Prof. K 

 describes two new experiments in the Rendiconti 01 

 Academy Lincei, part iv., and in Le Radium for Oct^ 

 The first consists in bringing a bulb, in which an elect: 

 less discharge is being produced by an oscillating discharge 

 through a flat coil outside it, into the magnetic field of « 

 coil through which a direct current is flowing. The 

 luminous ring stretches out towards the coil and becomes 

 bell-shaped. In the second experiment canal rays are pro- 

 duced behind a kathode of considerable thickness placed 

 obliquely to the axis of the tube and pierced by a small 



