490 



NA TURE 



[March 24. 1898 



for the improvement of the forecast, most of which have been 

 previously considered, e.g. : (i) The extension of telegraphic 

 communication to islands in the North Atlantic. (2) The intro- 

 duction of the so-called circular system of communication, by 

 placing the principal stations and central offices throughout 

 Europe in direct telegraphic correspondence with each other, 

 immediately after the observations are taken. (3) More frequent 

 telegrams, and where possible the establishment of telemeteoro- 

 graphs, or instruments reporting the chief meteorological elements 

 continuously to the central offices. This arrangement already 

 exists at a few places on the continent. (4) A direct exchange 

 of telegrams between various signal stations. (5) The adoption 

 of means for more generally disseminating the principles of 

 weather conditions among the public, and the publication of an 

 atlas containing types of weather, by means of which telegraphic 

 reference to conditions similar to those actually existing might 

 be made, without 'waiting for the publication of weather charts, 

 as at present. The serious question of expense underlies the 

 adoption of any of these suggestions. 



The Industrial Commission, appointed by the Lieutenant- 

 Governor of the Isle of Man, to consider the best means of pro- 

 moting new Manx industries, received from Prof. Herdman, at 

 a meeting held last week, some important evidence relative to 

 encouraging Manx sea fisheries, spawning beds, and hatcheries. 

 Prof. Herdman expressed the opinion that the failure of the 

 herring fisheries was more due to natural causes, such as the 

 absence of food or changed meteorological conditions, than to 

 overfishing or other cause that could be controlled. He did not 

 think that fish were scared away, because the herring was a most 

 tenacious fish, and would go where it wanted in spite of great 

 difficulties. He did not think that steam trawlers did much 

 harm by destroying spawn. On the contrary, they rather did 

 good by catching the fish (haddock) that lived on herring spawn. 

 He agreed that the three-mile limit was a good rough and ready 

 method of preserving young fish. To obtain any other method 

 of protection would require international law. With regard to 

 hatcheries, he favoured the establishment of hatcheries for 

 cod, plaice, and white sole at Port Erin, and oyster beds at 

 Derbyhaven. 



An interesting report has been made to the Essex Technical 

 Instruction Committee by Mr. T. S. Dymond, the Staff Lec- 

 turer on Chemistry, on the damage done to the land by the 

 salt-water flood due to the injury of the sea-banks by the gale 

 and high tide of November last. From this report it appears 

 that round the coast of Essex alone about 50,cxx) acres of land 

 were flooded by the overflowing of the salt water. Upon some 

 of the farms the water only remained a few hours ; other land 

 was flooded for six or eight days ; and in some cases the sea 

 walls have not been repaired, and the water flows over the land 

 during spring tides. This land in its ordinary condition con- 

 tains only 'oi per cent, of salt, whereas the flooded land is 

 found by analysis to contain "20 per cent., equal to two tons an 

 acre in the top six inches of soil. This excess of salt is in- 

 jurious to vegetation. Peas and tares have suffered severely, 

 wheat has been damaged to a less extent, and where the seed 

 had not germinated does not seem to have been affected. The 

 most serious and more permanent effect, however, is due to the 

 effect of the salt on the earthworms, which after the flood were 

 found strewn upon the surface of the ground, whence they 

 were carried off" by the gulls. The use of worms in assisting 

 the drainage and pro moting aeration of the soil is univers- 

 ally recognised, and their extermination in the heavy flooded 

 land is therefore a serious matter. The sea salt also, owing to 

 its power of absorbing moisture, renders the soil moist and diffi- 

 cult to work, and also prevents the aeration which is necessary 

 to the roots of the plants, and for promoting fermentation of 

 NO. 1482, VOL. 57] 



humus, and nitrification. The injury to the land by the destruc- 

 tion of the earthworms was a fact generally accepted as correct 

 in the inundation due to an exceptionally high tide which 

 covered a large area of the Lincolnshire Fens with salt water at 

 the beginning of the present century. 



A SPECIMEN copy of a new French scientific journalhas been 

 sent to us, entitled Archives de Parasitologie. As its name im- 

 plies, it is hoped it may become the organ of researches dealing 

 with parasites capable of provoking disease in both man and 

 animals. The editor is Raphael Blanchard, Professor at the 

 Faculty of Medicine of Paris, and he hopes by admitting memoirs 

 in German, English, Spanish and Italian, to encourage foreigners 

 to send their work for publication in his journal. It will appear 

 quarterly, and no pains, it is stated, will be spared to ensure the 

 printing and illustrations being of the best possible character. In 

 connection with the subject of parasitic disease, there is an 

 interesting little article— " Notes on the life-history and micro- 

 scopic appearances of the parasite of Malaria," by A. E. Griffin 

 — in the current number of the Middlesex Hospital Journal. 

 Although the parasite of malaria was discovered and described 

 by Laveran as long ago as the year 1880, its life-history has by no 

 means been yet thoroughly worked out. It is, however, supposed 

 that mosquitos may play an important part in the evolution of 

 this parasite, and that, present as an encysted form in the eggs of 

 these insects, the germs may be introduced through the medium 

 of air or water into the human body ; or a mosquito which has 

 become infected with the blood of a malarial patient may attack 

 and infect a human being directly. The medium of infection is 

 generally supposed to be through the air ; but there is strong 

 evidence that water may also convey the disease, and Mr. Griffin 

 cites cases of malaria contracted on a ship which, touching 

 at Colombo, took in water there, and twelve days later, the 

 usual incubation period, the disease manifested itself on board. 

 Arsenic in large doses, it appears, proved a more valuable 

 remedy than quinine in the late Ashanti war. 



Dr. F. von Keener contributes a paper on the geography 

 of the middle course of the river Kerka to the Mittheilungen 

 of the Vienna Geographical Society. The Kerka ceases to be 

 navigable at the falls of Scardona, and above that point its 

 course is impeded by many falls and rapids. Dr. Kerner's 

 paper is illustrated by six excellent photographs of this 

 picturesque region. 



The third of the Miinchener geographische Sludien, edited by 

 Herr Siegmund Glinther, consists of a paper on the structure and 

 distribution of earth pyramids and pillars, by Dr. Christian 

 Kittler. The nature of the deposits in which these structures 

 are formed, and of the erosive action which produces them, is 

 discussed in detail. A noteworthy point is the conclusion that 

 the crowning stone is by no means an essential feature. 



Dr. Giovanni de Agostini publishes in the Bollettino of 

 the Italian Geographical Society a preliminary note on some 

 results of exploration of the lakes of the Roman province. 

 Soundings and temperature observations at various depths, 

 made during 1896 and 1897 in the lakes Bolsena, Mezzano, 

 Vico, Monterosi, Bracciano, Martignano, Albano, andNemi, 

 are discussed, and contour maps are appended. 



At the meeting of the Vienna Academy of Sciences on 

 February 10, the President read a letter from Prof. J. Luksch, of 

 the Pola expedition, dated from Suakim on January 23. On 

 January 10 the Pola anchored at Ras Tarfu, and a boat was sent 

 to Geishan to obtain a pilot for El Wasm and Kunfida. Next 

 day a party was landed to make observations, but the observers 

 were attacked by Bedouins, and only escaped after some sharp 

 fighting under cover of the guns of the ship. Fortunately there 

 was no loss in killed or wounded ; even the instruments were 



