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NATURE 



[November 24, 19 ro 



basis of such data, the relative parts played by heredity in 

 the strict sense of the term, continuity of environment, and 

 -example. We gather from an accompanying letter that 

 the society finds it impossible, from lack of funds, to 

 proceed with such investigations on any sufficient scale, 

 and urges the formation of a Departmental Committee 

 with power to examine records. 



At the recent conversazione of the Geologists' Associa- 

 tion, held at University College, Gower Street, a series of 

 worked flints from the Ipswich district was exhibited. The 

 circumstances in which they were unearthed indicate that 

 "they are probably the oldest works of man yet discovered 

 in this country. They are well chipped, deep brown and 

 cream in colour, and several show scratches which may 

 be the glacial striae imprinted when they formed part of 

 the gravel at the base of a glacier. Technically speaking, 

 they are of pre-Crag age, that is to say, they long precede 

 the Glacial period. Mr. W. Whitaker, F.R.S., who 

 mapped the district for the Geological Survey, is satisfied 

 that they come from undisturbed beds, and that the gravel 

 from which the flints were obtained is of pre-Crag Age. 

 This discovery, if it stands the criticism to which it will 

 certainly be exposed, marks a memorable advance in the 

 prehistoric anthropology of this country. 



In the October issue of Man Mr. D. Alexander gives 

 an account of a performance of a Nigerian Punch and 

 Judy show, which in some ways resembles the drama 

 which is familiar to us. A forked stick is thrust into 

 the ground, the performer kneels, and, taking off his 

 black gown, throws it over the stick, the opening for the 

 head of the wearer serving to provide a space for the dis- 

 play and withdrawal of the figures. The conversation 

 between the puppets is carried on, as in the European 

 performance, in a squeaky tone. The place of origin of 

 this play is somewhat uncertain, but there seems to be 

 no doubt that it is an indigenous invention. In the same 

 issue of Man Captain A. J. N. Tremearne cfiscusses the 

 system of bull-fighting among the Fulani, a race of cattle 

 breeders in northern Nigeria, who seem to be of Berber 

 origin. In contrast to the conditions of the sport in Spain 

 or Portugal, the Nigerian variety is comparatively tame, 

 no horses being used, the performers being unarmed, and 

 the bulls escaping any kind of injury. 



To the Irish Naturalist for November Dr. Scharff com- 

 municates an article on the whale-fishery which has been 

 carried on by Norwegians during the last three years at 

 Inishkea, and for a rather shorter period at Ely Point, on 

 the Mayo coast. At the former station 124 whales have 

 been taken during the last two seasons, most of these 

 being rorquals, although five black right-whales, of an 

 estimated value of between 1500Z. and 3000L, were cap- 

 tured in 1908. A single blade of the whalebone of this 

 species is worth about two guineas, and the total yield of 

 this substance may be as much as a quarter of a ton, with 

 a value of about 400Z. 



In a pamphlet on the distribution and migration of 

 North American shore-birds, issued by the U.S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture as Bulletin No. 35, Mr. W. W. Cooke 

 emphasises the economic importance of this group. For 

 many years the abundance of larger birds, such as swans, 

 geese, and ducks, caused the waders to be neglected, but 

 with the killing off of the former gunners directed their 

 attention to the latter, which now stand in need of 

 immediate protection. In addition to their value as food, 

 the plovers and some others do valuable service as 

 'destroyers of noxious insects, while all the members of the 



NO. 2143, VOL. 85] 



group are of special interest from an aesthetic point ol 

 view. Details of the distribution and migrations 'Of the 

 various species form the bulk of the pamphlet. 



In the October issue of the Irish Naturalist Mr. .A. 

 Williams directs attention to the presence of sanderlings 

 during the last three years on the shores of Dublin Bav 

 throughout July, a month when these birds are generally 

 supposed to be residing in the far north for the purpose 

 of breeding. These July birds are evidently non-bfeeders — 

 either old or barren — but it has yet to be determined 

 whether they remained in Ireland when the bulk of their 

 kind winged their way northwards, or whether they were 

 the first of the main body to return south. During their 

 sojourn in Ireland these non-breeders undergo a consider- 

 able change in plumage. " They have been found with 

 the red colouring entirely absent, and also the soft grey 

 margins of the feathers, which conceal the nuptial plumage 

 in spring, completely worn away, and in some instances 

 the ruddy coloration faded out, causing the birds to pre- 

 sent a totally changed and misleading appearance." 



The Manchester Museum is one of the most flourishing 

 of the provincial museums in this country, and its report 

 for the year 1909-10 is good evidence that there has been 

 no falling off in its usefulness and no disposition to inter- 

 fere with its healthy and regular growth. During the 

 year Mr. W. M. Tattersall has succeeded Dr. Hoyle as 

 keeper of the museum. The number of additions to the 

 collections has been large in ever}' department, and the 

 library has been considerably strengthened during the 

 year. 



The first issue of the Naturalist, the journal of the 

 Natal Scientific Society, has been received. We under- 

 stand that this scientific periodical is the only one of its 

 kind published in South Africa. It is edited by Mr. R. 

 Denley James, and, in addition to containing the society's 

 transactions and proceedings, includes several ■ articles. 

 Among the latter may be mentioned notes on the life- 

 history of the Pseudacraea by Mr. A. D. Millar, and a 

 short note on the Ixodidae by the editor. The syllabus of 

 work which the society hopes to accomplish during the 

 present session shows that most branches of science are 

 to receive attention, and that already the society has 

 received gratifying support. 



The decay of building stones was discussed by Dr. 

 Tempest Anderson at the recent Museum Conference at 

 York, and his address is published in the October number 

 of the Museums Journal. After showing that stone-decay 

 is not due to wind action, the opinion is expressed that 

 " it is not a surface action at all, but, I believe, a decay 

 or rot affecting the substance of the "stone, and, like other 

 decays and rots, is in every probability caused by the 

 action of some low organism, like the moulds and fungi 

 which rot wood, canvas, and other vegetable materials. 

 About two years ago, to test this view and endeavour to 

 find a cure, as all efforts based on the abrasion or chemical 

 theories had failed, I had affected stones treated with 

 various germicides, and. the stones which have since best 

 resisted the decay were those treated with sulphate of 

 copper (5 per cent, solution), bichloride of mercury, and 

 creosote." 



The specimens of beaked whales (Ziphiidae) in the collec- 

 tion of the United States National Museum form the 

 subject of a profusely illustrated monograph, by Mr. F. W. 

 True, published by the Smithsonian Institute as Bulletin 

 No. 73. On account of the rarity of these cetaceans-- 

 exclusive, of course, of the bottle-nosed whale— the memoir 



