290 



NATURE 



{Feb. 7, 1878 



the structure of this organ in some other species of 

 bvssus-formine bivalves. 



byssus-forming bivalves. 



Aquatic Respiration. — Some experiments on the 

 breathing of aquatic animals (both fresh and salt water) 

 have been recently described by MM. Jolyet and Regnard 

 in the Archives de Physiologie. The results are briefly as 

 follows : — These animals, living in a medium very poor 

 in oxygen, and having a blood-liquid with small respiratory 

 capacity, have the least vigorous respiration. In the free 

 natural act of respiration the oxygen which disappears 

 is not exactly represented by the oxygen in the carbonic 



CO 



acid produced ; the ratio -— ^ is always less than i ; 



i.e.f aquatic animals, in the normal state, never give off 

 more carbonic acid than the oxygen they absorb. (The 

 opposite result got by some physiologists is attributed to 

 keeping the animals in an enclosed medium whose 

 oxygen they gradually exhausted.) As with other ani- 

 mals, heat-variations in the surrounding medium has a 

 marked influence on the chemical phenomena of respira- 

 tion. Taking 2" and 30° as the limits of bearable external 

 temperature, the quantities of the absorbed oxygen vary 

 (other conditions being equal) in the ratio of i to 10. Among 

 other causes which may have an influence on the vigour 

 of breathing (apart from those connected with species) 

 the most important, after temperature, are the state of 

 hunger and digestion, the amount, and the greater or less 

 intensity of muscular action. In the experiments there 

 was sometimes a slight development of nitrogen, some- 

 times an absorption. No definite opinion could be ex- 

 pressed with reference to this point. 



GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 



Exploring Colonies.— The Soci^td des Colons 

 Explorateurs, lately organised in Paris, is developing a 

 most healthful degree of activity. Its purpose is to 

 organise a systematic method of exploration and colonisa- 

 tion, based on the same principles as those which animate 

 the newly-founded international society for the explora- 

 tion and civilisation of Africa, but embracing in its field 

 all the undeveloped portions of the globe. The Society 

 has formed two councils to direct its operations. In the 

 first, which is charged with the scientific, geographical, 

 and exploratory sections, we notice the names of Malte- 

 Brun, de Lesseps, de Quatrefages, Milne-Edwards, 

 Admiral La Ronciere le Noury, &c. The second, devoted 

 more especially to agriculture, commerce, and industry, 

 embraces Michael Chevalier, Tisserand.. Col. Solignac, 

 F. Gamier, and other well-known names. The plan 

 adopted by the Society for the attainment of its objects 

 is eminently practical. A colony is formed from repre- 

 sentatives of various classes and occupations, who are well 

 fitted to investigate and develop the resources of a new 

 country ; it is provided with a complete equipment, and 

 despatched to a promising locality. Here a firm foothold 

 is established, and the new settlement made, as soon as 

 possible, not only self-supporting, but a centre for geo- 

 graphical and general scientific investigation. The band 

 of permanent colonists are accompanied by a certain 

 number, who, after obtaining a degree of familiarity with 

 the difficulties to be overcome in a new settlement, are 

 ready to form the nucleus of a new colony. In this 

 manner not only will the various colonies increase the 

 sphere of their activities at a rapid rate, but drill at the 

 same time groups of hardy explorers well fitted to extend 

 the circle of the Society's undertakings. The first experi- 

 mental colony has already been started on the coast of 

 Sumatra, and embraces in its personnel graduates of the 

 leading technical and professional schools of Paris. If 

 this simple practical programme is carried out success- 

 fully, it is evident that the new Society, increasing the 

 extent of its operations in arithmetical progression, will 



soon become a most important factor in the slow process 

 of civilising the world. 



Sumatra. — In the January session of the Dutch Geo- 

 graphical Society it was announced that Lieut. Cornelissen 

 had been appointed to take charge of the Sumatra explor- 

 ing expedition, lately deprived by death of its commander, 

 M. Schow-Sandvoort. He leaves in March to assume 

 the direction of the explorations. During the past three 

 months 14,000 guilders have been contributed for the 

 Sumatra exploring fund. 



Nias Island. — In Petermann's Mittheilungen for 

 February is a very full account, with map, of the Island of 

 Nias, on the west of Sumatra, by Dr. A. Schreiber. The 

 island now belongs to the Dutch, and by them has in 

 recent years been pretty thoroughly explored. The island 

 is hilly, the highest summit being 2,000 feet, the formation 

 being mostly sandstone and coral. 



Arctic Exploration.— Admiral La Ronciere le Noury 

 in his capacity of president of the Paris Geographical So- 

 ciety, M. Quatrefages, and M. Maunoir, general secretary, 

 have written an official letter to Capt. Howgate, U.S.A., 

 conveying to him their approbation of his scheme for 

 establishing a polar colony in Lady Franklin Bay. They 

 trust this document may induce the Congress to vote 

 the required credit for starting the contemplated expe- 

 dition. They express, moreover, their gratitude for the 

 sending out of Capt. Tyson's preliminary expedition, and 

 they trust Capt. Howgate will soon be in a position to 

 take advantage of the means which his hardy lieutenant 

 has been sent to collect. Capt. Howgate has written to 

 the Danish Government, asking them to send instructions 

 to the Disco authorities, authorising them to place the 

 Government storehouse at the disposal of Capt. Tyson, 

 if he has failed in collecting a sufficient number of furs 

 during the present winter season. Mr. S. R. Van Campen 

 has been asked by the Hon. B. A. Willis, of the Committee 

 on Naval Affairs in the United States Congress for a 

 report on the Arctic expeditions abroad, and has complied 

 with the request. Besides speaking particularly of the 

 proposed expeditions of Holland and Sweden, Mr. Van 

 Campen suggests to the Committee, as it has in charge the 

 bill now before Congress for an American expedition, 

 proposed in accordance with Capt, Howgate's scheme, 

 the incorporation of a clause granting rewards upon a 

 graduated scale to individual explorers of whatever 

 nationality, who may reach latitudes or make discoveries 

 in Arctic territory beyond points hitherto attained. 



ROHLFS' Expedition. — Herr Gerhard Rohlfs has re- 

 ceived no less than 300 applications for participation in 

 his expedition to the Libyan Desert. Of course the 

 great traveller can only consider very few of them. We 

 learn further that he intends also to explore the Shari, 

 Binue, and Ogowai Rivers and their tributaries. We 

 hope he will succeed in accomplishing this, as it will solve 

 many of the questions raised by Stanley's discovery of 

 the course of the Congo. The date of his departure is 

 not yet fixed. 



Spitzbergen. — A very interesting series of nine maps 

 of Spitzbergen, partly rare and little known, are published 

 in the Tijdschri/i oiihQ Amsterdam Geographical Society, 

 with an essay by Capt. de Bas, on the geographical 

 names of Spitzbergen. The maps begin with that of 

 Barentz's third voyage of 1596, followed by those of 

 Gerritz, 1612 ; Edge, 1625 ; Middlehoven, 1634 ; Daniel, 

 1642 ; two others of 1648, and the latter half of the 

 seventeenth century ; that of Johannes van Keulen, 1710, 

 and finally the Duner-Nordenskjold map of 1864. 



Japan. — In the Monatsbericht of Petermann's Mit- 

 theilungen for February, Dr. Behm gives some information 

 concerning recent geographical work in Japan. There is 

 an itinerary by Dr. Schulz, of a journey he made in 



