August 1 6, 1888] 



NATURE 



373 



at tract crowds. In the latter, Prof. F. W. Clark has some trans- 

 parent photographic views, represented in colours by some new 

 and as yet undisclosed process. The effect is wonderfully natural 

 and beautiful, and if it is found to be durable it will prove a 

 great discovery. The very fine models of the new classes of 

 naval vessels now building attract crowds daily, as do the various 

 forms of weapons for wholesale slaughter, in case we ever have 

 another war. In close juxtaposition are the ingenious devices, 

 for saving life in cases of shipwreck, of the Life-saving Service. 

 The Fish Commission exhibit is not as vet complete. In such 

 elaborate displays, requiring much preparatory work, more time 

 should have been allowed for preparation. The Post Office 

 Department and the Army exhibits are also incomplete, but a 

 few days will find everything in order." 



The native birds of North America, which were supposed to 

 be rapidly disappearing, reappeared in great numbers during the 

 spring of the present year. This was first noted in the New 

 York papers, and was promptly credited to the liberal destruc- 

 tion of the pugnacious English sparrow, unable to withstand the 

 storm-beating received in the great March blizzard. But counter 

 to this explanation, says Science, comes information from Illinois 

 that the [attention of all is attracted to the remarkably large 

 number of birds that are to be seen. The groves, the woods, 

 and the meadows in the country, and the many trees in the city, 

 are peopled with these feathered visitors. The oldest inhabitant 

 does not remember to have seen so many and such a variety of 

 birds. And yet the great blizzard did not visit Illinois. 



The vapour-density of hydrofluoric acid has been subjected 

 to a rigorous re-examination at the hands of Prof. Thorpe and 

 Mr. F. J. Hambly. Prof. Mallet some time ago showed that, 

 at a temperature of 30°"5 C, the density of hydrofluoric acid 

 vapour corresponded to a molecule of the composition H.,F 2 ; 

 consequently we have been accustomed to think of this substance 

 as consisting of ordinary molecules of HF at higher tempera- 

 tures, and of condensed molecules of H 2 F 2 just above its boiling- 

 point. But we have recently seen, from the experiments con- 

 ducted in Prof. Victor Meyer's laboratory upon the molecular 

 nature of sulphur, and also from the previous investigations con- 

 cerning the composition of the molecules of the chlorides of 

 aluminium, tin, and iron, that our older ideas as to the formation 

 of condensed molecules, such as S 6 or Fe 2 Cl 6 , at particular 

 temperatures were erroneous ; that these condensed molecules 

 were not capable of existence throughout any notable range 

 of temperature. It therefore became an interesting question 

 whether hydrofluoric acid would not behave in a similar manner. 

 To test the question thoroughly, fourteen vapour-density deter- 

 minations, at temperatures ranging from 26° - 4 to 88°*3 C, have 

 been carried out in the research laboratory of the Normal School 

 of Science by means of an elaborate and expensive platinum 

 apparatus. The first necessity was, of course, the pure anhydrous 

 acid. This was freshly prepared, as required for each experi- 

 ment, from the now famous double fluoride of hydrogen and 

 potassium ; it was afterwards re-distilled from the platinum 

 retort through the density apparatus, which was placed in a bath 

 of glycerol heated to the required temperature. The vessel, of 

 known capacity, in which the hydrofluoric acid was eventually 

 weighed consisted of a platinum cylinder completely closed, with 

 the exception of the entrance and exit tubes, which could be 

 closed at will by means of well-fitting platinum stopcocks of 

 skilful workmanship. The whole operations could thus be con- 

 ducted in platinum throughout, and are, therefore, of the most 

 trustworthy character. As expected, the values obtained corre- 

 spond to molecular weights ranging from 51 "19 at 26°4 to 20^58 at 

 88° '3, thus showing a continuous breaking down of the molecular 

 grouping, until, finally, we arrive at the stage where the whole 

 of the molecules consist simply of II F, corresponding to the 



normal density of 20. No other molecular condition than this 

 is capable of existing throughout any considerable range of tem- 

 perature. It is of the highest interest to consider what happens 

 below 26 0- 4. The natural inference is that the molecular group- 

 ing becomes more and more complex, or condensed, until we 

 reach a point where the substance becomes visible — a liquid ; 

 while still further condensation eventually brings us face to 

 face with a solid. 



THE Report of the Conservator of Forests in Ceylon for the 

 past year says that though Sir Joseph Hooker in 1873 called 

 attention to the rapid destruction of forests in that island, no 

 steps were taken by the Government till 1882. In that year, as 

 a result of a report of Mr. Vincent, of the Indian Forest De- 

 partment, the Government turned its attention to the subject, 

 and in 1885 the " Forest Ordinance " was issued. The objects- 

 of this Ordinance were, briefly, to select suitable areas of forest 

 land and constitute them State forests, to buy off any interests 

 which private individuals might have in those lands, to place 

 them under effective protection, and generally to systematize the 

 forest conservancy. Even now the Crown forests are plundered 

 in a wholesale fashion by organized bands of thieves, but it is 

 hoped in a short time to put an end to this, and make the forests 

 of Ceylon as remunera'ive, comparatively speaking, as those of 

 India, where they produce a substantial revenue. Ruin has 

 threatened the Ceylon forests, just as it threatened the forests of 

 Jinjira, in Western India, where three-fourths of a vast forest 

 forty miles long, and from fifteen to a hundred miles in breadth, 

 was destroyed, and the remainder with difficulty saved. 



In an interesting paper on ancient tide-lore, reprinted, with some 

 other papers by the same author, from the Transactions of the 

 New Zealand Institute, Mr. W. Colenso, F.R. S., describes the 

 old belief of the Maories as to the ebbing and flowing of the sea. 

 These phenomena, it seens, they attributed to a huge ocean 

 monster, whose home was low down in the depths beyond the 

 horizon. It was supposed to do its work by powerful and 

 regular respiration, or ingurgitation and regurgitation of the 

 water. The monster's name was Parata ; and any one over- 

 taken by great misfortune is said to have fallen into Parata's 

 throat. In a myth relating to the first peopling of New Zealand, 

 one of the chief canoes, named the Arawa, is represented as 

 being carried info the enormous mouth of the monster, and as 

 being with difficulty extricated by Ngatoroirangi, the courageous 

 and cunning tohunga (= priest, or wise man) on board, who 

 recited his powerful charm for the purpose. The words of this 

 charm or spell are still preserved. 



In his Report to the Foreign Office on the agriculture of Yezo, 

 the British Consul at Hakodadi says that though the Ainos are a 

 hunting and fishing people, yet efforts have been made to induce 

 them to cultivate the soil. In 1869 the influx of Japanese to the 

 fishing grounds reduced them to great straits. This appears to 

 have continued till 1882, when attention was drawn to their 

 condition, and sums of money were distributed amongst them to 

 relieve their distress, schools were built, and attempts were made 

 to teach them farming. In 1886 the money gifts were stopped, 

 but the efforts to teach them agriculture continued, and at the 

 end of that year about 803 acres were cultivated by the Ainos. 

 The Consul remarks that it is impossible to tell how many Ainos 

 there are in Japan, from their carelessness or dislike to record 

 the births and deaths ; but it is calculated that there are about 

 3600 houses in Yezo — that is, about 14,000 people. The 

 general impression is that they are gradually disappearing, but 

 obviously the Government of Japan is doing all it can to aid the 

 Ainos, and to foster in them a spirit of self-help. 



The last number (Session 1887-88) of the Madras Journal of 

 Literature and Science contains the first part of a treatise by 

 Prof. Oppeit, of the Presidency College, Madras, on the original 

 inhabitants of Bharatavarsa, or India, whom he describes as 



