258 



NATURE 



[7 



an. 12, I 



The mean wind-frequency and pressure are given for every 

 month, for seasons, and for the year, and charts are drawn for 

 the seasons and for the year. The work is a continuation of 

 previous similar discussions of the winds of the Baltic, the 

 White and Black Seas, and the Sea of Azov. 



In the Archives des Sciences Physiques et Natiirelles for 

 December 15 last, M. P. Plantamour publishes the results of 

 observations of the periodic movements of the ground from 

 October I, 1886, to September 30, 1887, as shown by spirit- 

 levels fixed in the exterior and central partition walls of his 

 house at Secheron, near Geneva. The oscillations are illustrated 

 by curves, from which it is seen that the movements exhibited 

 by the two levels are not always parallel, but vary in a regular 

 manner, and that both curves follow the variations of temperatute 

 throughout the year. Experiments have been carried on for nine 

 years, but a longer series is necessary to arrive at definite con- 

 clusions. 



M. A. F. SuNDELL publishes in vol. xvi. of the Proceedings 

 of the Scientific Society of Finland, the results of comparisons 

 of the standard barometers at the principal Observatories of 

 Europe, with the view of showing what corrections are to be 

 applied to reduce the readings of different countries to absolute 

 uniformity. The comparison shows the existence of consider- 

 able differences between the various standards. But as the 

 experiments were made with an instrument which was filled 

 with mercury at each comparison and afterwards emptied, it is 

 a question whether the results obtained may be considered 

 perfectly trustworthy. 



A NEW compound of arsenic, contaiaing that somewhat re- 

 markable substance, hexiodide of sulphur, has recently been 

 prepared by Dr. Schneider, of Berlin {Joiirn. fiiy prakt. Chcinie, 

 No. 22). Hexiodide of sulphur, SIg, was prepared some time 

 ago by Landolt by evaporation of a solution of iodine and sulphur 

 in carbon bisulphide at a low temperature : it forms pyramidal 

 crystals, shown by Von Rath to belong to the rhombic system, 

 and, curiously, is isomorphous with iodine itself. It is a com- 

 pound of considerable theoretical interest, inasmuch as it is the 

 only known instance in which the supposed six combining bonds 

 or affinities of sulphur are satisfied by monad atoms. One 

 would naturally imagine that such a compound would be 

 eminently saturated, and it has never hitherto been known to 

 effect any further combinations ; but Dr. Schneider now shows 

 that it is ca;iable of forming a crystalline double compound with 

 arsenious iodide, of the composition 2 Aslj. SIg. This new com- 

 pound was first incidentally obtained during a lengthy research 

 upon the relations between arsenious sulphide and iodine, and 

 its discovery forms another example of the happy manner in 

 which important results are often most unexpectedly attained 

 by following the by-paths which so frequently lead off from the 

 high-way of systematic research. It may, however, be syntheti- 

 cally prepared by gently warming a mixture of SIg and Aslg in 

 the proportion of one molecule of the former to two of the latter : 

 the two substances melt together to a deep-brown liquid, which, 

 on cooling, solidifies to a dark gray crystalline mass. The 

 crystals are homogeneous, tolerably hard and brittle, yielding a 

 reddish-brown powder on pulverization ; they cannot be pre- 

 served in the air, as they lose all their iodine in twenty-four 

 hours, but in sealed tubes may be kept any length of time. The 

 double compound itrelf, however, is nothing near so Interesting 

 as the important theoretical questions which it suggests. We 

 may well ask. Is it possible that the atoms of sulphur are still 

 endowed with a certain amount of combining energy after their 

 six " affinities " are satisfied? or do the iodine atoms act in this 

 case in one of their higher capacities ? 



At the last meeting of the Geographical Society of St. Peters- 

 burg, M. Kuesenoff gave an account of an interesting nomad tribe 



in the Ural Mountains, calling themselves Vagueles. In the winter 

 they dwell in wooden huts, and in the summer wander among 

 the mountain^, living in tents. At the former season their 

 clothing consists of deerskin, and at the latter of linen garments. 

 They worship the sun and some of the stars, and have a super- 

 stitious dread of ceriain forests, v/hich they deem sacred. 

 Women hold a very inferior position, being treated as slaves. 

 Daring the last few years contact with more civilized tribes has 

 had a good influence on the Vagueles, and some of them have 

 begun to settle down as tillers of the soil. The tribe is said to 

 be of Finnish origin. 



On December 10, about 6 p.m., a meteor was seen at 

 Ilonefos, in Norway. It went in a north-easterly direction, 

 emitting a brilliant bluish- white light, and lasted a few seconds. 



On December 18, about 8 p.m., a magnificent meteor was 

 seen in several parts of the province of Stockholm, going in a 

 direction north-west to south-east. It shone with a bluish light. 

 It left a broad trail in the sky, and eventually burst into tiny 

 fragments, but without any report. 



What is believed to be a meteorite has just been dug out of 

 the ferry harbour of Nokjobing, in Denmark. The stone, 

 which weighs about half a ton, was fourd in soft mud, and 

 no other stones were near it. It is very dark in colour, con- 

 tains iron, and is of unusual v.'elght for its size, ihe work of 

 moving it being very laborious. It has now been blasted to 

 pieces, which will be examined scientifically. 



Last year a Phanerogam hitherto never met with in Scan- 

 dinavia {Jiiiicns tenuis, Willd. ) was found near Vexio, in 

 Central Sweden. In Europe this plant is found only in a few 

 localities in Germany, Holland, and Sc-ilaa 1. 



During last autumn, in October and November, ornitho- 

 logists in the province of Tromso, in the extreme north of 

 Norway, were interested by the sudden appearance of large 

 flocks of the so-called "Nut-crow" (Xitcifraga ca>yocatactes), 

 a bird hitherto never seen in Northern Norway, and which is 

 scarce even in the southern part of the country. Several speci- 

 mens were shot and forwarded to the Tromso Museum. It is 

 surmised that the birds were driven thus far north, during migra- 

 tion, by stormy weather. 



Owing to unfavourable weather, the cultivation of oysters on 

 the coast of Norway was not so successful last year as in previous 

 years. 



Last autumn an attempt was made to bring liv€ cod from 

 Iceland to Norway on board smacks, and 6000 fish were 

 brought over to Bergen successfully. Here, however, many of 

 them died, on account of the basin in which they were kept 

 until the sale could be effected being too small. This year 

 fresh attempts will be made. 



The temptation of French architects seems to be to attend to 

 the decorative rather than the useful parts of the buildings they 

 design. The architect who designed the new Medical School 

 in Paris took so little pains about the distribution of the water- 

 pipes, that in very cold weather the laboratories (chemistry, 

 physiology, bacteriology, experimental pathology, &c.) are 

 wholly deprived of water. Last week ihe water in all the pipes 

 was frozen, so that not a drop of water was available in a single 

 laboratory. Of course, everyone connected with the school 

 complains that work under such conditions is nearly impossible. 



The new Sorbonne M'ill be a handsome building, but, un- 

 fortunately, the work is soon to be stopped owin^ to lack of 

 money. The ornamental part of tlie building is finished, but 

 the useful part has not yet been begun. 



The Ceylon Observer, writing on the great trigonometrical 

 survey of that island, states that its connection with the con- 



