N&U. 22, 1888 



NATURE 



87 



forming hexagonal prisms with rhombohedral terminations, 

 almost undistinguishable from each other on account of their 

 extreme similarity. The two new compounds just announced in 

 the current Berichte are the sodium compounds NaBr + 2AS2O3 

 and Nal + 2AS2O3. The former was obtained by disolving 

 20 grammes arsenious oxide and 120 grammes sodium bromide in 

 350 c.c. boiling water, filtering the somewhat turbid liquid thus 

 '-'nained, and allowing the clear solution to cool very slowly. 

 ';i suspending in it a plate of cold glass, crystals of the com- 

 nmd were immediately deposited upon it, which proved on 

 microscopic examination to consist of the hexagonal prisms 

 common to the whole series. The crystals were then washed 

 upon the large glass plate with cold water, dried superficially 

 between filter-paper, afterwards at 130°, and submitted to 

 analysis. The numbers obtained indicate the formula given above. 

 The crystals, as in the case of many other double compounds, are 

 decomposed into their constituents by contact with warm water. 

 The second compound, Nal + 2AS.2O3, was similarly obtained, 

 using 60 grammes sodium iodide, 22 grammes arsenious oxide, 

 and dissolving them in half a litre of hot water. On allowing a 

 glass plate to stand twenty-four hours in the solution, it was 

 found to be covered with six-sided prisms, apparently identical 

 in shape with those of the other compounds of the scries pre- 

 viously obtained. It is interesting that both these compounds 

 can be readily obtained by the addition of a sufficient quantity 

 of bromide or iodide of sodium to a solution of sodium arsenite. 

 The corresponding compound with chloride of sodium has not 

 yet been prepared. Thus another series of analogous salts is 

 added to the list of isomorphous groups, the number of which is 

 steadily increasing. These groups are of especial interest to the 

 crystallographer, inasmuch as they appear likely to be of in- 

 valuable assistance in our attempts to grasp the fundamental 

 problem, " Why does a definite chemical compound crystallize 

 in any particular system ? " 



The County of Middlesex Natural History and Science 

 Society has issued its Transactions during the session 1887-88. 

 The volume includes, besides an abstract of an introductory 

 address by Dr. Archibald Geikie, papers on subjects of scientific 

 interest by Prof Flower, Mr. W. Lant Carpenter, Dr. Sydney 

 T. Klein, and others. 



The new number of the Journal of the Anthropological In- 

 stitute (vol. xviii. No. 2) is one of great interest. Mr. Galton 

 offers some suggestive remarks on replies by teachers to ques- 

 tions respecting mental fatigue, and Mr. J. Venn has a careful 

 paper on " Cambridge Anthropometry." In a paper on the 

 races of the Babylonian Empire, Mr. G. Berlin sets forth some 

 conclusions which are so different from, and even opposed to, 

 "accepted notions," that he hesitated a long time, he says, 

 '* before surrendering himself to the evidence." 



Dr. II. Ten Kate, in a letter to Science, expresses dissent 

 from the opinions lately set forth by Dr. Daniel G. Brinton, as to 

 "the alleged Mongolian affinities of the American race." Dr. 

 Brinton holds that there are no such affinities, whereas to his 

 opponent it seems obvious that the native race of America cannot 

 be properly understood without reference to the Mongolians. 

 Summing up his views on the subject. Dr. H. Ten Kate says : — 

 "I wish to say that Dr. Brinfon's argumentation against the 

 affinity between Americans and Mongolians is based upon 

 entirely wrong reasoning. If the reasons he gives were correct, 

 then the classification of the other races of the human species 

 would be equally wrong ; for in each of them peoples are 

 grouped together, which, although related by physical character- 

 istics, are linguistically and ethnologically entirely different from 

 «ach other, not to speak of the difference in their psychological 

 and social evolution. When I admit that the native Americans 

 are Mongoloids, I do not necessarily imply that America has 



been populated from Asia or elsewhere. However, if we accept 

 the theory of evolution, this is the most probable explanation of 

 the observed facts. But, leaving the doubtful origin of the 

 Americans, and of their languages and arts, out of the question, 

 I maintain that there is a physical similarity, racial affinity, and 

 relationship between the indigenous Americans and the Mongo- 

 lians in the widest sense. This is, in the present state of 

 anthropological knowledge, an undeniable fact. He who denies 

 it does not believe in physical anthropology ; and not to re- 

 cognize this branch of science is equal to denying natural history 

 in general." 



In the last Administration Report of the Island of Dominica, 

 which has just been laid before Parliament, the President 

 estimates the original Carib population at about three hundred, 

 or something under that figure. The children are healthy, and 

 the numbers of Caribs, according to their own accounts, are not 

 decreasing, but they are gradually becoming so intermixed with 

 the Negroes that the pure Carib, " Franc Carib," will soon be 

 non-existent. The Carib quarter, a reserve of large extent on 

 the Windward side of Dominica, is wholly occupied by them. 

 They are very peaceable and retiring ; they live on vegetables and 

 fruits, which they cultivate, and on fish. They keep their roads in 

 good order. Their children appear to be very intelligent, but 

 there is no school in the Carib quarter, though the people are 

 very anxious to have one. 



A Society has been formed in France, under the patronage 

 of many men of high scientific and political standing, for the 

 purpose of developing a proper system of physical education. 

 The leader of the new movement is M. Philippe Daryl, alias 

 Paschal Grousset, who, when a very young man, took an active 

 part in the Paris insurrection of 1871. He afterwards lived in 

 England, whence he sent interesting letters to the Temps. 



The Madras Mail says that Dr. Thurston, the Superintendent 

 of the Madras Museum, has been requested by the Board of 

 Revenue to visit various electrical establishments in Europe in 

 order to select an electric globe light to shine in twenty fathoms 

 of water. Such a light has long been wanted at the pearl 

 fisheries, for, up to the present, the work of the fisheries has 

 been confined to banks situated at a less depth than twenty 

 fathoms. 



The next conversazione of the Royal Microscopical Society 

 will be held on Wednesday, the 28th instant, at 8 o'clock. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 



past week include a .Monkey {Cercopithectis sp. inc.) from 



South Africa, presented by Mr. L. B. Lewis ; an Indian Ante- 

 lope {Antilope cervicapra <5 ) from India, presented by Mr. J. W. 

 S hand- Harvey ; a Himalayan Bear {Ursus tibetanus $) from 

 Northern India, presented by the Regiment of the 2nd Life 

 Guards ; an Axis Deer {Cervus axis) from India, presented by 

 Lady Donaldson ; a Roseate Cockatoo [Cacatua roseicapilla) 

 from Australia, presented by Mrs. Wood ; two American Bit- 

 terns {Botaurus lentiginosus) from North America, presented by 

 Mr. J. B. Williams ; a Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrimis), 

 captured at sea, presented by Mr. R. H. Armstrong ; a Spotted 

 Salamander (Salamander maculosa), European, presented by Mr. 

 F. E. B. Roper, F.Z.S. ; two Swans {Cygnns olor 9 9), Euro- 

 pean, a Royal Python (Python rcgius) from West Africa, 

 deposited ; two Golden Plovers (Charadrius pliiviatilis), British, 

 purchased. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 The Brazilian Transit of Venus Expeditions, 1882.— 

 We have received vol. iii. of the " Annaes do Imperial Obser- 

 vatorio do Rio de Janeiro," containing the reports of the 



