I 12 



NA TURE 



{June 2, 1887 



In the number dated April 19, Science publishes an excellent 

 ethnographic map, by Mr. A. S. Gatschet, representing the 

 linguistic families of the Indian dialects in the south-eastern 

 parts of the United States, so far as they can be traced by the 

 study of actual remnants of tribes still lingering in or near their 

 old haunts, and by historic research. Of all the families repre- 

 sented on the map, the Maskoki were at one time most import- 

 ant. It is said that in former times the tribes of this family 

 extended from the Atlantic to the country beyond the Missis- 

 sippi, and from the Appalachian Range to the Gulf of Mexico. 

 The majority of the Maskoki tribes now live in the eastern parts 

 of the Indian Territory. 



Prof. G. Pouchet has recently published a long and interest- 

 ing paper concerning the life and work of Ch. Robin, the late 

 Professor of Histology in the Paris Medical School. A complete 

 list of Robin's works adds greatly to the value of the paper. 



The fourth number of the Anniles de T Institut Pasteur con- 

 tains many interesting papers, among which are one by Duclaux, 

 on the general biological phenomena of micro-organisms, and 

 one by Bardach, Perroncito, and Carita, on the presence of the 

 Bacillus of rabies in milk. 



An explosion of natural gas, which had leaked from pipes and 

 mixed with the atmosphere, took place lately at Youngstown, 

 Ohio. The result was a fire, which burned down a church and 

 a large number of new buildings. The cause of ignition was 

 the lantern of a watchman, who narrowly escaped death. The 

 use of natural gas as an illuminant and fuel is attended by con- 

 siderable danger, because, being inodorous, it may leak without 

 anyone noticing the fact until a disaster occurs. 



In a pamphlet issued lately by the U.S. Ilydrographic Office, 

 Lieut. Underwood says that mineral oils are not so effective for 

 use at sea as vegetable or animal. A comparatively small amount 

 of the right kind of oil, say two quarts per hour, properly used, 

 is sufficient, he asserts, to prevent much damage, both to vessels 

 and to small boats, in heavy seas. The greatest r^ult from oil 

 is obtained in deep water. In a surf, or where water is breaking 

 on a bar, the effect is not so certain ; but, even in this case, oil 

 may be of benefit, and its use is recommended by Lieut. Under- 

 wood. He advises that, when an attempt is about to be made 

 to board a wreck, the approaching vessel should use the oil after 

 running as close as possible under the lee of the wreck. The 

 wreck will soon drift into the oil, and then a boat may be sent 

 alongside of her. 



According to an official notification of the Trustees of the 

 Schwestern Frohlich Stiftung, at Vienna, certain donations and 

 pensions will be granted from the funds of this charity this 

 year, in accordance with the will of the testatrix. Miss Anna 

 Frohlich, to deserving persons of talent who have distinguished 

 themselves in any of the branches of science, art, or literature, 

 and who may be in want of pecuniary support either through 

 accident, illness, or infirmity consequent upon old age. The 

 grant of such aid is primarily intended for Austrian subjects ; 

 but foreigners of every nationality, if resident in Austria, may 

 benefit by the Trust. Austrian subjects residing in England may 

 also make application for a grant. Applications addressed to 

 the Trustees (das Curatorium) must be transmitted to the Presi- 

 dent's office of the Common Council of the City of Vienna (an 

 das Prasidial-Bureau des Wiener Gemeinderathes Neues Rath- 

 haus) before August 31, 1887, through the Austro-Hungarian 

 Embassy in London, 18 Belgrave Square, S.W., where particu- 

 lars as to terms and conditions may be obtained. 



The Gold and Silver Commissioners have requested Mr. 

 Henry Dunning Macleod to investigate the relation between 

 money and prices. 



In Mr. Abercromby's article last week on equatorial wind 

 currents and Krakatab dust, the end of the last paragraph but 

 two (p. 87) should read thus — "and though the highest currents 

 over the Polar limit of both the south-east and north-east trades 

 are from north-west and south-west [not south-east] respectively," 

 &c. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Rhesus Monkey {Macacus rhesus i ) from 

 India, presented by Mrs. C J. Fisher ; a Bonnet Monkey 

 {Macacus sinicus S ) from India, presented by Mrs. Yeates ; a 

 Lesser White-nosed Monkey {Cercopithecus petauiista) from 

 West Africa, presented by Mr. T. H. Kenyon, R.N. ; a Brown 

 Bear {Ursus arctos) from Northern Europe, presented by Mr, 

 John Rhind ; a Common Squirrel {Sciurus vulgaris), British, 

 presented by Miss Muriel Reed ; a Blyth's Tragopan {Ccriornis 

 blytlii) from Upper Assam, presented by Mr. W. Brydon ; a 

 King Vulture {Gypagus papa) from Tropical America, presented 

 by Mr. W. Allen Sumner; two Little Guans (Cz-to/w motmot) 

 from Guiana, presented by Mr. W. Thomson ; six European 

 Tree Frogs {Hyla arborea), European, presented by Mr. E. 

 Wroughton ; a Larger Hill Mynah {Gracula intermedia) from 

 Northern India, four Tuatera Lizards {Sphenodon pitnctatus) 

 from New Zealand, deposited ; a Patagonian Conure {Conurus 

 patagonus) from La Plata, two Dark-green Snakes {Zamenis 

 atrovirens) from Dalmatia, four Axolotls [Siredon mexicanus) 

 from Mexico, purchased ; a Common Rhea {Rhea americana) 

 from South America, received in exchange ; a Molucca Deer 

 {Cervus violuccensis) ; a Japanese Deer {Cervus sika) born in 

 the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



The Paris Observatory. — We have received Admiral 

 Mouchez's Report for the year 1886, which was presented to 

 the Council of the Observatory on February 4, 1887. Admiral 

 Mouchez first refers to M. Loewy's. proposed new methods for 

 determination of the constant of refraction and of the constant 

 of aberration, the principles of which have already been explained 

 in this column. With regard to refraction, it is pointed out that 

 the exact determination of its amount at different altitudes and 

 under varying conditions is of peculiar interest for an Observa- 

 tory situated as that of Paris is, on the southern borders of a 

 large city, so that the temperatu'-e of the strata of air to the 

 north and to the south will probably differ considerably. M. 

 Mouchez hopes that during the current year it will be possible 

 to attack these fundamental problems with an instrument con- 

 structed on M. Loewy's plan. The great meridian instrument 

 and the Gambey circle have been actively employed during the 

 year, a grand total of 16,505 observations having been obtained, 

 798 of which refer to planets, including 148 of the sun and 128 

 of the moon. The principal meridian work continues, as in 

 recent years, to be the re-observation of Lalande's stars. The 

 equatorials have been employed in the observations of comets, 

 minor planets, nebulae, eclipses of Jupiter's satellites, and 

 occultations. It is almost unnecessary to remind our readers of 

 the magnificent work in astronomical photography which has 

 been carried on by the MM. Henry, and which embraces planets 

 and their satellites (Hyperion has been photographed with an 

 exposure of thirty-five minutes), the moon and stars, including 

 clusters and double-stars. M. Mouchez reports that he is con- 

 sidering how the stellar photographs may be most conveniently 

 utilized for the formation of a catalogue, and states that, before 

 final decision, he awaits the results of the then approaching 

 meeting of the Astronomical Congress. The macro-micrometer 

 devised by MM. Henry for measuring the relative positions of 

 stars on the photographic plates is described in detail, and some 

 results of double-star measurements made with this instrument 

 are appended. It appears that these are of considerable ac- 

 curacy, the mean error of a single measure for the double-star 

 C Ursae Majoris being o"'077 in distance and o°'5S in position- 

 angle. 



