December 27, 1900] 



NATURE 



211 



restricted to resemblances assumed for the purpose of attracting 

 attention ; resemblances for the purpose of concealment being 

 denoted by the terms protective and aggressive resemblance. 

 He then proceeds to inquire whether any of such resemblances 

 can be rightly termed conscious, concluding that the only instance 

 which affords anything like proof of consciousness is one narrated 

 by Mr. E. Thompson concerning the actions of a fox. But even 

 if this be a true instance, the fox is such an abnormally clever 

 animal that the case does not affect other supposed examples ; 

 and it is concluded that "there are good grounds for opposing 

 the suggestion that active mimicry is of any general occurrence 

 in the animal kingdom." Prof. E. B. Poulton continues the 

 discussion in the form of notes, in which he gives a general sup- 

 port to the views of Mr. Marshall. Incidentally he mentions 

 that the posture usually given to the leaf-butterfly (Callima) is 

 incorrect. Mr. Distant adds a few remarks in defence of 'his 

 own views, stating that the questions at issue are largely matters 

 of opinion. 



We have received the first part of a new work by Prof. Der 

 Vries, of Amsterdam, entitled ' ' Die Mutations Theorie. " It deals 

 with the origin of new species ; and these the author considers to 

 arise solely as the result of sudden sporting, or of discontinuous 

 variation. He does not regard the ordinary variation usually to 

 be observed amongst the individuals of any given race as con- 

 tributing towards the evolution of new species, but looks upon 

 them as the transient and easily reversible expression of altered 

 circumstances of life. The latter part of the book is occupied 

 with an account of his observations on the " mutations " 

 exhibited by CEnothera Lamarckiana, and he claims to have 

 secured a number of discontinuously produced forms which 

 retain their character in successive generations, and which show 

 no tendency towards reversal, mr to the production of forms 

 intermediate between themselves and the parent stock. Even 

 if one does not feel inclined to accept all the author's con- 

 clusions, and even if lurking doubts as to the actual purity of 

 the original strain of his CEnothera obtrude themselves on the 

 mind of the reader, the book is worth a perusal for the sake of 

 the lucid manner with which the arguments and facts are 

 brought forward, and (sometimes) constrained to give support to 

 the views therein advocated. It would be, however, premature 

 to discuss the theory as a whole until the completion of the 

 book enables one to form a mature estimate of its real value. 



The November Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 provides students of botany and others interested in problems of 

 evolution with plenty of material for thought. Among the sub- 

 jects dealt with in papers are the evolution of plants illustrated 

 by the cultivated nature of gardens, by Mr. R. I. Lynch ; 

 problems of heredity as a subject for horticultural investigation, 

 by Mr. W. Bateson, F.R.S. ; aquatic plants, by Prof. G. S. 

 Boulger ; protoplasm, the instrument of evolution among plants, 

 by the Rev. G. Henslow, who also contributes several in- 

 structive papers on plant structure and growth ; the strawberry 

 and gooseberry mildews, by Mr. E. S. Salmon, and descriptions 

 of new plants exhibited at the meetings of the Society. Every 

 one concerned with the science or the art of gardening will find 

 in the Journal much suggestive and interesting information. 



As a handy compendium of biographical particulars referring 

 to men and women whose names are known in the worlds of 

 literature, art or science, or who are distinguished in other ways, 

 "Who's Who?" now stands alone, for with the 1901 edition, 

 which Messrs. A. and C. Black have just published, is in- 

 corporated " Men and Women of the Time." The annual is a 

 good index to the works, recreations and careers of practically 

 every one alive whose influence upon human progress is recog- 

 nised. All the living Fellows of the Royal Society appear to 

 be included among the biographies, as well as numerous 

 members of other scientific societies. The information tabu- 



NO. 1626, VOL. 63] 



lated before the biographies includes lists of abbreviations, 

 peculiarly-pronounced proper names, the names and addresses 

 of the chief newspapers and magazines, pseudonyms and pen- 

 names. Fellows of the Royal Society, names, addresses and 

 conditions of admission to scientific and other learned societies, 

 chairs and professors in the universities, university degrees, and 

 other matters of general interest. In the abbreviations we 

 notice " anat.," signifying anatomy or anatomical, and " bot." 

 for botany ; but it is not easy to understand why these should 

 ba given, while other conventional abridgments, such as 

 "math." for mathematics, "astr." for astronomy, "mech." for 

 mechanics, "mag." for magnetism or magazine, " phys." for 

 physical, "soc." for society," and "phil." for philosophical, 

 are not explained. Either "anat." and "bot." should be 

 omitted or others in just as common use should bi inserted. 

 The principle Jwhich has led to the selection of other abbrevia- 

 tions is also not clear. We find A.K.C. signifying Associate of 

 King's College, and K.C. for King's College; but we do not 

 see A. R.C.S. for Associate of the Royal College of Science, or 

 U.C. for University College. B. Eng. is given for Bachelor of 

 Engineering, but B.E. is the form usually adopted. D.Sc. is 

 given, but not Sc.D. ; andjM.I.M.E. (Member of the Institu- 

 tion of Mechanical Engineers) is also omitted, while fellowship 

 of the unrecognised Society of Science and Art is dignified by 

 F.S.Sc.A. In the next edition the professors in the universities 

 of London and Birmingham ought to be added to the list of 

 those occupying chairs in the older universities. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Cuvier's Gazelle (Gazella Cuvieri) from 

 Algeria, presented by Mr. B. T. Barneby ; a Golden Eagle 

 {Aquila chrysaetus) from Scotland, presented by Mr. H. E. 

 Bury; a Rose Hill Parrakeet {Platycerciis eximius) from 

 Australia, presented by Mrs. Stoughton ; a Burmese Tortoise 

 {Testudo elongata) from Burmah, presented by Captain A. 

 Pam; a Slow Loris {Nycticebus tardigradus) from the Malay 

 Peninsula, three Ring-tailed Coatis {Nasua rufa) from South 

 America, a Maximilian Parrot {Planus maximtliand) from 

 Brazil, two Lettered Aracaris (Pteroglossus inscriptus) {torn 

 Para, two Adelaide Parrakeets {Platycercus adelaldae), four 

 Plumed Ground Doves {Geophaps plumifera) from Australia, 

 two Common Cassowaries {Casuarius galeatus) from Ceram, 

 an Ural Owl {Syrnium uralensis), a Passerine Owl (Glau- 

 cidium passerinum), European, five Chestnut-bellied Finches 

 [Munia rubro-nigrd), six Bungoma River Turtles {Emyda 

 granosa), a Roofed Terrapin {Kachuga tectum) from India, 

 two Leopard Tortoises (Testudo pardalis) from South Africa, 

 a South Albemarle Tortoise ( Testudo vidua) from South 

 Albemarle Island, three Wrinkled Terrapins {Chrysemys 

 scrlpta rugosa) from the West Indies, a Muhlenberg's Terra- 

 pin {Cleinmys muhlenbergl) from North America, an European 

 Pond Tortoise (Einys orbicularis), European, deposited. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



Astronomical Occurrences in January, 1901. 

 Jan. 2-3. Epoch of the January meteors (Radiant 230° -t- 53°). 

 3. gh. Venus in conjunction with Neptune. Venus 



1° 10' N. 

 3. iih. 7m. Minimum of Algol (;3 Persei). 



5. 9h. 45m. to loh. 50m. Moon occults i Cancri 



(mag. 59). , ^ . 



6. 6h. 36m. to 7h. 31m. Moon occults A* Cancn, 



(mag. 5-6). 

 6. 7h. 56m. Minimum of Algol {& Persei). 

 6. I3h. 48m. to I5h. 4m. Moon occults 60 Cancri, 



(mag. 57). 

 9. 4h. 45m. Minimum of Algol (& Persei). 

 It;. 9h. Venus in conjunction with Jupiter. Venus 



0° 22' N. 



