April i i, 1901] 



NATURE 



575 



research, and others deal with various aspects of science de- 

 scriptively. Such a society is a centre of beneficial influence, for 

 it encourages investigation, affords facilities for the communica- 

 tion of facts and ideas, and promotes the friendly intercourse 

 which broadens the views and sympathies of workers in different 

 fields. 



Increasing interest in physical chemistry is shown by the 

 fact that Prof. Walker's " Introduction to Physical Chemistry" 

 (Macmillan), which was published towards the end of 1899, is 

 already in its second edition. The book, which contains a full 

 discussion of the chief principles of modern physical chemistry 

 and shows their application to ordinary laboratory chemistry, 

 has already been noticed in these columns (vol. Ixii. p. 76, May 

 1900). Among other new matter in the new edition are accounts 

 of " Berthelot's method for determining exact molecular weights 

 from the limiting densities of gases, Traube's volume researches, 

 and the position of the recently-discovered atmospheric gases in 

 the periodic system." 



In the current number of the Berichte, Messrs. Pictet and 

 Rotschy give an account of the isolation of three new alkaloids 

 from tobacco. Up to the present only a single organic base, 

 nicotine, has been found in tobacco. In most plants pro- 

 ducing alkaloids several bases usually occur together, and a? 

 it appeared unlikely that the tobacco plant should prove excep- 

 tional in this respect, a large quantity of tobacco extract was 

 worked up, with the result that three new bases were discovered, 

 to which the names nicotein, nicotellin and nicotimin are given. 

 Of these, the last is associated with the crude nicotine, with 

 which it is isomeric, differing, however, in being a secondary 

 base and forming a nitrosamine by means of which it can be 

 separated from the nicotine, in spite of the fact that it is present 

 in very small amount in the crude base. The nicotein contains 

 two atoms and the nicotellin four atoms of hydrogen less than 

 nicotine. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include a Patas Monkey ( Cercopithecus patas) from 

 West Africa, presented by Mr. H, Plange ; a Diana Monkey 

 {.Cercopithecus diaita) from West Africa, presented by Mrs. 

 Yorke ; a Bonnet Monkey [Mcuacus sinicus) from India, pre- 

 sented by Mr. W. K. Edwards ; a Common Otter (Lutra vul- 

 garis), British, presented by Mr. W. Radcliffe Saunders ; a 

 Maximilian's Aracari {Fteroglossus wiedi) from Brazil, presented 

 by Mrs. J. Rose ; a Common Viper ( Vipera dents), British, pre- 

 sented by Mr. G. Leighton ; two Spanish Cattle (Bos iaurus) 

 from Spain, a Black-faced Kangaroo [Macropus melanops) from 

 Tasmania, a Vellow-footed Rock Kangaroo {Petrogale xan- 

 thopus) from South Australia, a Grevy's 'Zebra {Equus grevyi) 

 from Southern Abyssinia, three Zebus {.Bos indicus) from India, 

 two Nubian Goats {Capra hircus) from Nubti, five four- 

 horned Sheep {Ovis aries) from St. Kilda, two Somali Ostriches 

 {Struthio tnolybdopkanes) from Somaliland, deposited ; a Kestrel 

 ( Tinniinculus alaudarius), British, presented by Mr. F. Layer. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN, 



The Spectrum of Nova Persei. — Prof. Vogel, in a recent 

 communication {Sitzber. d. k. Akad. der Wiss. zu Berlin, 

 March 21, xvi.), gives the results of a discussion of the 

 Potsdam observations of Nova Persei. Prof. Vogel considers 

 that the spectrum can only be explained on the hypothesis of 

 Wilsing. The immense perturbations in the star give rise to 

 great differences of pressure in the layers of the materials com- 

 posing the Nova, and these differences account not only for the 

 presence of the bright and dark lines, but their great breadth. 

 Prof. Vogel does not think that there is any reason to assume 

 that the apparent great displacement of the dark lines is che 

 consequence of a large motion deduced on the principle of 



NO. 1641, VOL. 63] 



Doppler. This displacement he accounts for on the supposition 

 of the overlapping of the broad dark band over the bright band, 

 the great pressure of the substance giving the bright band being 

 more strongly developed on the red side, thus allowing the dark 

 band to appear more prominent on the violet side. 



STONEHENGE AND OTHER STONE CIRCLES. 



'X'W^O interesting papers on stone circles, by Mr. A. L. 

 Lewis, have recently been published by the Anthropo- 

 logical Institute. One dealing more particularly with the stone 

 circles of Scotland occurs in the lournal of the Institute (vol. 

 XXX. New Series, vol. iii. 1900), and the other, on the damage 

 recently sustained by Stonehenge, appears in Man — the monthly 

 record of anthropological science published under the direction 

 of the Institute. We reprint the latter paper, with the two 

 illustrations accompanying it, and are glad to acknowledge the 

 courtesy of the Institute in permitting us to do so. And here 

 it will not be out of place to remark that both the Journal and 

 Man are full of papers and notes of interest to every one 

 devoted to the study of the human race in its many aspects. 

 When one considers how little encouragement is given to the 

 science of anthropology in this country, it is really astonishing 

 to see the large amount of excellent material published under 

 the auspices of the Anthropological Institute. The U.S. 

 Bureau of Ethnology have funds to publish magnificent volumes 

 showing the results of ethnological investigations carried on by 

 its officers, but here there is no similar department for the pre- 

 paration and distribution of such contributions to science, and 

 anything that is done represents the result of private efforts for 

 the advancement of natural knowledge. Even if no assistance 

 is given to systematic anthropological inquiries in our colonies 

 and dependencies, every facility ought to be provided for the 

 publication of facts obtained by observers interested in the 

 characteristics and customs of the races of men. 



Mr. Lewis describes, in the Journal already mentioned, the 

 observations made by him of stone circles in various parts of 

 Scotland. The condition of some of these monuments of anti- 

 quity is deplorable, many of the stones having been shifted and 

 used for all kinds of purposes. At Clava, for instance, we 

 notice that one stone has been shifted to be parallel with a road 

 running across the circle, and another has been placed to form 

 the end of a stone wall. From an examination of a large 

 number of stone circles in Scotland, Mr. Lewis concludes that 

 they may be divided into different types each of which has its 

 centre in a different locality. The types are (i) the Western 

 Scottish type, consisting of a rather irregular single ring or 

 sometimes of two concentric rings. (2) The Inverness type, 

 consisting of a more regular ring of better-shaped stones, sur- 

 rounding a tumulus with a retaining wall, containing a built-up 

 chamber and passage leading to it, or a kist without a passage. 

 (3) The Aberdeen type, consisting of a similar ring with the 

 addition of a so-called " altar-stone " and usually having traces 

 of a tumulus and kist in the middle. There is reason to believe 

 that most of the circles of these three types were used for burial, 

 if, indeed, that were not their chief purpose, but as there is 

 evidence that all have not been so used, it cannot have been 

 their only purpose. In addition to these three types of circles, 

 there are what Mr. Lewis calls sun and star circles, 

 with their alignments ot stones, and apparently proportioned 

 measurements. The stone circles of England appear to refer to 

 the sun and stars more frequently than those of Scotland, where, 

 however, more similar circles may yet be found. The Stone- 

 henge group of stones seems almost to form a class by itself, 

 and Mr. Lewis's description of it, reprinted below from Man, 

 describes the present condition of this unique monument. 



" The end of the nineteenth century has been signalised by — 

 amongst other things — the fall of a part of Stonehenge, a mis- 

 fortune which may not be without its compensating advantage if 

 it should be the cause of the necessary measures being taken to 

 preserve what is left of this unique monument in an intelligible 

 condition. 



" Stonehenge, it will be remembered, consists of a number of 

 comparatively small stones standing in the form of a horse-shoe 

 with the open end to the north-east, outside which were five 

 " trilithons," or sets of two upright stones, each supporting a 

 huge cross-piece ; these were the largest stones of all, and only 

 two sets of them remain complete, the last great change at 



