290 



NATURE 



[June 



1919 



these curious parasites should be regarded as a dis- 

 tinct order of insects, describes their effects on various 

 hosts, gives important morphological details (especially 

 of the fascinating triungulin larvae), and furnishes the 

 student with extensive systematic revisions, including 

 a diagnostic table of all known female Stylopidae and 

 a new summary of the geographical range of the 

 166 species of the order at present recognised. Of the 

 sub-regions of A. R. Wallace, the South African, 

 Siberian, Chilian, and New Zealand are still without 

 records of these insects. 



We have received the seventy-ninth annual report, 

 for the year 1918, of the Crichton Royal Institution, 

 Dumfries — a mental hospital. With regard to ad- 

 missions it is noted that there was a distinct increase 

 in the proportion of cases attributed^ to such factors 

 as emotional stress, overwork, and bodily ill-health, and 

 a progressive decrease in the proportion of alcoholic 

 cases. Influenza also accounted for some admissions. 

 Various experiments on potato-growing, cattle-breed- 

 ing and feeding, and sugar-beet growing were con- 

 ducted at the farm. The institution possesses a com- 

 pletely equipped meteorological station, and a summary 

 of the observations and records for 1918 is included 

 in the report. 



An interesting paper on X-ray demonstration of the 

 vascular system by injections is contributed by Mr. 

 H. C. Orrih to the March issue of the Archives of 

 Radiology and Electrotherapy (No. 224). It is claimed 

 that such radiographs would be of the greatest value 

 in the study of anatomy, showing the relative posi- 

 tions of various structures in a manner impossible 

 by dissection alone. By using different injection fluids, 

 veins and arteries may be shown by a gradation of 

 tone. Mr. Orrin also hopes to be able to demonstrate 

 nerves and lymphatics by this method. The plates 

 which accompany the paper support the claims made, 

 the minute ramifications of vessels in the hand, heart, 

 viscera, etc., being beautifully demonstrated. 



In a paper on "The Cassiterite Deposits of Tavoy" 

 (Rec. Geol. Surv. India, vol. xlix., p. 23, 1918), Mr. 

 J. Coggin Brown points out that wolfram becomes 

 separated from tin ore when washed out of a decaying 

 lode on account of its rapid comminution and ultimate 

 solution. As the author somewhat quaintly remarks, 

 it "disappears long before its journey is ended." 

 Much of the granite in the Tavoy district has been 

 denuded to a level below that of the original lodes, 

 the cassiterite being now represented only in the mar- 

 ginal contacts and the placer dejxjsits. Another 

 interesting mineral occurrence recently described in 

 India is that of aquamarine in rich abundance in 

 pegmatites in Kashmir (C. S. Middlemiss, ibid., 

 p. 161). 



No. 6 of vol. iii. of the American Mineralogist (price 

 50 cents) is devoted to the memory of Ren6-Just Haiiy, 

 and includes a valuable series of portraits, otherwise 

 difficult to obtain. The articles deal with various 

 aspects of the life and work of " the father of crystallo- 

 graphy," and Prof. E. T. Wherry shows how Fedorov's 

 " crystallo-chemistry " and his own extension of 

 Fedorov's layer-theory into the field of op!ical proper- 

 ties are developments of Haiiy 's principle of rationality. 

 Appropriately enough, Prof. A. Lacroix has recently 

 given us a careful biography and appreciation of Haiiy's 

 contemporary, D^odat Dolomieu {Revue Scientifique, 

 No. 2, 1919), in which interesting details are given 

 of Dolomieu 's imprisonment in Palermo after Bona- 

 parte's Egyptian expedition, and of the efforts of 

 scientific men for his release. Finally, he was included 

 by name in the terms of a treaty of peace. 



NO. 2589, VOL. 103] 



Dr. H. a. Tempany, director of agriculture,, 

 Mauritius, communicates to the Agricultural News 

 (February 22, 1919) an account of the Casuarina woods 

 in Mauritius. Since 1807 the whole of the lands 

 along the sea-coast to a minimum depth of 81 metres 

 from high-water mark have been Government pro- 

 perty, and the habit of planting them with trees, 

 mainly Casuarina equisetifolia, to ensure a supply 

 of fuel for the sugar industry, and also as shelter 

 belts for inland cultivation, gradually became 

 general. Since 1895 the leasing of these lands has 

 been carefully regulated, and conditions for cutting, 

 and replanting strictly specified. About two-thirds of 

 the area, representing 4440 acres, are now planted 

 with Casuarina, and the remainder is under coconuts 

 or mixed species of trees. The Casuarina woods have 

 also been utilised for pasturage ; a grass {Stenotaphrunt 

 glahrum) will thrive luxuriantly in the shade of the 

 trees, growing right up to the base of the trunks. 

 Dr. Tempany states that, apart from their economic 

 importance, these Casuarina plantations have great 

 value from an aesthetic point of view, making the 

 littoral of Mauritius the most charming that he has 

 ever seen in any tropical country. 



The annual report of the Weather Bureau at Manila 

 for 1916, with hourly meteorological observations, 

 has only quite recently reached this country. The 

 Philippines are said to have been extraordinarily free 

 from typhoons, although the weather map of the Far 

 East shows that the number of typhoons was not 

 much different from the average. Wireless weather 

 messages are received from the vessels of the Asiatic 

 Fleet at sea, and they are said to be of the greatest 

 value in forecasting the weather. The closest co- 

 operation exists between the Weather Bureau and the 

 aviation officers. During the year the seismograph 

 at Manila registered 395 disturbances ; of these only 

 75 originated within 100 kilometres of the observa- 

 tory. At Batuan there were 1022 disturbances, which 

 is the highest number of records from any station. 

 The year 19 16 was magnetically disturbed beyond the 

 normal. Astronomical work was well maintained.^ 

 Hourly readings of most meteorological elements are 

 "read directly between the hours 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., 

 while for the hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. they are 

 taken from self-registering apparatus." The metric 

 system is followed throughout, as in former years, 

 no cognisance being taken of the new units of 

 measurement. There is an absence of rainfall and 

 sunshine observations in the annual volume. 



During the last three years a good deal of attention 

 has been directed to the question of protecting the eyes 

 of furnacemen from the injurious effects of the strong 

 light from the furnaces. The United States Bureau 

 of Standards has found it necessary to issue a third 

 edition of its Technological Paper No. 93, first issued 

 in November, 1917, on the proper'ties of the various 

 glasses now available. The paper contains curves 

 showing the transmitting properties of a large number 

 of glasses, and the following general conclusions are 

 drawn : — For protection from ultra-violet light, black, 

 amber, green, greenish-yellow, and red glasses are 

 efficient. Against the infra-red rays, deep black, 

 yellowish-green, sage-green, bluish-green, and gold- 

 plated glasses are best. 



In a paper presented at the meeting of the ph3'^sics 

 and chemistrv section of the Franklin Institute of 

 Philadelphia in January last, and reproduced in the 

 March and April issues of the Journal of the institute, 

 Mr. Luckiesh gives the results of the work which has 

 been done at the research laboratory of the General 

 Electric Co. on the reduction of the visibility of aero- 



