I/O 



NATURE 



[May 26, 1910 



the above months, and you have the results ; so evidently 

 they are not common in the part we were in. The curious 

 thing is that, although we searched for weeks, we never 

 found another specimen. The natives told me they found 

 them at the roots of grass, under stones, and at the damp 

 roots of clumps of bamboo." 



Until the Ceram species was described it was quite 

 uncertain whether the Papuan species would, when dis- 

 covered, be found to belong to the Australian type or to 

 the New Britain type, or to neither. Messrs. Muir and 

 Kershaw's discovery settled that point. As a result of 

 their work we know that Peripatus ceramensis belongs to 

 the group Melano-Peripatus. It was therefore to be ex- 

 pected that the Papuan species would belong to the same 

 type, as indeed it does. I propose to name the species 

 papnensis, with the following characters : — 



Peripatus papnensis, n.sp. Colour very similar to that 

 of Capo-Peripatus, the principal pigments being a greenish- 

 blue and an orange. Number of legs is variable, from 

 twentj'-three to twenty-nine pairs. Legs with three spinous 

 pads. Nephridial openings of legs four and five on the 

 proximal pad. Feet with three distal papillae, of which 

 one is anterior, one posterior, and one dorsal. Genital 

 opening subterminal behind the legs of the last pair. Ovary 

 small, with small ova (size not determined). Oviduct with 

 a receptaculum seminis. Uterine embryos of very different 

 ages in the same uterus. Spirit specimens which have 

 been killed extended reach a length of 35 inches. 



From this it seems fairly clear that we are dealing with 

 a Melano-Peripatus. As the specimens are admirably pre- 

 served I hope soon to be able to work out the other 

 characters. A. Sedgwick. 



Imperial College of Science and Technology, May 13. 



The Bibliography of the Biology of the European Seas. 



May I through the columns of Nature direct attention 

 to the fact that the Bureau of British Marine Biology, 

 which for some time past has been engaged in the pre- 

 paration of an extensive MS. bibliography of the fauna 

 and flora of the European seas, is now making the experi- 

 ment of printing and circulating, in the form of a 

 periodical, the records which are thus being brought 

 together ? 



The number of scientific journals has increased so 

 enormously of late, and the output of biological work has 

 now become so vast, that there would seem to be a very 

 real need of some means by which the student may keep 

 more fully in touch with the published work of his 

 colleagues than is possible with the aid of the existing 

 bibliographies alone ; it has already become quite impyossible 

 for the specialist to himself search through all the various 

 journals, &c., as they appear (even should he be fortunate 

 enough to have access to adequate libraries), and, at the 

 same time, to accomplish any research work of his own. 



The bibliography of European marine biology now in 

 progress (the first part was published on April 2) in the 

 " Contributions from the Bureau of British Marine 

 Biology " aims at providing a full title-entry and summary 

 of the contents of every publication as it appears which 

 is in any way concerned with the biology of the European 

 seas (including the North Atlantic, Arctic, and Mediter- 

 ranean). These summaries will, in general, appear within 

 a few weeks of the publication of the works to which refer- 

 ence is made, while entries in the existing annual biblio- 

 graphies are, of course, necessarily at least one or two 

 years behindhand. The analysis of works indexed by the 

 Bureau is also carried very much further than is attempted 

 in any existing bibliography ; for instance, a separate entry 

 is made for practically every mention of a species in the 

 work analysed. In addition to the bibliography and 

 analysis of current work, the MS. records of the Bureau 

 also include extensive annotated lists of the marine fauna 

 and flora, alphabetical reference lists of specific and sub- 

 specific names and synonyms, particulars of type-localities, 

 tvpe-specimens, &c. ; it is likewise intended to publish 

 these records in the " Contributions." It may also be 

 mentioned that all entries are being printed in such a form 

 as will admit of their use as a card catalogue. 



There is, of course, no desire to make a profit by the 

 publication of these records, but, on the other hand, the 



NO. 2 II 7, VOL. 83] 



Bureau cannot afford to incur any considerable financiaf 

 loss by the undertaking, and the publication of the biblio- 

 graphy will therefore not be proceeded with for any length 

 of time unless there is by an early date distinct evidence 

 that sufficient support will be forthcoming to meet the cost 

 of printing. For this reason I would urge all who may 

 be willing to assist the undertaking to notify as soon as 

 possible their intention of subscribing. The bibliography 

 will, I am sure, prove most useful to those interested in 

 any department of marine research if only publication can 

 be continued for a sufficient period to enable the " Con- 

 tributions " to become established. Full particulars, forms 

 for subscription, &c., will be forwarded upon application to 

 the undersigned. S. Pace. 



6 Provost Road, Haverstock Hill, London, N.W., 

 May n. 



An Improved Weight Dilatometer. 



The ordinary form of weight dilatometer is troublesome 

 to dry and fill, and the .filling takes much time. Air 

 bubbles are removed with difficulty a/id after cooling to 

 a low temperature there is a risk pfploss of mercury while 

 weighing the dilatometer unless specfal precautions are 

 taken. 



To obviate these disadvantages the form of dilatometer 

 here illustrated has been devised. The neck of the dilato- 

 meter is short and straight, and is enclosed in a cylindrica' 

 cup projecting a few centimetres above the neck, and 

 sealed on to the body of the dilatometer. 



To dry the bulb, the cup is fitted with a cork and a 

 piece of tubing, and con- 



nected to the water-pump. By 

 gently heating the bulb and 

 exhausting, moisture is re- 

 moved. In the second form 

 (Fig. 2) air is drawr. through 

 the bulb by removing the clip 

 and pad from the side tube. 



To fill the simpler form. 

 Fig. I, dry mercury is poured 

 into the cup ; by gently tap- 

 ping, the mercury falls into 

 the bulb. The operation is 

 repeated until the bulb is filled. 

 To remove air from the neck 

 the dilatometer is warmed, 

 and when the mercury oozes 

 out the cup is re-filled, and 

 the dilatometer placed in ice 

 water above the level of the 

 neck. After cooling, the excess of mercury is poured out 

 of the cup. The dilatometer is dried and weighed, any 

 mercury expelled by expansion being collected in the cup. 

 After heating to a higher temperature, the expelled mercury 

 is poured out, and the dilatometer weighed after cooling. 

 In the form shown in Fig. 2 the filling is more rapid, as 

 air is expelled through the side tube ; when this is filled 

 with mercury the clip is fixed, and the tube closed by a 

 screw pad. A. V. C. Fenby. 



The Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, May 11. 



Fig. 



^ 



^4!^ 



Fig. 2. 





THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF 

 ACADEMIES. 



Fourth Meeting, May 9-14. 



IT is now ten years since the association was in- 

 augurated in a preliminary meeting held at Wies- 

 baden, and since then regular triennial assemblies 

 have taken place in Paris, London, Vienna, and 

 finally in Rome, where the fourth meeting, conducted 

 under- the presidency of Prof. P. Blaserna, of the 

 Accademia dei Lincei, has just come to a close. The 

 representatives of the Royal Society were Sir Archibald 

 Geikie, Sir Joseph Larmor, Prof. Schafer, Colonel 

 Prain, Prof. Turner, and Dr. .Arthur Schuster. In 

 judging of the past activity and the prospects of the 

 association, it must, be borne in mind that, having 

 no funds at its disposal, its influence must be mainly 



