2.^2 



NATURE 



[July 5, 1900 



telegraphy, experiments with liquid air, flight of birds, the 

 International Catalogue, and the preservation of natural objects 

 of interest in Germany. 



We are indebted to Prof. P. H, Schoute for a paper on the locus 

 of the centre of hyperspherical curvature for the normal curve of 

 n dimensional space. In a previous paper the author pointed 

 out that the characteristic numbers of the locus of the centre of 

 hyperspherical curvature are lowered if some of the points of 

 the given rational curve lying at infinity coincide. At pre.sent 

 Prof. Schoute traces for a special case the amount of these lower 

 numbers, namely, for the case where the given curve is the 

 "normal" curve of the n dimensional space in which it is 

 situated. According to the final result, the characteristic num- 

 bers of the locus of the centre of hyperspherical curvature for 

 the normal curve are respectively 2« - i, yi- 3, 4« - 7, 5« - 13, 

 6« - 21, .... 2« - I, from which it follows that they do not change 

 if taken in reverse order. 



A REPORT on dietary studies of Harvard and Yale University 

 boat crews, conducted by Prof. W. O. Atwater and his assistant, 

 Mr. A. P. Bryant, forms Bulletin No. 75 of the U.S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. These studies were undertaken primarily 

 to secure data regarding the food requirements of men perform- 

 ing severe muscular work, and they lead to the conclusions that 

 the actual food consumption of people in general is regulated 

 more or less by the supply at their disposal and their tastes and 

 appetites ; but that it is justifiable to suppose that in a general 

 way the difference between the food of athletes and that of 

 other people represents a difference in actual physical need, 

 even if neither is an accurate measure of that need. The energy 

 of the food consumed per man per day in the dietary studies of 

 university boat crews' was found to exceed by 400 calories, or 

 about 10 per cent, the amount found, as the average of fifteen 

 dietary studies among college clubs in different parts of the 

 country, while the protein in the studies of the university boat 

 crews was 48 grams, or 45 per cent, larger in amount. 



In the Rendiconti del R. htitiito Lombardo, Dr. Benedetto 

 Corti briefly describes the results of a study of the Diatomacese 

 of the lakes of Brianza and Segrino. Of a total of eighteen 

 species of diatoms observed in the lake of Montorfano, two 

 {Synedra lunaris and Stauroneis platystoma) were Alpine in 

 character, and were supposed by the author to represent the 

 remains of a quaternary diatom flora. This view has been con- 

 firmed by a more extended study of the other lakes of Brianza 

 and Segrino, which revealed the presence of fifteen species of 

 diatoms peculiar to the Alpine zone out of a total of seventy- 

 two. Of the Alpines, however, only one, viz. Navicula firnia, 

 was found in the lake of Sartirana. There is a decided affinity 

 between the diatom flora of these lakes and that of the lake of 

 Palu in the Malenco valley, and that of Poschiavo in the 

 Engadine. 



No. 17 of the "North American Fauna," now in course of 

 publication by the Biological Division of the U.S. Department 

 of Agriculture, is devoted to a revision of the North American 

 voles, or "field-mice," of the genus Microius, by Mr. V, 

 Bailey. As the work is based on the examination of between 

 5000 and 6000 specimens, including typical representatives of 

 every species, from more than 8 >o different localities, it ought 

 to be exhaustive. The genus, which is divided into nine sub- 

 generic groups, is taken to include no less than seventy distinct 

 specific and sub-specific modifications, three of which are 

 described for the first time. It is noticed that the development 

 of oil-glands and musk-glands is most conspicuous in the 

 aquatic members of the group, and least so in those in- 

 habiting the driest regions. Those forms which are most ex- 

 posed to light and dryness are the palest, while the deepest and 

 NO. 1 601. VOL. 62] 



richest tones of colour are developed in those from damp and 

 shaded localities. Attention is directed to the importance of 

 placing every possible check on the increase of these little 

 mammals, and of reducing their numbers when they become 

 unusually abundant. 



In its Bulletin No. 12, the department just mentioned pub- 

 lishes a useful report, by Mr. P. S. Palmer, on the legislation for 

 the protection of birds, other than game-birds, now in force in the 

 United States. The author states that many insectivorous birds 

 are still unprotected ; and that the laws relating to such birds in 

 general lack uniformity in different parts of the States; this 

 diversity in the laws being illustrated by a map. The report 

 closes with a digest of the bird-laws of the different States. The 

 need of further legislation is strongly emphasised. 



In this connection may be noticed a pamphlet on the food of 

 wild birds in this country, issued by the Yorkshire College and 

 the Joint Agricultural Council of Leeds and the East and West 

 Ridings. In this useful publication attention is called to the 

 fact that birds very largely affect both sides of the farmer's 

 balance-sheet ; and that while, unfortunately, the damage they 

 do is readily detected, the great services they render can only be 

 appreciated by those who take pains to investigate the subject. 

 The " pros and cons" in regard to each particular bird seem to 

 be very fairly considered. 



The July number of the Journal of Conchology contains an 

 interesting sketch of the life and career of the late Mr. Lovell 

 Reeve, the well-known conchologist, with extracts from his 

 diary and correspondence. , 



No fewer than three books dealing with the life and work 

 of the late Prof. Huxley are being prepared at the present time. 

 Messrs. Macmillan and Co. will issue the biography of his 

 father by Mr. Leonard Huxley, and a volume on the professor 

 is to be added to Messrs. Putnam's Sons' " Leaders of Science" 

 series from the pen of Mr. P. Chalmers Mitchell ; while a third 

 work is to be contributed to Messrs. W. Blackwood and Sons' 

 '' Modern English Writers " series by Mr. Edward Clodd. 



Messrs. Charles Griffin and Co., Ltd., have sent us 

 the seventeenth annual issue of the " Year-Book of the Scientific 

 and Learned Societies of Great Britain and Ireland," comprising 

 lists of the papers read during 1894 before societies engaged in 

 no fewer than, fourteen departments of research. The serial, 

 which is too well known to need more than a brief reference 

 here, contains much information of service to literary and 

 scientific men. It would be yet more valuable if the officials 

 of certain societies, against whose entry the words " No Return " 

 appears, could be induced to furnish the compiler with the titles 

 of the papers presented to their respective institutions. 



A new edition (the fifth) of "The Microtomist's Vade- 

 Mecum," by Arthur Bolles Lee, has just been issued by Messrs. 

 J. and A. Churchill. Considerable changes have been made in 

 the present edition, the whole work having been very carefully 

 revised since the last edition appeared nearly four years ago. 

 The text has undergone condensation throughout, making it 

 possible for much new matter to be added without increasing 

 the size of the volume. 



More and more space, we are glad to see, is being given in 

 the popular magazines to articles dealing in a greater or less 

 degree with scientific subjects, and in the monthlies for July 

 that have reached us we notice the following contributions of 

 this character : — In Pearson's Magazine Prof. Simon Newcomb 

 explains to the lay reader in simple language, and by the aid of 

 diagrams, "Hew the Planets are W^eighed"; while Dr. F. A. 



