June 9, 1892] 



NATURE 



133 



columns of Nature). The first essay deals with degeneration, 

 and clearly shows, by abundant illustrations, that it has resulted 

 from panmixia, or the cessation of natural selection. The 

 second is an attempt to explain the development of the art of 

 music, and to show that the hereditary transmission of the results 

 of practice is quite unnecessary in order to account for its rise. 

 The third contains a reply to certain objections urged by Prof. 

 Vines. It will be useful in giving clearer expression to the ideas 

 on the death of multicellular beings and the immortality of the uni- 

 cellular. The fourth and last essay is by far the longest and most 

 important. It deals with the essential significance of sexual 

 reproduction and conjugation, &c., as inferred from the results 

 of the most recent researches. Prof. Weismann's older views 

 on these subjects (especially concerning the polar bodies) have 

 been modified and in part abandoned. The immortality of uni- 

 cellular beings and the question of the transmission of acquired 

 characters by them are also discussed in detail with reference to 

 recent observations. 



We have received the first volume of the Jahrbuck der 

 C hemic, a new periodical issued by the Frankfort publisher 

 II. Bechhold. The editor is Prof. Richard Meyer, of Bruns- 

 wick. Chemistry is now divided into so many departments 

 that it is difficult for specialists to obtain an accurate idea of 

 the recent progress of the science as a whole. The object of 

 the Jahrbuch is to ^supply this need, and, if we may judge 

 from the first issue, the work is likely to fulfil its purpose 

 admirably. The editor has secured the co-operation of many 

 well-lcnown chemists, each of whom presents a general view 

 of what was done last year in the department of research to 

 which he himself is more particularly devoted. Thus there 

 are, among other papers, reports on physical chemistry, by 

 W. Nernst ; on inorganic chemistry, by G. Kriiss ; on organic 

 chemistry, by C. A. BischofT; on physiological chemistry, by 

 F. Rohmann ; on pharmaceutical chemistry, by H. Beckurts ; 

 on agricultural chemistry, by E. F. Diirre ; on explosives, by 

 C. Haussermann ; and on photography, by J. M. Eder and E. 

 Valenta. In future issues the editor hopes to include the 

 bibliography of each branch of the subject. 



The new number of Wundt's Philosophische Studien opens 

 with a comprehensive paper by the editor on " Hypnotism and 

 Suggestion." The subject is treated from the double standpoint 

 of physiology and psychology ; and the article should go far 

 towards bringing about a saner tone of thought than that which 

 is just now current, even in '• educated circles." Mr. Titchener's 

 chronometrical determinations reduce the recognition time of 

 colours to 30, of letters and short words to 50 thousandths of a 

 second. Dr. Merkel's article on the psychophysical error- 

 methods is concluded ; and Drs. Kiilpe and Kirschmann publish 

 the results of a careful testing of the Hipp chronoscope (old 

 pattern) by means of a new control-hammer. 



On Sunday last a terrible disaster overtook the petroleum 

 district in Pennsylvania, especially the places called Oil City 

 and Titusville. A thunderstorm, accompanied by torrents of 

 rain, broke over the district, and the two cities were so quickly 

 inundated by the swollen waters of Oil Creek that it was 

 difficult for the inhabitants to escape to the hills, and many were 

 drowned. Several refineries were struck by lightning, so that 

 the unfortunate towns were devastated equally by fire and by 

 water. It is supposed that about 200 persons lost their lives, 

 while the destruction of property was enormous. 



The gallery in the South Kensington Museum assigned 

 to the large collection of wrought iron work which has 

 for some time been closed for rearrangement, was re- 

 opened to the public on Whit Monday. The larger grilles 

 and screens, including the gates from Hampton Court, are 

 NO. T 180, VOL. 46] 



now placed in • the arched spaces on either side, while the 

 lanterns, cressets, signs, &c., are suspended along the gallery, 

 smaller objects being shown in sloping glass cases. Among 

 these last is a curious series of rush-candle holders, tobacco 

 tongs, and other domestic implements used in England, chiefly 

 in the eighteenth century, collected and lent by Lady Dorothy 

 Nevill. Examples of the locksmith's art, English, French, and 

 German, are numerous, including some chiselled steel locks and 

 keys from old French buildings, but produced by "Johannes 

 Wilkes de Birmingham " in the seventeenth century. Some of 

 the more famous specimens of mediaeval work in English cathe- 

 drals have been reproduced in facsimile. A hand-book on 

 "Decorative Iron Work," prepared by Mr. Starkie Gardner, 

 will shortly be published. 



The Board of Directors of the Zoological Society of Phila- 

 delphia have issued their twentieth report, and are able to give 

 a good account of their work during the past year. Among the 

 changes of the year was the establishment of " a cheap day," 

 the price of admission on Saturdays and holidays (except the 

 Fourth of July), having been fixed at ten cents for adults and five 

 for children. The result has been satisfactory, the attendance 

 having increased considerably, while there has been no material 

 financial loss. Another fact noted in the report is that an offer 

 of free admission to the Garden was made to the Board of 

 Education for such classes of pupils of the public schools as 

 seemed to the Board likely to profit by the privilege. Under 

 the arrangement entered into, nearly ten thousand scholars of 

 the public schools were admitted between September 23, when 

 tickets were issued, and March i, the end of the Society's fiscal 

 year. 



The botanical section of the Imperial Museum of Natural 

 History at Vienna is about to issue, under thename "Cryptogamse, 

 Exsiccatse," a collection of named Cryptogams to its contributors, 

 and in exchange for other similar collections. 



The Indian papers report that, under the auspices of the 

 Government and Secretary of State for India, an important 

 work, illustrative of the famous Ajanta Cave mural paintings, 

 will be published shortly. The bulk of the work will consist of 

 173 imperial folio plates, mostly produced in chromo-collotype, 

 by Mr. Griggs, of Peckham, the accompanying text being from 

 the pen of Mr. John Griffiths and Dr. James Burgess, CLE. 



From an official return just published it appears that during 

 1891 the total number of persons killed in the Punjab by wild 

 beasts and snakes was 861, or one less than during the previous 

 year. The great majority died of snake-bite, only 65 deaths 

 being attributed to wild beasts. On the other hand, of the 966 

 cattle reported to have been destroyed, only 38 were killed by 

 snakes. 



Mr. W, S. Key calls attention, in the American journal. 

 Electricity, to the difficulty which manufacturers of electrical 

 devices in the United States experience in obtaining iron adapted 

 for electrical purposes. They complain of the inferior quality 

 of the iron, the trouble in obtaining such brands as are in every 

 way suitable, magnetically considered, for use in electrical de- 

 vices such as dynamo and motor armatures, transformers, &c. 

 They also complain of the irregular and unsatisfactory manner 

 in which it is too generally annealed and finished by rolling, 

 scaling, &c. Some of these manufacturers have for years used 

 imported English, Welsh, and Swedish iron, which is necessarily 

 of high price. They have also used Pennsylvania iron of high 

 quality, but as yet have failed to discover just the quality they 

 need. Mr. Key's experience in connection with a well-known 

 firm in England has convinced him that iron such as is wanted 

 in electrical manufactures might be produced if proper methods 

 were adopted. "To secure such iron," he says, "of course 



