446 



NATURE 



[March 12, 1896 



by various kinds of instruments, but the principle was the same 

 throughout — viz. two corresponding stations of known base 

 were selected, and the apparatus directed at the same instant 

 on the same point of the sky. A full description of the 

 instruments and method is given in the text, and printed in 

 vol. ix. of the Schriften of the Dantzig Philosophical Society. 

 The publication of the work is timely, as on May i next a year 

 of special cloud observation in all parts of the world is to com- 

 mence, under the auspices of the International Meteorological 

 Committee. The pamphlet contains much useful information 

 for intending observers. 



The Vcrhatidlimgen of the German Geographical Society 

 (No. I, 1896) contain a lecture, by Mr. A. Berson, on the use of 

 balloons for geographical purposes. As Mr. Berson has made 

 many ascents, both in free and captive balloons, in connection 

 with the Berlin Meteorological Office and other German institu- 

 tions, his remarks possess considerable interest. He refers to 

 the importance of captive balloons in voyages and in Arctic 

 expeditions, and regrets that Dr. Nansen did not take one with 

 him as he originally intended. He strongly condemns the 

 proposal to use a free balloon in the Andree polar expedition^ 

 and thinks it must certainly end in disaster. Mr. Berson found 

 during his ascents that in all types of weather, and at all seasons, 

 the temperature at great heights decreases more rapidly, or at 

 least as quickly, as in lower altitudes, and that at a height of 

 over 5000 metres much lower temperatures exist than those 

 assumed after Mr. Glaisher's ascents. Also that the increase 

 of wind velocity is much greater than was supposed ; in one 

 ascent, when the wind velocity was only about seven miles an 

 hour at a height of between looo and 3000 metres, it reached 

 thirty-seven miles an hour, between 4000 and 6000 metres. A 

 preponderance of winds with westerly components was also 

 observed in great altitudes, as is shown by cloud observations 

 made at the earth's surface. 



Dr. C. Sapper has studied the customs and religious views 

 of the Kekchi Indians of Guatemala {Iniernat. Arch. f. Ethnogr. , 

 viii. p. 195), and it is interesting to trace the Pagan-Christian over- 

 lap in the religion of these professed Roman Catholics. They will 

 not worship in a church out of their own district, as they believe 

 that the god of that church cannot understand them ; indeed, 

 when they go to neighbouring places, they renounce all religious 

 exercises. Crosses are erected on mountain-passes by all the 

 Maya Indians, and a native on first crossing a pass puts a stone 

 at the foot of a cross, and often offers flowers and incense, and 

 sometimes he will dance before it. If there is no cross on a pass, 

 the Kekchi Indian prays and brings offerings to the heathen 

 god. In order to make green parrots tender — for they are very 

 tough — the natives put them in a hammock before cooking, and 

 rock them, whistling to them, as if they were sleepy children. 

 Money presents, formerly to the value of 2 J dollars, were paid 

 by the bridegroom's father to the bride's father, but the price 

 has now risen to 7 dollars. A girl can have a husband bought 

 for her, but it is more expensive, as he costs 10 dollars. 



In the same journal (p. 215), Dr. J. Walter Fewkes gives a 

 " Provisional List of Annual Ceremonies at Walpi," his idea 

 being to bring together in proper sequence the prescribed yearly 

 observances of the Tusayan Indians. It appears that the dates 

 for the various festivals and ceremonies were fixed by the 

 extreme summer and winter solstitial points of risings and set- 

 tings, and by certain hillocks, notches, or trees on the horizon. 

 When the sun appears to rise or set behind recognised definite 

 points on the horizon, certain religious ceremonies are announced, 

 and secular occupations, as that of planting, initiated. The 

 author briefly describes the various annual ceremonies, the 

 period of their commencing, and their duration. It will be 

 NO. 1376, VOL. 53] 



evident that this is an important paper, as it coordinates 

 previous observations. 



Until Busse last year proclaimed the existence of a species 

 of yeast possessing pathogenic properties, this class of microbe;* 

 had escaped all imputation as regards disease-producing charac- 

 teristics. Busse's researches have been followed up by others 

 from Colpe, and Sanfelice, but the latest contribution to the sub- 

 ject has been received from Dr. Lydia Rabinowitsch, who has 

 worked at it under the superintendence of Dr. Robert Koch at 

 Berlin. Fifty different varieties of yeast were collected, and out 

 of these, seven were found possessing pathogenic properties. 

 These yeasts appear to be distinct from those pathogenic 

 varieties isolated by other observers. Amongst them is Monilia 

 Candida, a yeast already investigated by Jorgensen, and of con- 

 siderable interest on account of its remarkable fermentative 

 properties, but which Dr. Rabinowitsch found was fatal to 

 both rabbits and mice, although guinea-pigs were in no way 

 affected by it. Another yeast, pathogenic to mice, was obtained 

 from some figs which had been allowed to ferment, whilst a 

 so-called "wild " yeast, found on grapes, killed both rabbits and 

 mice. A variety of yeast isolated by Prof. Delbrllck from ale, 

 and sent from America, was also found to be fatal to rabbits in 

 from nine to ten days, and to mice in from four to six days 

 when subcutaneously introduced. Th^ fact that these patho- 

 genic yeast cells were usually found abundantly present in the 

 blood, and in the various organs of the animals' bodies, justifies, 

 says Dr. Rabinowitsch^ the assumption that the effect produced 

 by them was not due to intoxication from the products elaborated 

 by them, but to direct infection through their copious multipli- 

 cation within the animals' system. Sanfelice's observation that 

 the yeast cells presented a different appearance when taken 

 from artificial cultures, and from the bodies of animals respec- 

 tively, was not confirmed by Dr. Rabinowitsch, who could 

 detect no difference. 



Among the excursions which the Geologists' Association are 

 arranging for the coming season, the farthest afield are those to 

 the Dorsetshire coast (Easter), Chippenham and Calne (Whit- 

 suntide), Ipswich, the new railway at Catesby (Northants), and 

 West Somerset and North Devon (in July). Nearer town. 

 Galley Hill (Kent), Hendon, Leith Hill, Chingford, Reading, 

 Hitchin, and High Barnet will be visited. 



The present volume (vol. xiv.) of the Proceedings of the Geo- 

 logists' Association will be largely devoted to Indian geology. The 

 two presidential addresses of the late President, Lieut. -General 

 C. A. McMahon— the first published in the number for May 

 1895, the second not yet published— deal with the Himalayas. 

 The February number, which has only just been issued, contains 

 a paper, by W. H. Hudleston, on the geology of India in general, 

 with special notes on a journey from Bombay to Kashmir. The 

 first part gives an excellent summary of the geology of India, 

 illustrated by a coloured map ; while a number of sections 

 accompany the second part. 



The monthly notes on Petrography, contributed by Dr. W. S. 

 Bayley to the American Naturalist for 1895, have been re- 

 printed and issued together as a " Summary of Progress in 

 Petrography," which should be welcomed by those who are 

 unable to keep themselves abreast of the rapid increase of 

 knowledge in this department. A subject- and an author-index 

 are added. As the author omits his own papers, with one 

 exception, from the list, we may add that his researches on the 

 Basic Massive Rocks of the Lake Superior region, published in 

 the Chicago journal of Geology, should not be overlooked by 

 students of Petrography. 



An order has been made by the Home Secretary, which pro- 

 hibits the taking or destroying of the eggs of the following species 

 of wild birds throughout the administrative county of Durham : — 



