March 28, 1895] 



NA TURE 



515 



the silvel- coating of the globe, and serves to put this to earth. 

 The authors consider that their experiments show that the gaseous 

 molecules which leave the surface of the incandescent platinum 

 wire in the case of hydrogen are positively electrified, their 

 potential being about 025 volt higher than the mean potential 

 of the incandescent wire. In the case of air and carbon dioxid e 

 the increase above the mean potential of the wire is about one 

 volt. With hydrogen at a somewhat high temperature an in- 

 version of the phenomenon takes place, since the potential of 

 the insulated electrode becomes less than the mean potential of 

 the wire. 



A NEW phototheodolite is described by Herr O. Ney in the 

 Zeilschrijt fiir Instrumentekiiiindi. The novel feature about 

 it is the geometrical clamp, which enables the surveyor to ex- 

 change the telescope and the camera on the stand with ease and 

 accuracy. Both are provided with three spherical feel, which 

 rest in a hole, a slot, and a plane respectively, madeofhaid 

 steel, and fixed on the stand. This seems an admirable way out 

 of the difficulty attending the simultaneous use of telescope and 

 camera. Other instrument-makers combine the two by mount- 

 ing a telescope at the side of the camera, with a counterpoise 

 on the other side. In one instrument the telescope lens is also 

 used for photographic purposes. But these instruments are 

 either too small, or the adjustment is exceedingly unstable. In 

 Ney's phototheodolite, which is made chiefly of aluminium, 

 provision is made for securing the camera or the telescope on 

 the stand after it is mounted in the hole-slot-and-plme clamp, 

 and also for the constancy of the position of the sensitive plate. 

 With these improvements, the instrument is likely to become a 

 most valuable aid to surveying practice. 



Dr. C. G. de Dalla Torre's useful "Catalogus Hymen. 

 opterorum " continues to make satisfactory progress. It is pro- 

 posed to complete it in ten octavo volumes, exclusive of biblio- 

 graphy and in-iex, which will form a separate volume ; and five 

 volumes have already been published, including vol. i, Tenthre- 

 diniJ.c and Uroceridu ; vol. 2, CynipiJ.,-. vol.6, Chryiidida: ; 

 vol. 7, I'ormicidiz ; and vol. 9, J'espidir. The remaining families 

 may be expected to follow shortly. The subject of entomology 

 is so vast that little progress can be made without some ento- 

 mologist from time to time devoting his life to the compilation 

 of these great key-catalogues, which are landmarks in the study 

 of tlie orders of which they treat, and stand towards them in 

 the same relation as a dictionary to a language. Moreover, 

 such catalogues involve an amount of patient and unremitting 

 toil that no one can appreciate who has not himself experienced 

 it ; they are frequently published at a heavy pecuniary loss, and 

 are peculiarly liable to criticism, which may be fair and friendly 

 in tone, or may be just the reverse. Let us hope that Dr. 

 Dalla Torre's labours will meet with the encouragement which 

 he deserves from the hymenopterists, whose labours he has so 

 much contributed to lighten. 



The discovery of the use of fire d.ates back to the very dawn 

 of human intelligence ; therefore the study of the rites and 

 ceremonials which are found among every race in connection 

 with the lighting of new fires, furnishes important facts for the 

 discussion of the primitive history of human culture. But be- 

 fore it is possible to .ipply comparative methods of treatment to 

 the subject, exact observations are required of the details of the 

 new fire ceremony, wherever it survives, especially in less modi- 

 ned, savage, or primitive peoples. This requirement is fulfilled 

 by an article, by Mr, J. W. Fewkes, descriptive of the new fire 

 ceremony as it exists among the Pueblo Indians of Tusay.in 

 /tosU'ii Soc. A'al. //«/., vol. xxvi. pp. 422-45S, Feb. 1895). Mr. 

 Fewkes watched two such observances of the Tusayan Indians, 

 )ne in 1S92, and the other in 1893. In both years active cerc- 

 nonials began on November 13, and continued five days. Two 



NO. 1326, VOL. 51] 



other days, November S and 9, were devoted respectively to- 

 "smoke assembly " and "official announcement," and Novem- 

 ber i8, when all serious ceremonials had ceased, was a general 

 holiday. On each of the five days, from November 13-17, 

 various processions and rituals were observed, in many of which 

 the element of phallic worship plays a not inconspicuous part. 

 It is unnecessary to describe these performances, but one or two 

 remarkable points in connection with the dates on which they 

 take place, are of interest. The Tusayan Indians, says Mr. 

 Fewkes, can neither read nor write, and are ignorant of our 

 almanacs and calendars, nevertheless they manage to make the 

 performances commence on the same date, within a day or two, 

 every year, the time of year being obtained by observation of 

 the stars. Another instance of the astronomical knowledge of 

 such rude people as the Tusayan Indians, is afforded by the fact 

 that the culmination of the PliiadiS is used to determine the 

 proper time for the beginning of certain rites. This is a further 

 example of the widespread use of the Pleiades for the determin- 

 ation of the time for the celebration of primitive rites and 

 ceremonials. 



It may interest our readers to know that a catalogue of the 

 more important books published in Denmark and Norway 

 during the year 1S94 can be obtained from the Skandinavisk 

 Antiquariat, 49 Go'.hersgade, Copenhagen. The catalogue 

 contains the titles of a number of important works on various 

 branches of science. 



A NEW volume, containing the Biological Lectures delivered 

 at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Holl, in 1894, 

 will shortly be published by Messrs. Ginn and Co. The lectures 

 cover a wide range of subjects, most of which are proaiinent 

 questions at the present time, and all of which are of special 

 interest to teachers and students of biology. 



Mr. R. F. Stupart, the new Director of the Meteorological 

 Serviceof Canada, has commenced the publication of a mDnthly 

 weather map, showing the mean temperature and the difference 

 from the mean average temperature, also total rain and snow- 

 fall for the month, and depth of snow on th; ground on the 

 last day of the month. It is interesting to note that an extremely 

 cold spell prevailed over Ontario in the early part of February, 

 some of the low readings being almost unprecedented. 



Mr. H. W. Wiley, the chem-st to the United States De- 

 partment of Agriculture, recjm Beads the cultivation of the 

 cassava, Manihot u'.ilissima, in the most southerly of the 

 United States. It furnishes an excellent food for men and for 

 cattle ; though, from the small proportion of nitrogen which it 

 contains, it cannot t.ike the place of bread-stuffs. A very good 

 kind of tapioca may be made from it. The yield, in sandy 

 soils, is from four to five tons per acre. 



A COLOURED map, showing the density of the popuUtion of 

 Ireland at the Census of 1891, has been prepared and pablisheJ 

 by Mr. E. E. Fournier, Bray, Ireland. The map exhibits at a 

 glance the density of the population, and shows clearly that 

 some of the oldest railways have had a beneficial iniiaen:e in 

 preserving or increasing the population of the districts thrjagh 

 which they run. It is the first of a series intended to exhibit 

 graphically the physical, social, economic, and religious features 

 of Ireland. 



" The Statesman's Year-Bjok " (Macmillan and C:).)— that 

 handy compendium of statistical and historical informition 

 relating to all the States of the world— has attained its thirty- 

 second year of publication. Edited by Mr. J. Scott Keltie, 

 with the assistance of Mr. I. P. .\. Renwick, the volume is a 

 standard work of reference in which the man of business can 

 find the commercial statistics he needs, to which the politician 

 can apply for trustworthy statements, and from which the 



