40 



NATURE 



[June 



903 



are best seen by consulting the map accompanying the paper, 

 on which all the mean wind directions for each year and 

 for each station are plotted. 



Most interesting curves of wind resultants at Key West, 

 Bermuda, Mt. Washington, and Pike's Peak are repro- 

 duced. Prof. Davis concludes by saying : — " The remark- 

 able relations revealed by these tables and charts show that 

 the natural relations of the winds are complex and still 

 obscure. I see no indication of a sun-spot nor of a lunar 

 influence. To what natural laws or combination of laws 

 are we to attribute these variations in the annual re- 

 sultants? " Perhaps, as a suggestion, Prof. Davis might 

 correlate the- variations of the wind directions in the 

 southern stations with the barometric changes from year 

 to year, which latter have recently been shown to be nearly 

 identical with those in South America, and the inverse of 

 those in the regions about the Indian Ocean and Australia. 



In connection with the preceding paragraph, the paper 

 by Prof. K. Kassner, on " Sonnenflecken, Depressionen der 

 Zugstrasse V* und Niederschlage " (/InuaZen der Hydro- 

 graphie und Mariiimen Meteorologie, March) is of great 

 interest. The author has analysed the variations in the 

 yearly number of barometric minima which pass along this 

 cyclone track, as specified by van Bebber, for the long period 

 1874 to 1901. He shows that the variations are in general 

 agreement with an inverted sun-spot curve, that is, that 

 there is a greater number of these low pressure areas at 

 sun-spot minima than at the maxima. There are, however, 

 several outstanding minor variations of shorter period. 



various reports show clearly the directions economic ento- 

 mology is now taking — the introduction of parasitic species 

 which prey upon the pests, particularly of ladybirds feeding 

 upon aphis and scale — fumigation of infested plants with 

 hydrocyanic acid or carbon bisulphide — and the compounding 

 of different sorts of spraying mixtures. Mr. Lounsbery 

 gives accounts of several attempts at the introduction of 

 exotic ladybirds from California to keep mealybug, scale and 

 American blight in check, though none of them have yet 

 become established, as has, however, been successfully 

 achieved with the Vedalia, which keeps Icerya purchasi in 

 check. Various recipes for making paraflin emulsions are 

 given; considering the' efficacy of parafifin as an insecticide, 

 and "the difficulty that is always experienced in keeping it 

 emulsified, it is strange that more trial is not made of the 

 method devised by Mr. H. H. Cousins of increasing the 

 specific gravity of the paraffin by dissolving naphthalene 

 in it. Another section of economic entomology treated in 

 this report is the investigation of a cattle tick which serves 

 as an intermediary host for a parasite causing " heart 

 water," a disease mainly affecting sheep and goats, and 

 of another tick-propagated disease known as malignant 

 jaundice of dogs. 



One interesting application of modern methods which 

 may be found here reported is the fumigation with hydro- 

 cyanic acid of gaols, asylums, and kindred public build- 

 ings to free them of the insect vermin which are so terribly 

 abundant in South Africa. 



A CAMERA FOR NATURALISTS. 

 \Ar E have recently had an opportunity of inspecting one 

 ' * of the " Birdland " cameras made by Messrs. Sanders 

 and Crowhurst, of 71 Shaftesbury Avenue, to the design 

 of Mr. Oliver G. Pike. Mr. Pike is well known as a 

 specialist in the photography of birds and all that pertains 

 to them, and so far as we, who are not specialists in this 

 matter, are able to judge, the camera that he has designed 

 is excellently adapted for the use of naturalists. Certainly 

 no pains have been spared on the part of the makers to 

 carry out Mr. Pike's ideas in a serviceable and practical 

 way. The lens is a Goerz double anastigmat of 7 inches 

 focal length, and by opening the front of the camera and 

 drawing the lens forward, a change that is effected in a 

 few seconds, the back combination may be used alone. 



The range of focusing is sufficient to photograph objects 

 within four or five feet even when the single combination 

 is used, and the power that this provides in conjunction 

 with the lens of twelve or thirteen inches focal length in 

 getting large images will be appreciated by anyone who 

 has attempted the photography of small animals. Focusing 

 s'.ales are afTixed both for the complete lens and the single 

 combination, though these would probably be rarely used, 

 as the finder is a reflex arrangement that gives a full-size 

 view of the image that falls upon the plate when the shutter 

 is operated. An important point with regard to the finder 

 is that its image can be seen when viewed from above, as 

 usual, and also by looking horizontally when the camera 

 is level with the eye. A mirror in the hood effects this 

 desirable convenience. The shutter is the focal plane 

 Anschutz, but with a device made soecially by Messrs. 

 Sanders and Crowhurst for linking it with the mirror 

 within the camera that reflects the image upwards on to 

 the finder screen. One release removes the mirror and 

 operates the shutter, all the movements taking place 

 smoothly and practically noiselessly. The camera is 

 covered with a dull green leather, and all metal parts are 

 bronzed, so that it forms an inconspicuous object in the 

 ordinary surroundings of the country. 



ENTOMOLOGY AT THE CAPE.^ 

 'X'HE Cape has been described as the most magnificent 



-•- natural museum of insect pests and parasitic diseases 

 which the world possesses, and the report of Mr. I.ounsbery 

 for 1901 shows that, despite the dislocation induced by the 

 war, he is making good use of his opportunities. " The 



1 Cape of Good Hope Report of the Government Entomologist for 

 1901. Pp. 103. (Cape Town, 1902.) 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Cambridge.— Mr. A. C. Seward, F.R.S., has been 

 reappointed University lecturer in botany. The University 

 lectureship in midwifery is vacant by the resignation of 

 Mr. Stabb. Candidates are to make application to the 

 Vice-Chancellor before October 20. Mr. L. Doncaster. 

 I King's, has been appointed assistant to the superintendent 

 \ of the museum of zoology. 



: The University College of South Wales and Monmouth- 



l shire, Cardiff, is proposed for adoption as an institution 



i affiliated to the University of Cambridge. 



i Dr. Humphry, Dr. S. West, and Dr. W. Hale White 



! have been appointed examiners in medicine; Dr. Herman 



I and Dr. Handfield Jones examiners in midwifery ; and Mr. 



Clinton Dent, Mr. E. Ward, and Mr. E. Owen examiners 



in surgery — for the third -M.B. examination. Mr. F". C. 



Parsons, " St. Thomas's Hospital, London, has been 



appointed an examiner in human anatomy. Mr. A. E. 



Shipley has been reappointed University member of the 



council of the Marine Biological Association. 



NO. 1754, VOL. 68] 



A CHAIR of agricultural botany has been established at 

 the University of Rennes, and M. Daniel has been elected 

 the first professor. 



The late Alderman Benjamin Robinson, chemical manu- 

 facturer, bequeathed 500L for scholarships in connection 

 with the Royal Salford Technical Institute. 



Dr. J. J. R. Maclkod, assistant demonstrator of physi- 

 ology at the London Hospital, has been appointed professor 

 of physiology at the Western Reserve I'niversity, Cleve- 

 land, Ohio. 



Dr. John Rvan has been appointed principal of the 

 Paddington Technical Institute of the London County 

 Council. Dr. Ryan was formerly professor of engineering 

 at University College, Nottingham, and at University 

 College, Bristol, and has for the past three years held the 

 post of principal of the Woolwich Polytechnic. 



The Edinburgh summer meeting, which was instituted 

 in 1886 and held annually until 1899, is now to be resumed, 

 and the course will extend from August 3 to 29. The meet- 

 ing will be directed by Prof. Patrick Geddes, and wilt 

 deal this year especially with a study of Edinburgh and 

 its -region. The requirements of Scottish and English 

 teachers in nature-study will receive prominent attention, 

 and a series of excursions to various places of interest will 

 be held. Sir John Murray, Prof. J. Arthur Thomson, and 



