July 9, 1903 J 



NATURE 



?35 



graphs are certainly more accurate than the student's 



sketches would be, and are probably made in less time. 



The lack of sharp focus at the edges is due to the cheap 



microscope used, and not to the camera, which is good 



iiough for combination with any instrument likely to be 



nployed in this manner. Any microscope and any similar 



iiiiera may be used. The specimens reproduced show a 



agnification of X 20 diameters. 



Considering the simplicity of the method and the slight 

 st of the apparatus, the idea should recommend itself to 

 . good many students. W. Moss. 



SEISMOLOGICAL NOTES. 



IN the nineteenth report of the Tokio Physico-mathe- 

 matical Society Dr. F. Omori gives two short papers on 

 ilie velocity with which earthquake waves are propagated. 

 in calculating these velocities it is assumed that the paths 

 followed are m all cases arcual, and that a correct velocity 

 is arrived at by dividing the distance between Tokio and 

 a station in Europe by the difference in time at which 

 similar phases of movement were recorded at two such 

 places, .^s to the soundness of this method, excepting as 

 applied to the large waves of earthquakes, opinions vary. 

 In another note by the same investigator, attention is 



awn to the difference in the character of seismograms 



iained at two stations about a mile apart. At one 

 -i.ition, two distinct groups of maximum movements are 

 shown. These are explained as the longitudinal and trans- 

 verse components of elastic vibrations simultaneously pro- 

 duced at the seismic centre. At the other station the 

 records are described as a series of maximum movements 

 at fairly regular intervals. This feature is attributed to a 

 ihvthmic interference between the proper oscillation of a 



it surface soil and the movements of an underlying 



ider ground. In a discussion on pulsations or small 

 .:.uvements of non-seismic origin, it is shown that the 

 period of these corresponds to the period of preliminary 

 tremors, from which it is inferred that for both of these 

 movements their periods depend upon the nature of the 

 soil where they are observed. 



The thirteenth number of the Publications of the Earth- 

 quake Committee (Tokio) consists of a series of papers also 

 by Dr. F. Omori, several of which are identical with those 

 to which we have just referred. 



Long registers are given for the year 1900, the earth- 

 quakes in each of which originated in the same locality 

 or at great distances from the observing stations in Tokio. 

 In the earthquakes with distant origins, the periods of 

 the preliminary tremors do not depend upon their duration, 

 the duration of preliminary tremors being proportional to 

 the distance such earthquake motion may have travelled. 

 This is probably true for other phases of motion, and it 

 has also been shown to exist for macro-seismic disturbances. 



Other analyses relate to the relative magnitudes of earth- 

 quake movements, direction of first displacements, and 

 matters of greater or less seismological interest. 



In the Bulletin issued by the Philippine Weather Bureau 

 for December, 1902, the Rev. Marcial Sold, S.J., gives 

 an account of a violent earthquake which originated near 

 Manila, and was recorded at many stations around the 

 world. Materials from twenty-three of these stations are 

 analysed, and the velocities with which waves were pro- 

 pagated through and round the world have been calculated, 

 lor the first waves, along chords corresponding to a.xes 

 ' -^ than 46°, the velocity was 102km. per second., whilst 



I longer paths, up to 154°, this became 124km. per 



I ond. The maximum phase, travelling on arcs, did so 

 with a velocity of 3 ikm. per second, the lengths of the 

 waves varying between 106 and iSikm. Although these 

 results fall closely in line with those of other observers, it 

 may be pointed out that, if the time at which the earth- 

 quake originated was known, the values for velocities 

 arrived at would be somewhat reduced. 



In the last Bolletino (vol. viii. No. 8) issued by the Seis- 

 mological Society of Italy, Dr. Giulio Grablovitz contributes 

 a short paper describing a modified form of his vasca 

 sismica. This is a circular tank about i-5m. in diameter and 

 im. in depth. On this there is a floating tray, the move- 

 : ment of which at the time of earthquakes is recorded upon 

 a rotating cylinder. The chief feature in the records 

 obtained from such a fluid pendulum, the period of which 



NO. 1758, VOL. 68] 



is short, is that the indicated amplitude of the preliminary 

 tremors is usually more pronounced than that shown by 

 other types of instruments. 



Dr. G. Agamennone gives an account of the earthquake 

 which, on June 29, 1896, originated in Cyprus, and was 

 recorded at stations more than 3000km. from jts centre. 

 With the assumption that the wave paths were arcual, the 

 first movements were propagated with speeds slightly ex- 

 ceeding 13km. per second. It may be pointed out that these 

 values would be reduced had the wave paths been considered 

 chordal. The remainder of the Bolletino is taken up with 

 earthquake registers. These commenced in January, 1895, 

 and have now reached June, 1901. Inasmuch as they do 

 not simply refer to earthquakes noted in Italy, but to earth- 

 quakes which have spread over the whole world, for this 

 class of earthquakes the Italian catalogue is for many pur- 

 poses the most valuable which seismologists possess. 



ETHNOGRAPHICAL STUDIES IN NORTH 

 QUEENSLAND.' 

 'T'HE student of folk tale, custom and belief will find in 

 ■*■ the last Bulletin issued by Dr. Walter E. Roth a 

 mine of trustworthy data which will furnish new illustra- 

 tions of the working of the mind of a primitive people. 

 Though similar stories, ideas and habits may have been 

 recorded previously by various observers in this and other 

 parts of the world, yet none the less this record is of value 

 as it confirms the older accounts in their broad aspects, and 

 gives instructive variations in details. Some of the customs 

 appear to be peculiar to the North Queensland natives, 

 while others are definitely Australian in character. The 

 information is given in those short, pithy paragraphs to 

 which Dr. Roth has accustomed us ; at times we could 

 wish for more detailed information, but, on the other hand, 

 we are spared any unnecessary verbiage, and there are no 

 hypotheses or guesses. It is a comfort not to have to 

 pick out facts from a mass of writing, and also to feel 

 that the information can be absolutely trusted. 



Readers of Spencer and Gillen's memorable book, " The 

 Native Tribes of Central Australia," will remember that 

 the .Arunta do not recognise the relation between the sexual 

 act and conception ; this seemed so strange that it was 

 felt that some confirmation of this ignorance was needed, 

 and Dr. Roth now gives it to us, for he says that though 

 the relation is not recognised among the Tully River 

 blacks so far as they themselves are concerned, it is 

 admitted as true for all animals — indeed, this idea con- 

 firms them in their belief of superiority over the brute 

 creation. Dr. Roth offers the following explanation of this 

 strange belief : — " When it is remembered that as a rule 

 in all these northern tribes, a little girl may be given to and 

 will live with her spouse as wife long before she reaches 

 the stage of puberty — the relationship of which to fecundity 

 is not recognised — the idea of conception not being neces- 

 sarily due to sexual connection becomes partly intelligible." 

 \'arious other beliefs and customs connected with sexual 

 history are narrated, amongst which may be mentioned the 

 seclusion of girls at puberty, at which period, as in the 

 western islands of Torres Straits, as Dr. Seligmann has 

 pointed out, the girls are half-buried and surrounded by a 

 leafy bower. 



Numerous magical practices are described ; many have 

 for their object the procuring of disease or death, others 

 are curative, some induce success in love, while others give 

 luck in hunting or fishing. A vital principle, breath, 

 thought, will-power, soul, spirit, or whatever it may be 

 termed, is recognised by all the tribes, but some deny this 

 to animals and plants, while others will grant it to animals 

 but not to plants. Dr. Roth's explanation of the opinion 

 widely spread among the white men that the blackfellow 

 believes he is transformed into a white man at death, or, 

 as it is expressed, " black jump-up white-fellow," is that 

 the vital principle, or spirit, of a native may be re- 

 incarnated in a white man, and not that his body is actually 

 transformed into that of a European. A number of illustra- 

 tions further add to the value of this important publication. 



A. C. H. 



1 North Queensland .Ethnography, Bulletin No. 5. "Superstition, 

 Magic and Medicine," by Walter E. Roth, the Norihern Protector of ; 

 Aboriginals, Queens'and. (Home Secretary's Department, Brisb*n«, 



