648 



NATURE 



[October 30, 1890 



" Vie des Animaux." The first part of the new work has been 

 sent to us. The author arranges his facts clearly, and there are 

 some good illustrations. 



Mr, Fisher Unwin has published an interesting volume on 

 "Teneriffe," by George W. Strettell. It is an expansion of a 

 paper read by the author before the Congress at Brighton last 

 August. Mr. Strettell records his personal experiences, and in 

 describing Teneriffe as a health resort, avoids, with equal care, 

 extravagant laudation on the one hand, and undue depreciation 

 on the other. 



The new volume of the "Minerva Library" consists of re- 

 prints of Darwin's "Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs " ; 

 his " Volcanic Islands " ; and his " Geological Observations on 

 South America." Prof. J. W. Judd contributes a critical in- 

 troduction to each work. 



A CORRESPONDENT inquires as to the titles of any works in 

 the nature of scientific guide-books to Switzerland and the 

 neighbouring countries, and to the usual tourist resorts for 

 health, &c. — which deal with their chief features of botany, 

 zoology, geology, ethnology, &c. The books should not exceed 

 the size or cost of ordinary guide-books, and may be French 

 or English. "We shall be glad to print any titles that may be 

 sent to us. 



A SOMEW^HAT severe shock of earthquake occurred at Hech- 

 ingen on October 14, at 2.30 a.m. At Nexo, on the Island of 

 Bornholm, a slight rumbling of earthquake was noticeable for 

 almost an hour on October 8, the same day on which several 

 shocks were felt in Norway. 



The formation of icebergs was watched, this last summer, by 

 Mr. H. B. Loomis and Prof. Muir, while staying seven weeks 

 near the Muir Glacier {Amer. Journ. of Science). The falling of 

 blocks from the terminal wall was very irregular : at times, about 

 every five minutes ; while at other times the observer might wait 

 an hour without seeing one fall. One day, in twelve hours, 129 

 thundering reports from the falling bergs were heard at camp, 

 about a mile off. In heavy rain, especially, it seemed as if a 

 thunderstorm or cannonade were going on. Sometimes a block, 

 breaking off, bursts into fragments, and falls like a cataract. 

 Again, an enormous block will sink unbroken into the water, 

 then rise, perhaps 250 feet, even with the top of the glacier, the 

 water pouring off it ; then topple on its side with a heavy thun- 

 dering roar, scattering spray in all directions, and wallow about 

 among other icebergs like a huge monster. 



A PAMPHLET on "The Law of Storms," considered with 

 special reference to the North Atlantic, has been sent to us by 

 the author, Mr. Everett Hayden, It is an abstract of a paper 

 read by him before the National Geographic Society in 

 November last. Hurricanes are most frequent in the summer 

 months in each hemisphere. Originating in the tropics they move 

 westward, then poleward, and finally eastward in higher latitudes, 

 gradually receding from the equator. Between hurricanes north 

 and south of the line the essential difference is that in the 

 northern hemisphere the rotation of the cyclonic whirl is against 

 the hands of a watch and in the southern with them. The 

 author goes on to say that the noted hurricane regions are the 

 West Indies, coast of China and Japan, Bay of Bengal (especially 

 in May and October at the time of the change of the monsoons), 

 and the South Indian Ocean (about Mauritius). In the brief 

 statements and descriptions regarding hurricanes and storms, 

 including some of the latest hurricanes that have occurred in the 

 last two or three years, the most recent, most important, and 

 best established facts, which every navigator ought to know, 

 have been written concisely and intelligibly. Accompanying 

 these descriptions are charts which illustrate clearly the wind 

 currents and barometric depressions. To explain the great 

 NO 1056, VOL. 42] 



cloud bank, and the storm wave or general elevation of the sea 

 caused by the spirally in- blowing winds and low barometer, the 

 author has given a very neat little sketch in cross-section, and a 

 second sketch is added to convey a clear mental conception of 

 the actual motions of the particles of air as they flow inwards 

 from below, their whirl upwards and flow outwards at the top. 



In a paper on moles, lately read before the Bristol Naturalists' 

 Society, and now printed in its Proceedings, Mr. C. I. Trusted 

 calls attention to the fact that there are said to be no moles in 

 Ireland. He has never seen a mole-hill in that country, and an 

 acquaintance of his at Belfast— " a good and observant natural- 

 ist"— says, " It 2J a fact that moles do not exist in Ireland." 

 Yet, as Mr. Trusted points out, there are in many parts of Ire- 

 land wide districts which seem to be well suited to the mole's 

 habits. 



The Department of Public Instruction, in New South Wales, 

 have printed in their technical education series a valuable paper 

 on wattles and wattle-barks, by J. H. Maiden. In an intro- 

 ductory note the Minister for Public Instruction says that ex- 

 periments in wattle-culture in Victoria and South Australia 

 have resulted in a practical success. He knows of no sound 

 reason why similar enterprise should not be equally profitable in 

 New South Wales, which has, in many parts, soil and climate 

 well adapted for this industry. 



Some persons digging peat near the village of Fochterloo, 

 Friesland, lately came across a sunken forest of trees with enor- 

 mous trunks. The trees are lying on a sandy soil, in the direc- 

 tion from north-west to south-east ; it is not yet decided to what 

 species they belong. The exteriors resemble oak, but the 

 insides are brittle, and burn like tinder. 



We have received the third edition, just published, of a 

 general list of observatories, astronomers, astronomical societies, 

 and astronomical reviews, prepared by Mr. A. Lancaster, 

 librarian of the Royal Observatory of Brussels. Under the 

 heading of each observatory will be found its latitude and 

 longitude, the names of all those who compose its staff, and its 

 yearly publications. Under astronomical societies the informa- 

 tion given relates to the following : date of foundation, object, 

 memoirs published, and names of the president, secretary, and 

 treasurer. The next part is headed, "Institutions diverses," 

 and includes — among other institutions — the Bureau of Longi- 

 tudes of France at Paris, Bureau of the Nautical Almanac at 

 London, Bureau of the Nautical Abnanac at Washington, Solar 

 Physics Committee, &c. The staff employed or members in 

 each of these institutions is given, together with the yearly 

 publications. The fourth section deals with astronomical re- 

 views and journals, and the information that is brought 

 together mentions the name of the editor, the price, the fre- 

 quency of publication, and the date of first appearance. The 

 fifth and sixth sections consist of alphabetical lists, with addresses, 

 of astronomers and instrument makers. With the help of the 

 good general alphabetical table that is added at the end, the J 

 book will be sure to be found very handy and useful for j^ 

 reference. 



R. Friedlander and Son, Berlin N.W., 11 Carlstrasse, 

 have issued part xxiii, of their "Catalogues of Books. " It contains 

 titles of a large number of important works dealing with every 

 branch of astronomical science, hence it will be of great use to , 

 those in search of rare books, and also to the general biblio- 

 grapher. 



We have received the sixth fascicule of the "Works of the 

 Aral-Caspian Expedition," which contains the geological diary 

 of Prof, Barbot de Marny during the Expedition. This diary, 

 which unhappily remained unpublished for thirteen years after 

 the Professor's death, is rich in accurate observations, which 



