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NA TORE 



[December 21, 1899 



persistent areas of high pressure, among which he distinguishes 

 five principal types, in which an anticyclone lies (i) in the 

 neighbourhood of the British Isles (with depressions lying to 

 the eastward) ; {2) over Germany (with depressions at a con- 

 siderable distance off) ; (3) over North or North-East Europe 

 (with depressions to the southward) ; (4) over East or North-East 

 Europe (with low pressure in the west) ; (5) over South and 

 South- West Europe (with low pressure to the northward). 

 Tables are given showing the frequency in days of the weather 

 types during twenty years, and of their mean duration. The 

 cases in which the high pressure is situated in the western half 

 of the horizon are much more frequent than those in which it 

 lies to the eastward, especially in the summer season. The 

 distribution of pressure corresponding to type (4) is a winter 

 type, and shows a decided minimum during summer. The 

 occurrence of type (3) in April is very marked, and it is com- 

 paratively rare in the summer season. The duration of the 

 different types varies considerably in the twenty years' period, 

 but the average time is about three days. The chief character- 

 istics 01 the various types is explained ; but although these refer 

 mure particularly to the weather of the Continent, the lines on 

 which the investigation has been carried out may probably be 

 followed with advantage in other similar discussions. 



In the number of the Biologisches Centralblatt for October i. 

 Dr. L. Reh, of Hamburg, contributes a discussion on symmetry 

 and asymmetry in animals, in the course of which he disputes 

 the correctness of several current views. It has, for instance, 

 been asserted that asymmetry occurs only in land animals of a 

 sluggish disposition and in aquatic creatures. But, observes the 

 author, the majority of fishes are some of the most symmetrical 

 of all animals ; while in contrast to the unsymmetrical claws of 

 land-crabs is the symmetry of those of their aquatic cousins. 

 In regard to the occurrence of symmetry in rapidly moving 

 creatures and of asymmetry in those of stationary habits, Dr. 

 Reh admits that, so far as external characters are concerned, 

 the former condition obtains in insects, most fishes and birds, 

 while many tube-dwelling worms, univalve molluscs, and flat- 

 fish are as markedly unsymmetrical. On the other hand, con- 

 spicuous asymmetry is met with in the intestines of birds and in 

 the skulls of the toothed whales ; while many barnacles, bivalve 

 molluscs, and brachiopods are as distinctly symmetrical. 



Captain Guido Couarde contributes to the Mittheilungen 

 of the Vienna Geographical Society an interesting paper on the 

 island of Mayotto, the member of the Comoro group nearest to 

 Madagascar. A short history of the island is given, and notes 

 on its trade, population, climate, flora, and fauna. 



Petermann's Mittheilungen contains the first part of a 

 detailed study of the geology of Celebes, by Prof. H. Bucking. 

 The region described is that of Minahassa, in the extreme 

 north-west of the island. Minahassa is remarkable for volcanic 

 activity ; there are large numbers of active volcanoes, sol- 

 fataras, mud-volcanoes, and hot springs. 



We have received the first part of the fifty-sixth volume of 

 the Verhandlungen des naturhistorischen Vereins der Preus- 

 sischen Jiheinlande, Westfalens, und des Reg.-Bezirks Osna- 

 briick. The general meeting for 1899 was held at Aix-la- 

 Chapelle, and the report contains papers on " Eyes and In- 

 dustry," by Dr. Thier, oculist in Aix ; on the rainfall of the 

 Rhine Province, by Dr. P. Polls ; on the geology of volcanic 

 islands, by Paul Grosser ; and on the spiders of the Rhine 

 Province, by W. Bosenberg. 



The Hull Scientific and Field Naturalists' Club sends a copy 

 of its Transactions for the year 1899. The club wisely confines 

 its publications to local topics. Mr. J. W. Boult contributes a 

 NO. 1573, VOL. 61] 



list of Macro- Lepidoptera collected within eight miles of Hull. 

 Mr. Thomas Sheppard deals with the contents and origin of the 

 gravels around Hull. Some of the gravels he regards as Pre- 

 Glacial, although the evidence furnished by the mammalian 

 remains is inconclusive. The mosses of the East Riding form 

 the subject of an article by Mr. J. J. Marshall. Other papers 

 relate to local water-supply, and to " A whale hunt at Goole 

 over thirty years ago." 



Appendix II. for 1899 of the Kew Bulletin of Miscellaneous 

 Information consists of the names and origin of the new garden 

 plants brought for the first time into cultivation during 1898, 

 and the most noteworthy of those which have been re-introduced 

 after being lost from cultivation. The list includes about 300 

 species. 



Herr J. DoRFLER (Barichgasse 36, Vienna iii.) is about to 

 publish a second edition, revised and enlarged, of his Botaniker 

 Addressbuch (Botanical Directory) and asks the co-operation of 

 British botanists, who are requested to send him their full name 

 and address, with their scientific distinctions or appointments, 

 together with the special branch of botany in which they have 

 worked. The price of the Directory will be, to subscribers 

 75. bd., to non-subscribers, ioj-. post free. 



Bulletin No: 17 of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

 (Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology) consists of a 

 report by Mr. Erwin F. Smith on the " Wilt disease " of 

 cotton, water-melon, and cow-pea ( Vigna sinensis). It appears 

 to be due to the attacks of a fungus, which is polymorphic, 

 assuming somewhat different forms in the three host-plants. 

 Besides ascospores, it produces three different kinds of conidial 

 reproductive bodies. The fungus has hitherto been known as 

 Fusarum vasinfectum, but Mr. Smith regards it as the type of 

 a new genus, Neocosmospora, allied to Costnospora. 



We have received a report on the spraying of Charlock and 

 Runch (wild radish) issued conjointly by the Yorkshire College 

 and the East and West Ridings Joint Agricultural Council. 

 The writer, Mr. J. R. Campbell, advocates the destruction of 

 these weeds by a spraying machine, the spray used being either 

 iron sulphate or copper sulphate, preferably the former. It 

 can, however, be used to advantage only in bright, sunny and 

 calm weather. Solutions of the strength of 10 to 15 per cent, 

 iron sulphate have no injurious effects on corn or young seeds, 

 but they are injurious to other cruciferous crops, such as 

 mustard or turnips, and to beans. 



Early in the New Year Mr. John C. Nimmo will publish 

 the first volume, by Prof. Sayce, of Oxford, of '* The Semitic 

 Series," an important new series of standard hand-books in- 

 tended to present compactly and in popular scientific form a 

 knowledge of the more important facts in the history, religion, 

 government, language, customs, &c., of the Babylonians, 

 Assyrians, and allied Semitic races of ancient history in a way 

 that will be serviceable to the reading public generally, as well 

 as to teachers and masters, students, the clergy, and others. 

 The first volume is "Babylonians and Assyrians — Life and 

 Customs (with special reference to the Contract Tablets and 

 Letters)," by the Rev. A. H. Sayce, Professor of Assyriology 

 at Oxford. Other volumes will follow at regular intervals ; 

 each will be complete in itself, and the series, taken as a whole, 

 will neglect no phase of the general result of recent scientific 

 research. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Flying Squirrel {Sciufopterus, sp. inc.) 

 from Chitral, presented by Captain S. A. Harris, I. M.S. ; a 

 Pheasant {Phasianus colchicus, S ) from Russia, presented by 

 the Hon. E. A. Stoner ; two Crossed Snakes (Psammophis 

 crucifer), two Rhomb-marked Snakes ( Tritnerorhinus rhombe- 



