354 



NATURE 



[February 8, 1900 



the deficiency of rainfall, compared with the mean of thirty-four 

 years, only amounted to 0"6 inch ; the greatest deficiencies were 

 England E, 28 inches, Midland Counties, 2*6 inches, England S., 

 2*4 inches, England N.W., 29 inches, England S. W., 3-8 inches. 

 In Scotland N., there was an excess of 6*9 inches, Scotland W., 

 6'3 inches, and in the east of Scotland and south of Ireland there 

 was also an excess of 2\ inches. In the south of England the 

 rainfall has been below the average during the last five years. 

 The excess of temperature was greatest over the southern 

 portion of the kingdom, although in the northern districts it 

 was also considerable ; in the neighbourhood of London the 

 temperature was nearly 1" above the average of fifty years 

 {1841-90), For the British Isles generally, it has been above 

 tjhe mean during the last seven years, with the exception of 

 1895, in which, it will be remembered, the prolonged frosts of 

 January and February occurred. There was an excess ol sun- 

 shine over the whole country; in the south of England it 

 amounted to about 350 hours. 



We have received the Report of the Northumberland Sea 

 Fisheries Committee for 1899, in which two points seem worthy 

 of special notice. In regard to flat-fish, the Report shows the 

 gratifying state of affairs that an increase took place during 

 the first five years that trawling excursions were instituted, and 

 that the numbers of fish has since remained fairly constant. It 

 is quite true that the increase has not been as large as was ex- 

 pected. But what has been learnt in regard to the spawning 

 migrations affords the required explanation ; and there is no 

 doubt that the protection extended to the immature fish, as well 

 as to their adult brethren which spend a portion of their li%'es 

 in-shore, justifies the closure of the territorial waters to trawling. 

 If such were again permitted, the destruction of immature fish 

 in off-shore waters would be intensified, while the in-shore fish 

 would be practically exterminated. The second point is the 

 advisability of establishing on different parts of the coast beds of 

 mussels for use as bait. 



The anatomy and development of Reptiles receive a large 

 share of attention in part i. vol. xxviii. of the Morphologisches 

 /ahrbiich; Dr. E. Goppert, of Heidelberg, contributing a paper 

 on the larynx, while Herr H. K. Corning writes on develop- 

 ment of the muscles of the head and limbs. Both papers are of 

 a highly technical nature. 



The Morphologisches Jahrbuch also contains the first instal- 

 ment of an important memoir by Dr. S. Paulli on the pneuma- 

 ticity of the mammalian skull, as developed in the olfactory 

 region, this part dealing only with Monotremes and Marsupials. 

 It is shown that whereas in the Australian Duckbill the porous 

 (ethmoid) bones in the nasal chamber are so slightly developed 

 that there is not even a division between the olfactory and the 

 respiratory portions, in the Echidna the same structures attain 

 an extraordinary degree of complexity and specialisation. The 

 difference is doubtless due to the aquatic habits of the one 

 animal as compared with the terrestrial mode of life of the 

 other. 



The greater portion of the first part of vol. Ixvii. of the 

 Zeitschrift fiir Wissenschaflliche Zoologie is taken up by an 

 elaborate memoir on the structure and development of the 

 crystalline lens of the eye in Mammals, by Herr C. Rabl, of 

 Prague. 



Appendix IV. for 1899 of the A'^w Bulletin of Anscellaneous 

 Injormation consists of a classified catalogue of the additions 

 to the library received during the year 1898, covering fourteen 

 pages. 



A SERIES of articles on "Present-Day Leaders of Science" 

 is running through Good Words. The January number con- 

 tained an appreciation of Lord Kelvin, by his successor at 

 NO. 1580, VOL. 61] 



Glasgow, Prof. A. Gray ; and in the February number. Prof. 

 Ramsay's scientific investigations — especially those referring to 

 argon, helium, and other gases recently isolated— are described 

 by Prof. Dobbie. 



Mr. C. L. Wragge writes to us with reference to the 

 weather charts of Australasia issued by him, and mentioned in a 

 note in our issue of November 9, 1899 (p. 40). He informs us 

 that " the charts are regularly published daily, Sundays and 

 holidays excepted, and are thus kept up to date. They are 

 afterwards lithographed for general circulation within three days 

 of the original issue. . . . Although the isobars are extended 

 seawards, and the dotted lines over north-western Australia, 

 where, except along the north-western coast, or data are 

 limited, long series of observations over the land in connection 

 with data from the Northern Territory, Tasmania, New Zealand 

 and New Caledonia, prove that they closely approximate to the 

 truth, and ship's logs repeatedly confirm the oceanic contouring 

 of the isobaric lines." 



Science Abstracts has become indispensable to all who wish 

 to keep in touch with the progress of work and thought in any 

 branch of physical science, whether pure or applied. The 

 number for January, with which is issued the index to last year's 

 volume, excels all previous ones both in the extent and interest 

 of the information given as to recent advances of knowledge. 

 It consists of 168 pages of abstracts of scientific papers, con- 

 cisely written and well arranged. The scope of the journal has 

 been considerably extended, more especially in the direction of 

 steam plant, gas engines, oil engines, and motor cars. The 

 practical man, as well as the student and investigator, cannot 

 afford to neglect such a serviceable publication. The publishers 

 are Messrs. E. and F. N. Spon, Ltd. 



The development of the practical teaching of physics has 

 led to the production of simple apparatus and cheap materials 

 by several scientific instrument makers. Messrs. J. J. Griffin 

 and Sons have just published a catalogue, which shows they 

 have adapted themselves to the new conditions. The catalogue 

 contains classified price-lists of apparatus and materials de- 

 scribed in several text-books of general elementary science and 

 practical physics, and also required for the teaching of physio- 

 graphy, and for the complete equipment of a physical laboratory 

 and lecture- room in a School of Science or other institution in 

 which a systematic course of instruction in science is given. 

 The catalogue should secure the attention of teachers who- 

 already possess laboratories, as well as of those making arrange 

 ments for experimental work by students. 



Some years ago Bernthsen published experiments to show 

 that hyposulphurous (or hydrosulphurous) acid had the formula 

 H2S,04 and not HgSOo. Though the evidence on which this 

 conclusion was based has never been contradicted, the formula 

 has not obtained general currency, and some doubt has lately 

 been thrown upon it. Bernthsen has, therefore, returned to 

 the subject, and, in conjunction with M. Bazlen, publishes, in 

 the current number of the Berichle, an account of the prepara- 

 tion of crystallised sodium hyposulphite. The salt was prepared 

 by taking sodium bisulphite, zinc dust, and sulphur dioxide in 

 quantities corresponding to the following equation : — 



2NaHS03 + Zn + SO2 = (Na2S204 -f ZnSOj) -t- H.p, 

 Milk of lime is added to the solution to precipitate the zinc 

 and the sulphites, and on adding common salt to the solution, 

 sodium hyposulphite is salted out. Analysis and other evidence 

 show the crystallised salt to have the formula Na2S204-f2H20. 

 The original view of Bernthsen is thus established, and hypo- 

 sulphurous acid must be held to correspond in its stage of 

 oxidation to the oxide S2O3. 



