2 .O 



NA TURE 



[January i, 1903 



is attached which reflects a scale fixed on the outside of the case. 

 The positions of mirror and scale are such that the image of the 

 scale when seen through an observing lens is in the same plane as 

 the edges of the electroscope leaves. Parallax is thus avoided, and 

 the deflection of the leaves can be read with great accuracy. In 

 the same issue, these authors describe a convenient form of 

 portable dry pile, giving a pressure of 2000 volts, for use in 

 experiments on the radioactivity of the atmosphere. The pile 

 is made up of gold and silver plates built up in columns of 200 

 pairs fitted on ebonite rods, thirty sets being connected in series 

 inside a metal case. The pile gives no current, but can maintain 

 the potential of a conductor at - 2000 volts ; it is said to keep 

 in good order for several years if proper precautions are taken. 



The South African corals of the genus Flabellum receive 

 attention at the hands of Mr. J- S. Gardiner in a recent issue of 

 " Marine Investigations in South Africa" (vol. ii.). The author 

 pays special attention to the anatomy and development of 

 these organisms, and emphasises the importance of studying the 

 polyp as well as the corallum if we hope to gain any real idea 

 of their true relationships. 



An additional note by Dr. Forsyth Major on Ocapia liebrechtsi 

 appears in La Belgique Coloniale for November 30. The 

 author figures both the male and the female skulls, the latter of 

 which is hornless. It is suggested, however, that in some 

 instances female okapis may carry small horns. In'conclusion, 

 it is pointed out that as the okapis of the present day are natives 

 of a continent where zebras and antelopes abound, so their 

 extinct forerunners, the Palieotragi of the Pliocene, were asso- 

 ciated in southern Europe and Asia with troops of hipparions 

 and antelopes allied to modern Ethiopian types. 



We have received from the Smithsonian Institution three 

 papers from the Proceedings of the U.S. Museum. The first, by 

 Mr.JC. B. Wilson, deals with North American parasitic copepod 

 crustaceans of the family Argulid.e. It is the first of a series 

 dealing with the large collection of this very remarkable group 

 contained in the Museum, and, in addition to the description of 

 these, will contain a bibliography of the entire assemblage. It 

 is mentioned that the typical European Argulus foliaceus is the 

 only member of the group which has hitherto been fully 

 described. In the second paper, Miss M. Rathbun treats of 

 Japanese stalk-eyed crustaceans, describing as new one hermit- 

 crab and nine shrimps. In the third, Messrs. Jordan and 

 Fowler continue their review of the fishes of Japan, treating in 

 this instance of the berychoid group. 



We have received from the publisher (Herr G. Fischer, of 

 Jena) a copy of thejsecond, and popular, edition of Dr. C. Chun's 

 " Aus den Tiefen des Weltmeeres," the original edition of which 

 was reviewed in Nature of March 6, 1902 (vol. lxv. p. 409). 

 The mere fact that a second edition has been found advisable 

 affords sufficient evidence that the 'work is deemed a success by 

 the public. The present issue is, however, by no means a simple 

 replica of its predecessor. No less than eighty-two additional 

 illustrations have been introduced into the text, while some of 

 the original illustrations have been replaced by better ones. More- 

 over, the text itself has been expanded by the introduction of 

 additional chapters dealing with the deep-sea fauna, especial 

 attention being devoted to the description of the eyes and light- 

 organs of abyssal animals. The new illustrations include many 

 of tropical landscapes and others of ethnographical subjects, 

 while views of icebergs and of the desolate scenery of Kerguelen 

 Island are also notable additions. The present enlarged edition 

 forms an exceedingly handsome and attractive volume, which 

 cannot fail to interest all lovers of travel and natural history. 



The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recently issued 

 three pamphlets dealing with the protection of the fauni of the 



no. 1 73 1, VOL. 67] 



country and the traffic in game, skins, &c. The first of the 

 three is an enlarged and revised edition of Dr. T. S. Palmer's 

 summary of the legislation for the protection of birds other than 

 those classed as game. The second is a digest of the game laws for 

 1902, by Messrs. Palmer and Olds, giving full information with 

 regard to close-seasons, shipment, sale and licenses. In the 

 third and shortest, the Secretary of the Department summarises 

 the regulations connected with the trade in birds and game 

 between the different States of the Union. It is satisfactory to 

 learn that the regulations for the protection of birds of which 

 the plumage is used for ladies' dress, fa., are now extremely 

 stringent. " Under these statutes, birds which are in demand for 

 millinery purposes are protected throughout the jyear, and sale 

 and possession, as well as killing, are prohibited. It should be 

 remembered that the principal centres for millinery supplies 

 are nearly all located in States which have such laws, and 

 the purchase of native song-birds, as well as of herons, 

 pelicans, gulls, terns, grebes or other plume-birds, should be 

 avoided." 



In the early days of the Hudson Bay Company, a large 

 number of skins of birds and mammals were sent from the 

 Kewatin territory to naturalists in Europe for description, and 

 upon the evidence of these specimens numerous species were 

 named. Of late years, but little attention has been paid to the 

 natural history of this semi- Arctic tract, while most other [jarts 

 of North America have been ransacked for zoological specimens. 

 And as some of the Hudson Bay species were founded on in- 

 different specimens, while of others the types have either been 

 lost or are now in too bad condition for comparison, great 

 difficulty has been experienced in correlating the fauna of the 

 area with that of the adjacent territories, especially Alaska. To 

 remedy this unsatisfactory state of affairs, an expedition to collect 

 specimens was dispatched some time ago by the U. S. 

 Biological Survey, under the charge of Mr. E. A. Preble. The 

 results of this expedition are now published as No. 22 of the 

 North American Fauna. In this fasciculus, Mr. Preble gives a 

 full series of notes on the mammals and birds of the area, 

 illustrated by reproductions of a number of photographs of the 

 scenery. Of mammals, two species and four races are described 

 as new. Perhaps the most interesting of these is the barren- 

 ground vole {Microtus ap/iorodemus), which is described as 

 nearly allied to 'M. drummondi, but of larger size, with a 

 stouter skull. 



The general report on the operations of the Survey of India 

 during 1900-1901, prepared under the direction of the Surveyor- 

 General in India, Col. St. G. C. Gore, has now been published. 

 Parties were employed during -the year in the determination of 

 astronomical latitudes in the Karachi longitudinal series and 

 also on experimental work connected with the Jaderin base line 

 apparatus. Preparations for the commencement of the magnetic 

 survey continued during the year, and it has been arranged to 

 establish base stations at Bombay, Kodaikanal, Dehra Dun, 

 Calcutta and Rangoon, at which places magnetic observatories 

 are to be built and self-recording instruments installed. The 

 recent introduction of electric tramways in Calcutta, and their 

 impending construction in Bombay, have rendered it necessary 

 to arrange for the construction of new observatories at some 

 distance from the two cities. Four parties of observers were 

 engaged on topographical operations in Burma, one on the Lushai 

 Hills of Assam and one in the Kangra and Simla districts. 

 Cadastral survey operations jwere conducted in Bengal, the 

 United Provinces and in Burma. Forest surveys were carried 

 out in Madras, Bombay, Burma, Bengal, the Central Provinces 

 and the Punjab. The report is much more concise than in pre- 

 vious years, owing, doubtless, to the instructions for curtailment 

 issued in 18c, 9. 



