NOVEMBER 29, 1906 | 
NATURE 11s 
and A. Kriimer, on the origin of the Polynesians, and 
identifies Savaiki (Havailki, Avaiki, Savaii, &c.) with Java, | 
t.e. savah (Javanese)=rice-field, and iki (also Javanese) 
diminutive Suffix. | 
HE last number of the Transactions of the Geological 
Society of South Africa cannot fail to attract a greater 
number of geologists to follow the rapid progress being 
made in South African geology. This journal once 
threatened to be the dreariest; it is rapidly becoming one 
of the most interesting. 
The visit of the British Association to South Africa has 
no doubt directed attention to the many points of interest 
in the geological history of one of the oldest land masses 
in the world. | 
Recent work between the Cape and the Zambezi has 
shown that the South African rocks present phenomena 
unparalleled elsewhere. Lhe Dwyka Conglomerate un- 
doubtedly affords the finest study of an ancient Glacial 
This is a very well preserved striated surface of flagstone forming one of a series of such exposures 
at Blaauwbosch Drift. The strie run from N.E. to S.W. 
upper rock seen at the top right-hand corner is boulder shale. 
Geological Society of South Africa.” 
period. With this geologists have become familiar, but 
no more convincing examples have been found than those 
of the glaciated surfaces and boulder beds in Griqualand 
West described and beautifully illustrated by Messrs. | 
Young and Johnson ; but the Dwyka is not the oldest glaci- 
ation. Evidences of another have been obtained by Mr. 
Rogers from the Table Mountain Sandstone series, and 
he now describes a third and much older glaciation towards 
the summit of the Griquatown series. South Africa is 
‘thus yielding information on those points on which the 
older formations of the northern hemisphere are generally 
so persistently silent. 
The unfossiliferous and lithologically similar pre-Cape 
rocks have of late years been proved to be built up of 
several unconformable groups. The number is added to in 
the present volume. They also contain rocks of a unique 
character, none more so than the remarkable Blink Klip 
breccia of the Griquatown series described by Mr. Rogers. 
This is a brecciated rock, exceeding 200 feet in thickness, 
formed by the collapse of the Lower Griquatown series 
into hollows dissolved out in the underlying limestones and 
dolomites. 
That the interesting character of South African geology 
is not recognised to the full extent it demands is perhaps 
due to the overwhelming preference hitherto given to the 
1 Transactions of the ‘Geological Society of South Africa. Vol. ix., 
January to April, 1906. Pp. 1-56. (London: Wm. Wesley and Son.) | 
Price 155. | 
NO. 1935, VOL 75] 
i The grey patches on the glaciated 
rock, which are only faintly shown in the photograph, are delicate Bushman chippings. 
From ‘‘ Transactions of the 
| microscopic forms of life. 
economic study or the gold-bearing conglomerates and coal 
deposits. A utilitarian spirit still apparently holds a 
prominent place among several members of the Johannes- 
burg school of geologists, of which an indication will be 
found in the present volume. Why, it is asked, is 
the Transvaal Survey engaged in the investigation of 
‘outside ’’’ areas, where ‘‘ outside’’ seems to include 
everything beyond the immediate vicinity of the golden 
city? Considering the number of ridiculously divergent 
opinions concerning the age, order of sequence, and 
stratigraphical relationship of the gold-bearing conglomer- 
| ates, it is evident that either the problem lies beyond 
| solution or that the secret will be found in the outlying 
districts. That the enveloping movement around the 
Central Rand is being rapidly and systematically carried 
on is shown by the work of the Transvaal surveyors and 
by that of Mr. Rogers in Griqualand West. ‘The results 
obtained by both surveys not only justify their existence, 
but warrant that, in happier times, they will receive 
a more liberal help. The fuller knowledge so obtained can 
afterwards be applied to any special economic region with 
that nicety of attention to detail on 
which the success of applied geology 
so much depends. W. G. 
THE SCOPE AND PROBLEMS 
OF PROTOZOOLOGY:} 
ROTOZOOLOGY, a science that 
has only in most recent times 
attracted general attention, is nothing 
more or less than the study of a 
group of organisms which zoologists 
term protozoa, and therefore, in order 
to make clear the meaning and scope 
of the science, it is only necessary to 
explain, first, what the protozoa are, 
and, secondly, why one should study 
them—to the extent, that is to say, of 
having independent university chairs for 
that purpose. 
In sea-water, or the waters of 
lakes, rivers, ponds, and ditches, in 
any small puddle or in damp earth and 
moss, in fact, in any situation where 
sufficient moisture exists to float their 
tiny bodies, protozoa can almost always 
be found, usually in abundance. If an 
infusion or liquid containing organic 
matter be exposed for a sufficient time 
to the air, protozoa will make their 
appearance in it and multiply. And, 
finally, there remains for mention a 
large, but very important, section of the protozoa which do 
not get their living in an honest and independent manner, 
but live as parasites ot other animals and nourish them- 
selves on the internal juices of their hosts, it may be in the 
digestive tract, or it may be in the blood, or in some 
other organ or tissue of the body. Thus the situations in 
which protozoa may be found show the utmost diversity of 
character. It must not be supposed, however, that every 
minute living thing which can be detected growing or 
in 
The 
| moving in a moist environment is necessarily one of the 
protozoa. Here we have to draw some distinctions and to 
eliminate certain types of organisms. In the first place, the 
protozoa must on no account be confused with the bacteria, 
a group of organisms which stands sharply apart from other 
Apart from the bacteria, the 
world of microscopic life can be further divided into two 
| groups, the one comprising those of animal nature and 
habit, the other those more distinctly vegetable in their 
mode of life. The distinction between plant and animal 
| when applied to these lowly forms of life is, however, a 
| most unnatural 
and artificial line of cleavage. It is 
impossible, therefore, to use vegetable or animal character- 
istics as a criterion for separating these minute organisms 
into natural groups. For this reason it has been proposed 
to unite all these primitive forms of life into one group 
1 Abridged from the inaugural lecture delivered before the University of 
London on November 15 by Prof E. A. Minchin, Professor of Proto- 
zoology. 
