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NAT ORE 
[| DECEMBER 13, 1906 
he determination of the more important ones gave the 
following results:—PbO, 2-42 per cent.; Fe,O,, 3-35 per 
cent.; Ur,O,, 13-12 per cent., ThO,, 70-96 per cent. ; 
Ce,O,, 1-96 per cent. From 1 gram of the mineral 
8-2 c.c. of helium were obtained. The original mineral 
possesses 83-3 per cent. of the activity of standard uranium 
oxide. The greater part of the constituents proved to be 
radio-active, though some only in a very slight degree. 
Nearly 60 per cent. of the activity of the mineral is allied 
to the thoria, about 9 per cent. to the uranium. The 
strong activity of the iron appears to be due to the 
presence of Hahn’s radio-thorium. ‘The activity of several 
precipitates increased during the time between 
measurements, while others showed a decreasing activity, 
which sometimes even disappeared. It may be assumed 
that these precipitates are so-called X-substances; one of 
them resembles in its chemical behaviour a_ platinum 
metal. 
Zoological Society, November 13.—Mr. Howard 
Saunders, vice-president, in the chair.—A very young 
embryo of the okapi (Okapia johnstoni) obtained by Dr. 
TI. David from a specimen shot in the Semliki Forest : 
Prof. R. Burckhardt. The object not being well pre- 
served and in an early stage, it could only be stated that 
all the particulars ascertainable were specially ungulate 
in character.—Description of a new species of turbellarian 
obtained during Dr. W. A. Cunnington’s expedition to 
Lake Tanganyika: F. F. Laidlaw.—List of a second 
collection of mammals made in Western Australia for Mr. 
W. E. Balston, with field-notes by the collector, Mr. G. C. 
Shortridge : Oldfield Thomas. This second collection was 
made in the Avon watershed, and consisted of about 350 
specimens, of which a fine series had been presented to 
the National Museum by Mr. Balston. In all, forty-two 
species were enumerated, and of these Mr. Shortridge gave 
notes on the distribution and comparative rarity at the 
present time, such notes being of particular value in the 
case of a disappearing fauna like that of Australia. An 
appendix dealt with a small series obtained on Bunier 
Island, Shark’s Bay, on the north-west coast of Australia. 
——Sixth instalment of the results of the Rudd exploration 
of South Africa: Oldfield Thomas and H. Schwann. 
This contained an account of the mammals obtained by 
Mr. C. H. B..Grant in the eastern Transvaal. Twenty- 
one species were represented in the collection, of which one 
was new.—The Mollusca of the Persian Gulf, Gulf of 
Oman, and Arabian Sea, as evidenced mainly through the 
collections of Mr. F. W. Townsend, 1903-5, with de- 
scriptions of new species, part ii., Pelecypoda: J. Cosmo 
Melvill and R. Standen. A continuation of the enumer- 
ation of the Mollusca. of the above-named seas published 
in the Proc. Zool. Soc., vol. ii., 1901, and completing the 
catalogue, the total number embraced being nearly sixteen 
‘hundred species, many of these being found to be new to 
science. Among the Pelecypoda, Tellina holds the premier 
place; most orders and families are, however, represented, 
and the result is a very refined and varied molluscan fauna. 
Some interesting forms occur among the Lardiacea, while 
the Pectinidze show alliance and, in some cases, specific 
identity with the Erythraean fauna, monographed by Dr. 
Sturany. 
November 27.—Mr. Howard Saunders, vice-president, in 
the chair.—Notes on the habits of the lesser horseshoe 
bat, Rhinolophus hipposiderus: T. A. Coward. This bat 
usually occupies different retreats in summer and winter, 
and during the earlier period of occupation of the winter 
retreat sleep is not profound. The bats feed probably in 
the caves or retreats, and the food is at times, if not 
always, consumed when the animal is at rest and not on 
the wing. When feeding it does not—probably could not 
—make use of the interfemoral membrane, after the manner 
of the Vespertilionide, but, as a substitute, the inter- 
brachial membrane is employed. These facts suggest that 
the hibernation of this species, and probably of other cave- 
haunting bats, is not really a profound winter sleep.—An 
account of four species of Solenidz contained in the collec- 
tions made by Mr. Cyril Crossland in Zanzibar and British 
East Africa in 1901-2: E. A. Smith and H. H. Bloomer. 
—Attempt to explain the existence of the so-called ‘‘ renal- 
portal ’? system : W. Weodland.—The anatomy of Centro- 
NO. 1937, VOL. 75] 
two | 
phorus calceus: W. Woodland. The author described in 
particular the anatomy of the alimentary tract, which 
differs in several respects from that of most Selachians 
and, as regards the length of the bile-duct, from most 
vertebrates.—Mammals collected in Korea and Quelpart 
Island by Mr. Malcolm P. Anderson for the Duke of Bed- 
ford’s exploration of Eastern Asia: Oldfield Thomas. 
The collection consisted of about 130 specimens, belong- 
ing to nine species, of which four were described as new. 
Quelpart Island proved to contain a very poor mammal 
fauna, and the only specimens obtained there were a 
Putorius and a Micromys, both identical with forms found 
on the Korean Peninsula. 
Linnean Society, November 15.—Prof. A. W. Herdman, 
F.R.S., president, in the chair.—A series of twenty-one 
specimens of Polygala amarella, Crantz, selected to show 
its wide range of form under various conditions: 
J. Cryer.—The Fjerlands Fjord, Norway: H. W. 
Monckton. During the past summer the author spent a 
fortnight at Mundal, on the Fjzrlands Fjord, and he had 
paid short visits to the same place in previous years. 
The fjord is a long arm running from the Sogne Fjord 
in a north-easterly direction, and snow-fields lie near the 
fjord on both sides, though at a considerable altitude above 
it. Mundal is about ninety miles from the open sea, but 
Fucus grows well on the rocks and foreshore, and Mytilus 
and Cardium flourish. The author considered, among 
other subjects, the question to what extent the snow-fields 
and glaciers of Norway can be looked upon as relics of 
the Glacial period. 3 
Anthropological Institute, Novemb r20.—Prof. W. Gow- 
land, president, in the chair.—A visit to the Hopi Indians 
at Oraibi: W. Crewdson. ‘The visit took place in 
November, 1905, when it was late to travel across the 
plains of Arizona; but by starting from Canyon Diablo, on 
the Santa Fe route, with relays of horses, the seventy 
miles to Oraibi was accomplished in one day. Oraibi is 
the most conservative of Indian towns, practically un- 
altered by Western civilisation, and shows examples of 
primitive life in our own days, several of the implements 
used being still of stone; the bows and arrows and 
boomerangs are also used for killing game. One of the 
most striking characteristics of the Hopi men is their 
marvellous power of running; for this they are trained 
as children by one of the chief men, who stands on one 
of the Mesas and sees the young men take a twenty-mile 
run before commencing the day’s work. The necessity 
for this was owing to their fields being many miles distant 
from their homes. The result is that a Hopi will some- 
times run forty miles to his fields, cultivate them, and then 
run home again, all within the twenty-four hours. In the 
house, which is built by the woman, she rules absolutely ; 
the children take the mother’s name; the men weave the 
garments for both themselves and their wives, and are at 
any time liable to be definitely turned out of their homes, 
possibly after a forty-mile run, by the wife who has grown 
tired of her husband. These Indians are intensely re- 
ligious, most of their ceremonies, which often last for 
days, being really prayers for rain. Their pottery is 
interesting, being decorated to a large extent with cloud 
symbols, and many pieces have a break in the design to 
allow the spirit which is supposed to be imprisoned in the 
design free ingress and egress. This idea bears a curious 
resemblance to the idea, once prevalent in England and 
elsewhere, that if a circle was drawn round a witch she 
could not escape unless someone cut the circle for her 
from outside. The celebrated snake-dance, which has been 
so often described, takes place in August, and it is be- 
coming more and more probable that these Indians are 
really acquainted with a cure for snalke-bite. In November, 
however, the dance of the year, only second to the snake- 
dance, and called the -basket-dance, takes place. The 
lecturer was present at this, having previously been 
admitted to the Kiwa, or underground chamber, where 
the preparatory rites in connection with the ceremony 
take place.—The relative stature of the dolichocephalic, 
mesaticephalic, and brachycephalic inhabitants of East 
Yorkshire: J. R. Mortimer. The inhabitants are divided 
into two classes, those of the Neolithic and Bronze period, 
