28o 



NATURE 



\Feb. 8,1872 



convenient methods for investigating the embryology of 

 these animals. 



Besides, the enormous mass of other marine animals 

 waits equally for the establishment of laboratories pro- 

 vided with aquariums, before the study of their embryo- 

 logy can safely, and with dueprospect of success, be taken 

 in hand. And that the common ancestors of all the 

 higher animals have lived in the sea, and must have left 

 the traces of their nature still in the embryos of marine 

 animals, is more than likely. Every attempt, therefore, 

 to get back to these ancestors, and to build up scientific 

 genealogy, must lead to the investigation of the embryology 

 of marine animals, must cause, in consequence, the desire 

 of having laboratories near the coast, provided with tanks 

 and continual streams of sea water, to overcome the mere 

 mechanical difficulties of the study. 



These are reasons of the most imperious nature to 

 move all those who can do something, to combine their 

 exertions for the foundation of zoological stations near the 

 sea-coast. 



When I therefore proposed, in the name of the Com- 

 mittee for the Foundation of Zoological Stations, the erec- 

 tion of such a station at Torquay, my principal object 

 was to create a greater facility for English zoologists to 

 execute scientific works of the above-mentioned nature. 

 Without denying one moment the immense benefit zoology 

 has always derived from English naturalists, one may 

 justly lament that embryology has not found so many 

 students in a country which has such great opportunities 

 of following the study as, for example, has been the case in 

 Germany. England abounds in splendid localities for the 

 study of marine animals ; the innumerable harbours, firths, 

 and bays yield an immense material for the scientific 

 observer. Students at the universities would have the 

 easiest access to these localities, and would gain a great 

 mass of information from them ; but circumstances have 

 directed almost the whole scientific spirit in another direc- 

 tion — almost all the biologists are occupied with the com- 

 pletion of the faunistic records of the English seas. The 

 existence of a zoological station at Torquay must lead to 

 a greater cultivation of the other branches of marine 

 zoology by Englishmen, and must open also for foreign 

 zoologists the opportunities yielded by the fauna of the 

 south coast of England for carrying in studies in com- 

 parative anatomy and embryology. 



It will be essential, not only for the progress of zoology 

 in general, but also for the development of the whole 

 scheme for the foundation of zoological stations, that those 

 countries which contribute by their natural position most 

 to the progress of marine zoology should be provided first 

 with zoological stations. If zoological stations in other 

 parts of the world outside Europe are to be founded, they 

 will require above all zoologists to conduct them. Where 

 are these at present to be found? Nowhere, I believe. 

 If, therefore, the great object of my plan is to be attained, 

 it will only be by gradually and consistently developing 

 its base — the foundation of stations in Italy, Britain, 

 France, Norway, and perhaps Spain or Portugal. With 

 the help of these stations, zoologists maybe educated who 

 would be inclined to go to remoter places, such as, for in- 

 stance, Capetown, Ceylon, Japan, or Australia, and con- 

 duct or work only for a couple or more years in the 

 stations built in those countries. There can be no doubt 



that the benefit for science would be enormous if there 

 existed efficient working stations in these countries ; but 

 to make them efficient the principal means is to give them 

 well-instructed naturalists at their head, and this is at 

 present not possible. 



Therefore I take the opportunity of repeating once more 

 that it seems to be essential to proceed with the foundation 

 of a zoological station at Torquay, and to head that 

 station by a young, laborious zoologist, who is already 

 experienced in histological and embryological work. It 

 cannot but be that science, and especially British science, 

 will derive considerable benefit from such a proceeding. 



Naples, Jan. 2 Anton Dohrn 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF EGYPT AND 

 MALTA 



Notes of a Naluralist in the Nile Valley and Malta. By 

 Andrew Leith Adams, M.B. (Edinburgh ; Edmonston 

 and Douglas, 1871.) 



FEW men have better opportunities for furnishing 

 valuable contributions to the Natural History of 

 foreign parts than surgeons attached to the Army and 

 Navy ; an education in at least the rudiments of natural 

 science, combined with abundant leisure, presenting 

 means which are not at the disposal of all travellers. As 

 a rule, we fear that this class of men have done but little 

 for Science compared with what might have been expected 

 of them. There are, however, some honourable excep- 

 tions, among them our present author, whose " Wander- 

 ings of a Naturalist in India" has been already given to 

 the public, and who now publishes the results of the 

 labours of his leisure hours and vacation rambles in the 

 investigation of the archaeology and natural history of 

 the Lower Nile and Malta. 



The most interesting portion of Dr. Adams's researches 

 in Egypt and Nubia relates to the evidence as to the 

 period when the northern portion of the African Continent 

 became elevated above the sea. On this point he says : — 



" The discovery of the common cockle and other 

 marine shells far inland, and over vast tracts of Algeria 

 and the desert of Sahara, even up to height of more 

 than 900 ft. above the present level of the Mediterranean, 

 and at a depth of 300 ft. below it, fully establishes the fact 

 that a large portion of North Africa was, at no very dis- 

 tant period, covered by the ocean ; moreover, that the 

 highlands of Algeria, Tunis, Morocco, and Barbary, were 

 at this period separated from Africa by sea, and that the 

 submergence occurred during the modern or post-tertiary 

 period. Further researches have also proved that the 

 same description of phenomena are to be observed along 

 the borders of the Red Sea. A question therefore sug- 

 gested itself to me in 1863, whether or not Egypt and 

 Nubia had participated in the same continental move- 

 ments. Accordingly, no opportunities were omitted during 

 our short sojourn in Lower Egypt in searching for similar 

 evidences of upheaval and depression, but, owing to the flat- 

 ness of the country, drifting of the desert sands, and great 

 expanse of cultivation on the river's banks, and our rapid 

 movements, I was unable to discover any traces. It was 

 not until we approached the frontier of Nubia, and passed 

 the first cataract, that favourable opportunities were pre- 

 sented. The Nile, now contracted by the porphyritic and 

 sandstone rocks, flows between steep banks, and creating 

 accumulations of alluvium and bendings and openings in 



