October 6, 1904] 



NA TURE 



559 



intended to publish the results of researches on meteorology 

 and allied sciences made by members of the staff of the 

 observatory. The present Bulletin contains valuable papers 

 on earth temperature at Tokio, the mean annual tempera- 

 ture of the surface of the sea in the Western Pacific Ocean, 

 the epochs of the first ice in Japan for 1902, and evapor- 

 ation in Japan. 



A VALUABLE contribution to the theory of oceanic currents 

 is made by Prof. Otto Pettersson in a paper on the in- 

 fluence of ice-melting upon oceanic circulation, published 

 in the September number of the Geographical Journal. 

 Prof. Pettersson describes the results of some remarkable 

 e.vperimental work, and gives an account of recent theo- 

 retical inquiries by himself and others, applying the results 

 to the elucidation of the complex circulation in the 

 Norwegian Sea and the north polar basin. An interesting 

 point is the suggestion that the problem of forecasting the 

 monsoons of India may ultimately be solved by a systematic 

 survey of the hydrographic conditions in the Indian Ocean. 



The analyses given in the Jamaica Bulletin of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture (August) testify to the purity of the 

 native sugars, but where the sugar is required for pre- 

 serving fruit the addition of an antiseptic is found to be 

 necessary in order to prevent infection with Torula. Experi- 

 ments are being made with calcium bisulphite. 



More than a dozen fungi have been recorded as destructive 

 parasites on vine-roots, and to these an addition has been 

 made by Dr. Istvdnffi, who describes in the third volume 

 of ihe Annals of the Royal Hungarian Viticultural Institute 

 how he has traced the cause of disease in several districts 

 in Hungary to the ravages of the Gasteromycete, Ithyphallus 

 impudicus. 



The second part of " Plantte Yucatanaj," forming vol. iii. 

 of the botanical series of the Field Columbian Museum, 

 Chicago, was issued in April, and deals with the Composita?. 

 The features of this work, which include only plants of the 

 northern half of Yucatan, are the descriptive accounts, with 

 occasional notes on native names and uses, by Dr. 

 Millspaugh and the excellent drawings of flower and fruit 

 executed by Mrs. Chase for each species. 



The most striking features of the North American and 

 Mexican deserts are discussed at some length in Schimper's 

 " Plant Geography." In the Botanical Gazette (July) Dr. 

 D. T. MacDougal gives an account of the expedition which 

 he arranged to explore the delta of the Rio Colorado and 

 that practically unknown portion of the Me.xican desert 

 which lies on both sides round the head of the Gulf of Cali- 

 fornia. Amongst the xerophytes, which were found in the 

 regions of extreme aridity, were many perennials containing 

 latex and a large number of forms which secrete volatile 

 oils or exude resinous gums ; but plants with massive storage 

 organs were absent, a fact which Dr. MacDougal attributes 

 to the excessively small and even distribution of the rainfall 

 throughout the year. 



The two articles in the September number of the Zoologist 

 are devoted to ornithology, Mr. F. M. Littler treating of 

 the birds of Tasmania, while .Sergeant H. Mackay, of the 

 2nd Highland Light Infantry, discusses those of Jersey. It 

 ii highly satisfactory to find a non-cominissioned officer of 

 His Majesty's Service studying the zoology of the district 

 in which he happens to be quartered. 



The report of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, for 1902-3, 

 and that of the .'\lbany Museum, Cape Colony, for 1903, are 

 just to hand. Both institutions appear to be in a flourish- 

 ing condition, although there are complaints from both of 

 insufficient numbers on the staff to cope with the work. 

 NO. 1823. VOL. 70] 



The registered additions to the Indian Museum during the 

 period covered by the report numbered 2096 specimens, of 

 which 326 were archceological and the remainder zoological. 

 It is satisfactory to note that the Albany Museum is making 

 strenuous efforts to secure a representative series of the 

 large mammals of the Cape Colony and adjacent districts, 

 its present deficiency in the smaller forms being a matter 

 of little consequence, as these are in no present danger of 

 extermination. 



The prophylaxis of malaria was exhaustively discussed in 

 the section of tropical diseases at the recent meeting of the 

 British Medical Association (Brif. Med. Journ., Sep- 

 tember 17, p. 629). Dr. Strachan, C.M.G., principal 

 medical officer of Lagos, West Africa, emphasised the value 

 of anti-mosquito measures and of the prophylactic use of 

 quinine. Captain James and Lieut. Christophers, from their 

 experience at Mian-Mir (see Nature, Ixix. p. 467, and 

 Ixx. p. 230), doubted the universal applicability of anti- 

 mosquito measures for the reduction of malaria. Prof. 

 Ronald Ross, F.R.S., criticised the work and conclusions 

 of the last named observers on the following grounds : — 

 (i) it is doubtful if mosquito propagation at Mian-Mir was 

 really suppressed to the extent claimed ; (2) the tests em- 

 ployed for detecting reduction in the number of mosquitoes 

 were not conclusive ; (3) the figures given regarding the 

 variations in the amount of malaria are inconclusi\'e ; (4) the 

 whole experiment is open to the final criticisms (a) that it 

 might not have been continued long enough, and (b) that 

 the radius of operations might not have been large enough. 

 He considered that all that the experiments proved was 

 that after operations {i.e. anti-mosquito measures) extend- 

 ing to a half-mile radius, lasting a year and a half, and 

 apparently costing between two and three hundred pounds, 

 no very large reduction in the number of mosquitoes or in 

 the amount of malaria was apparent. 



Messrs. Charles Griffin and Co. have just published 

 the sixth edition, revised and enlarged, of Mr. Andrew 

 Jamieson's " Elementary Manual of Applied Mechanics." 



Mr. Balfour's presidential address delivered before the 

 British Association at the recent meeting at Cambridge, and 

 printed in Nature of August 18, has been published in 

 pamphlet form by Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co. The 

 price of the pamphlet is one shilling net. 



A cheap edition of Lord .■\vebury's book on the " Scenery 

 of England " has been published by Messrs. Macmillan and 

 Co., Ltd. The book contains nearly two hundred illus- 

 trations — many of them full-page and all instructive — and 

 in its new form it should be the means of creating wide 

 interest in the scientific significance of scenery. 



The first volume of Technics — a magazine for technical 

 students— is full of useful articles and notes on many aspects 

 of technology. There are descriptions of institutions where 

 the work of higher scientific and technical education is being 

 developed, articles on the education of engineers, educa- 

 tional systems, designs, materials and manufactures of 

 various kinds, photography, bacteriology, and many other 

 departments of pure and applied science. The magazine 

 is well illustrated, and should be of real service to technical 

 education in this country. The publishers are Messrs. 

 George Newnes, Ltd. 



Mr. Edward Arnold announces an illustrated work on 

 " English Estate Forestry," by A. C. Forbes. 



The list of announcements of the Cambridge University 

 Press includes : — " Mathematical and Physical Papers by 

 the late Prof. Sir G. G. Stokes, Bart., F.R.S.," vol. v.; 



