Oct. 1 8, 1883] 



NATURE 



597 



on the steppe. Jt is worthy of notice that the stone hatchets of 

 the steppe are quite like the stone implements of the Chukches. 

 The West Siberian branch continues the exploration of the less 

 known parts of Western Siberia, and the last volume of its 

 Memoirs contains several interesting papers :— On the Altai, by 

 M. Yadrintseff : and on the Narym region, its inhabitants, and 

 their trades, by MM. Grigorovsky and Shostakovich. 



Prof. Nordensk.Told has presented a meteoric block, which 

 he found in 1870 at Greenland, to the Helsingfors University, 

 where it has just arrived from America. Its size is not great, 

 only one foot in height, bnt it is very heavy. It bears the fol- 

 lowing inscription in English : " Terrestrial native iron. Ovipak, 

 Greenland. Brought by A. E. Nordenskjold." In presenting 

 this unique specimen to the University the Swedish explorer 

 writes :— " During my journey to Greenland in 1S70. I found at 

 Ovipak, on the Disco peninsula, several large blocks of iron 

 which were brought home the year after by one of the naval 

 steamers. On arriving there they were equally divided, as far 

 as possible, into three parts, of which one became Swedish, the 

 other Danish, and the third my property. To the latter belongs 

 the block which I present to you, its weight being about 

 10,000 lbs. The same has, since 1S76, when it was exhibited in 

 Philadelphia, been deposited in Washington. As may be 

 generally known, a fierce controversy has raged as to the nature 

 of these blocks, some authorities maintaining that they were 

 of meteoric, others of terrestrial, origin, a question on which 

 opinions certainly may be divided. However this may be, it is 

 certain that these blocks, whether as a specimen of the cosmic 

 matter in the universe, or of the earth's interior, are of excep- 

 tional interest, and may be considered to be valuable gems in any 

 mueurn. To me personally this discovery is enhanced in value, 

 as it enables me to present a testimony of my gratitude and 

 affection to the institution where I received my first scientific 

 education, and passed the most important period of my life." The 

 block is to be kept out in the open air, as it has been discovered 

 that these stones waste away in a room. 



Mr. D. Morris has in the press a work which will be shortly 

 published, entitled "The Colony of British Honduras, its 

 Resources and Prospects ; with Particular Reference to its 

 Indigenous Plants and Economic Productions." This work will 

 include the results of Mr. Morris's travels in British Honduras, 

 and throw a new light on many points connected with the 

 climate, the flora, and the resources of this little known British 

 dependency. The publisher will be Mr. Edward Stanford. 



Messrs. W. H. Allen and Co. will publish shortly "The 

 Influence of the Sun on Natural Phenomena," by A. H. Swinton, 

 author of " Insect Variety." 



The green sun referred to last week as observed in India was 

 also observed in every part of Ceylon from September 9 to 12. 

 One correspondent writes as follows to the Ceylon Observer : — 

 " Puleadierakam, September 12. — I write this from the above 

 place on my way to Trincomalee, being much interested to learn 

 whether the same phenomena exist throughout the island. The 

 sun for the last four days rises in splendid green when visible, 

 i.e. about 10° from the horizon. As he advances, he assumes 

 a beautiful blue, and as he comes further on looks a brilliant 

 blue resembling burning sulphur. When about 45" it is not 

 possible to look at it with the naked eye ; but, even when at the 

 very zenith, the light is blue, varying from a pale blue early to a 

 bright blue later on, almost similar to moonlight even at midday. 

 Then, as he declines, the sun assumes the same changes but 

 vice vers/1. The heat is greatly modified, and there is nothing 

 like the usual hot days of September. The moon now visible in 

 the afternoons looks also tinged with blue after sunset, and as 

 she declines assumes a most fiery colour 30° from the zenith. 

 The people are in terror at these phenomena, some even expect- 

 ing the end. Can this be the result of the eruption in the Sund 



Straits?— P. S.— There is no light even though the sun is visible 

 until nearly 7 a.m." 



A terrible earthquake occurred on Tuesday near Cheshmeh, 

 a small toun on a peninsula on the coast of Anatolia, and about 

 twelve miles from the Island of Scio. Of late there have been 

 several earthquake shocks in the pashalic of Anatolia and in 

 other parts of Asia Minor, but it is to be feared that Tuesday's 

 event eclipse? all recent shocks in the devastation it has caused. 

 It appears that the whole peninsula, from Smyrna to Cheshmeh, 

 together with the neighbouring Island of Scio, was violently 

 convulsed. The greatest destruction has been wrought in the 

 western half of the peninsula between Cheshmeh and Voulra. 

 All the villages in this district are destroyed, being nothing more 

 than heaps of ruins. The wretched inhabitants had no time to 

 escape, and upwards of 1000, it is estimated, have perished, 

 while many others are injured. 



At 11.20 p.m. October 9 a slight shock of earthquake was 

 felt at Irkutsk, Siberia. Several shocks of earthquake were felt 

 on the 10th in the afternoon throughout the whole of Northern 

 Moravia. The oscillations lasted on each occasion from one to 

 two seconds. The mo^t violent shock occurred at Olmiitz. 

 Telegrams from Cilli, in Southern Styria, show that there were 

 severe shocks felt there about an hour earlier than at Olmiitz. 

 On the same morning, too, there was a shock at Agram, lasting 

 two seconds. A strong shock of earthquake, lasting fully eight 

 to ten seconds, was also felt at Chios. The shock was felt at 

 Syra, on the Dardanelles coast, and at Smyrna. 



A well attended meeting of science and art teachers was 

 held at the Birmingham and Midland Institute on Saturday last. 

 On the motion of Prof. Tilden (who presided), seconded by Mr. 

 E. R. Taylor of the Birmingham School of Art, it was resolved 

 " That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to establish 

 for Birmingham and the district a branch of the National Asso- 

 ciation of Science and Art Teachers." Among the objects of 

 such an association it was mentioned would be the improvement 

 of science and art teaching by discussions of methods of teach- 

 ing and modes of demonstrating important scientific laws. A 

 provisional committee was appointed, with Mr. C. J. Woodward 

 as honorary secretary. 



Principal Dawson asks us to state that in our report last 

 week of his paper at the British Association (p. 579), the word 

 relatives in the title should be relations, and that not tin ore but 

 iron ore occurs in the Laurentian. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Ruppell's Parrot (Pyocephalus ruepptlli 9 ) 

 from East Africa, presented by Dr. George L. Galpin ; a Malabar 

 Parrakeet (Paleoruis columboides) from Southern India, pre- 

 sented by Mr. F. W. Bourdillon ; two Pileated Jays (Cyanocorax 

 pileatns) from La Plata, presented by Mrs. J. W. Hammond ; 

 two Buzzards (Butte vulgaris), a Hobby (Falco subbutto), 

 European, presented by Capt. H. Linklater ; a Tiger Bittern 

 (Tigrisoma brasilicnsc) from South America, presented by Mr. 

 Joseph H. Chettham, F.Z.S. ; a Turtle Dove (Ttirtur com- 

 munis), captured at sea, presented by Mr. W. M. Brown ; five 

 Long-nosed Vipers (Vipera amnio.-iytes), a Viperine Snake 

 ( Tropidonotus viperinus), European, presented by Lord Lilford, 

 F.Z.S. ; a Macaque Monkey (Macacus cynomolgus) from India, 

 a White-fronted Capuchin (Cebus albi/rons) from South America, 

 two Michie's Tufted Deer (Elapliodus michianus i 6 ), an 

 Elliot's Pheasant (Phasianus cllioti <J ) from China, deposited ; 

 two Eyras (Felis eyra), a Red-vented Parrot (Pionus menstruus) 

 from South America, a White-fronted Amazon (Chrysotis leuco- 

 cephala) from Cuba, two Royal Pythons (Python regius) from 

 West Africa, purchased ; a Collared Fruit Bat (Cynonycteris 

 collaris), born in the Gardens. 



