230 
NATL: 
[JANUARY 7, 1yO4 
ation, and no one who has seen the development of 
the reptilian material from its matrix under the care 
of Prof. H. G. Seeley can regret that certain speci- 
mens, at any rate, have travelled across the sea to 
England. 4 Gr ACC: 
THE CLIMATE OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
N the volume mentioned below, all the mean values 
of the meteorological elements which constitute 
the climate of the country in question are brought 
together, these values being deduced from a long series 
of observations terminating with the year rg00. When 
it is mentioned that the country embraces 33° of lati- 
tude, the surface of which slopes from the shores 
of the 
of the central range of the Andes 
reader must not be surprised if he 
ences in the atmospheric conditions 
various parts of the Republic. 
A thorough knowledge of the changes in the meteor- 
ological elements in this the South American portion 
of the globe will prove of great importance to us 
dwellers in the Old World, for although we are separ- 
on the west, the 
finds great differ- 
that prevail in the 
ated so widely as regards distance, we are intimately | 
connected meteorologically. It is quite within the 
bounds of possibility “that our great dependency India 
and the region about it (and indirectly the British Isles 
and Europe generally) may be able to checlx their long 
period forecasts on observations made in the Argentine 
Republic. 
In this volume an English translation accompanies 
the Spanish text, so that the book is available to those 
who cannot read the latter language. In addition to 
the numerous tables showing the mean daily and 
annual variations of the elements, accompanied by an 
excellent statement in each case, Prof. Davis has given 
a set of twenty-six plates which illustrate graphically 
not only these variations, but the mean conditions 
which prevail over this extensive area. 
For many of the elements the monthly and yearly 
values for each year since the commencement of observ- 
ation are included, but an omission is made in the 
case of atmospheric pressure. Recent investigations 
have indicated that the variations from year to year 
over the South American continent, more especially 
about the region of Cordoba, are the inverse of those 
about the region surrounding the Indian Ocean, that 
is, when the mean pressure for the year is high 
in Cordoba it is low in India; 
pressure values in this volume for one station, namely, 
Cordoba, would have been very useful. 
For climatological reasons it is necessary to study 
the readings of many barometers well scattered over a 
country, hence the statement on p. 45 that ‘‘ observ- 
ations of atmospheric pressure, however complete, are 
of little practical value if confined to a_ single 
EC eiear Ile me important, however, to bear in 
mind that complete series of barometric observations 
at two stations, one set to check the other, are quite 
sufficient in many parts of the world to study the 
changes over large areas from year to year. 
The publication of this volume will undoubtedly be 
welcomed by meteorologists and those who wish to 
make themselves acquainted with the weather of the 
region surveyed, and the very complete manner in 
which the information has been brought together in 
this convenient form should add to its usefulness. 
Wie doe ike 
Compiled from Observations 
By Walter G. Davis, Director of the 
Pp. 1543; 26 plates. (Published by the 
1 “Climate of the Argentine Republic.” 
made to the end of the Year 1900. 
Argentine Meteorological Office. 
Ministry of Agriculture.) 
NO. 1784, VOL. 69 | 
the insertion of the | ‘ f ; 
| interests of zoology and zoologists, and to take such action 
Atlantic on the east to the snow-clad summits | 
| proportion of helium. 
NOTES. 
A circuLar signed by Prof. A. Tonelli and Prof. V. 
Cerruti announces that it is proposed to erect a memorial 
in honour of the late Prof. Luigi Cremona, professor of 
higher geometry in the University of Rome, and director 
of the engineering school. The fame of Prof. Cremona is 
world- wide, and his works have exercised a great influence 
on research in fields of pure and applied mathematics. It 
is intended that the monument to his memory shall be 
an international one; and the hope is expressed that all 
who have been inspired by his discoveries, or have regard 
for his genius, will contribute to the fund being raised. 
Subscriptions should be sent to Signor I. Sonzogno, Piazza 
San Pietro in Vincoli, 5, Rome. 
At a meeting of the Bath Town Council on Tuesday, 
mention was made of the fact that helium has been found 
in gases from the largest and perhaps the best known of 
the city’s hot mineral springs, the King’s Bath. The de 
posits that collect in the tanks and pipes at the three springs 
have also been investigated. A few weeks ago a quantity 
of the deposit from the new Royal spring was obtained and 
sent to the Hon. R. J. Strutt, who, in a communication 
to the Baths Committee, remarks :—‘‘ My experiments have 
led to some conclusions which may, I hope, interest the 
I have found that the deposit contains radium 
in appreciable quantities, though I am sorry to say not 
enough to pay for extraction. It will be remembered that 
the gas which bubbles up from the springs contains a small 
Sir William Ramsay has recently 
made the most important discovery that radium slowly 
evolves helium by a spontaneous change. I think there can 
be little doubt that the helium of Bath owes its origin to 
large quantities of radium at a great depth below the earth’s 
surface. A little of this radium is carried up by the rush 
of hot water and is found in the deposit. My experiments 
promise further interesting developments, which I shall 
have much pleasure in bringing to the notice of the com- 
mittee in due course.”’ 
committee. 
A MEETING was held in the house of the Zoological Society 
o1 Tuesday to consider proposals for the organisation of 
zoclogists. Forty-one zoologists from England, Scotland 
and Ireland attended the meeting. The following resolu- 
tion was carried by a large majority :—‘‘ That it is desir- 
able that the zoologists of Great Britain and Ireland be 
organised for the consideration of all matters affecting the 
as may seem desirable.’’ A committee consisting of Prof. 
Cossar Ewart, Prof. Bridge, Prof. Hickson, Dr. Scharff, 
Dr. G. C. Bourne, Dr. Ridewood, and Mr. Cunningham 
was appointed to draw up a scheme. 
WE are glad to see among the New Year honours 
gazetted by the India Office the name of Dr. W. T. Blan- 
ford, F.R.S., who has been made a Companion of the Order 
of the Indian Empire. Dr. Blanford, whose services to 
Indian geology and zoology are known to all our readers, 
joinea the Geological Survey shortly before the outbreak of 
the mutiny, and is one of the few civilians entitled to wear 
a Mutiny medal. 
On New Year’s Day we had the pleasure of inspecting 
a series of the well-known animal photographs of the Messrs. 
Kearton now being exhibited to the public at 175 Bond 
Street. All these reproductions from the original photo- 
graphs have been considerably enlarged, although not to 
such an extent as to impair the sharpness or blur the 
