472 
NATURE 
[Marcu 17, 1904 
tion with spring flowers savour, to our thinking, somewhat 
too much of the methods of the faddist and of the crank. 
The editor, Dr. G. Leighton, his ‘ Reptile 
Studies,’’ dealing in this instance with the 
the British species. 
continues 
Perhaps, however, the most generally 
interesting article in the issue is one by Mr. W. H. Legge 
on Ringmer, a favourite Sussex resort of Gilbert White. 
WE have received four parts of the Proceedings of the 
U.S. National Museum (Nos. 1361, 1362, 1363, and 1367), 
all devoted to invertebrates. In the first, Mr. C. F. Baker 
points out the remarkable fact that while in the United 
States fleas nearly allied to the human Pulex irritans infest. 
such animals as the dog, cat and rabbit, in Mexico and 
South America species even more nearly related to the former 
are found on rats, mice, and other small rodents. Hence 
there is a great probability, in the latter instance, of the 
communication of serious diseases to human being's by these 
insects. In No. 1367 Mr. J. E. Benedict points out the 
probability that the enormously elongated antennule of 
crustaceans of the genera Albunea and Lepidopa, which are 
furnished with hair-like fringes, are for the purpose of 
preventing the sand in the water from reaching the mouth. 
THE report of the Liverpool Marine Biology Committee 
for 1903 contains an account of the first year’s working 
of the new biological station at Port Erin, in the Isle of 
Man. From a financial point of view it is satisfactory to 
learn that the aquarium is very popular with tourists, and 
that a substantial sum was received from their gate-money. 
During the year very successful progress has been made 
with the experiment of hatching and rearing lobsters, and 
some remarkable hauls of plankton 
several and 
and the discovery of 
rare interesting animals have been made. 
Special interest attaches to the hatching of a number of 
cuttlefish eggs, the commencement of the process taking 
place after a sojourn of eighty days in the tank. The com- 
mittee has to deplore the loss of its energetic and talented 
secretary, Mr. I. C. Thompson, of whom a memoir appears 
in the report, at the comparatively early age of sixty. A 
considerable portion of the report is devoted to a pronounce- 
ment of the general aims of biological study and the urgent 
need of further efforts in this direction in Britain. The 
writer is of opinion that as the older naturalists pass away 
their place is not taken by younger men, and he deplores that 
such a state of affairs should exist, even locally. 
AccorpING to Mr. Southwell’s on sealing and 
whaling for the past year (the twenty-third of the series), 
published in the February number of the Zoologist, the 
trade in seal skins and seal oil has become specially lucrative 
report 
on account of the marked rise in prices, and the demand in 
America. In seal-oil the price has advanced from 18. per 
tun (some years ago) to 28/., while skins which were then 
worth half a crown now realise 3s. 6d. each. Sealing will, 
therefore, undoubtedly be on the increase, but, as Mr. South- 
well remarks, black for the 
themselves, and it be hoped that measures will be 
taken in time to prevent anything approaching extermin- 
this means a lookout seals 
may 
ation. The year’s catch of right whales was small, but 
several were seen which, owing to the bad weather and 
heavy ice, could not be pursued. Owing to scarcity of 
whales and other 
causes, the Norwegian fin-whale catch 
has been comparatively only small, the two Ronas Voe 
companies having captured only 126 head. If it be true 
that in 1902 the Norwegian fleets accounted for no less 
than 2500, the scarcity of these whales is no matter for 
wonder, and ere long they must be well-nigh exterminated. 
Mr. Southwell alludes to the appearance last summer of a 
NO. 1794, VOL. 69] 
distribution of | 
large school of sperm-whales in the seas between Iceland 
and Norway, of which an account has already appeared in 
the Field. 
WE have received a copy of the first part of ‘* Documents 
Scientifiques de la Mission Saharienne: Mission Foureau- 
Lamy d’Alger au Congo par Le Tchad,’’ by M. F. Foureau, 
the leader of the expedition. The work is being published 
by Messrs. Masson and Co., of Paris, for the French Geo- 
graphical Society, and is to consist of several parts, forming 
‘The present 
fasciculus includes an introduction and two sections, deab- 
ing respectively with astronomical and meteorological 
observations. In his prefatory remarks M. Foureau details 
together a volume of from 800 to 1000 pages. 
the steps which preceded the expedition of 1898, with which 
the present work is concerned, and gives interesting par- 
ticulars of nine journeys of exploration in the Sahara he had 
undertaken before that date. Our notice of the scientific 
work accomplished must be deferred until all the parts of 
M. Foureau’s volume have been received. 
PLate x1. of the January number of the Emu, herewith 
reproduced on a illustrates the ‘‘ play- 
ground ’’ of one of the species of bower-bird, Scenopaeus 
smaller scale, 
dentirostris (F 
Mr. E. 
. 1). The original photograph was taken by 
M. Cornwall, who states that the area was situated 
Fic. 1.—‘ Play-ground” of the Tooth-billed Bower-bird. (From the Zz.) 
in which a gap had to 
The play-ground, which was of 
among a tangle of ‘‘ lawyer-palms, 
be 
considerable size, had been cleared of dead leaves, and was 
made for the came 
kept scrupulously clean; but at the date of the visit a 
number of large fresh leaves were strewn over it, apparently 
“In the morning,” to Mr. 
all the birds were noticed low down amongst 
as ornaments. according 
Cornwall, ‘*‘ 
the scrub, quite close to the play-ground, whilst towards 
sundown they were invariably perched high up amongst the 
topmost branches of the trees, but still in the immediate 
neighbourhood.”’ 
A SOMEWHAT remarkable process of oxidation is described 
by Dr. Geisow in the Berichte. It was noticed some years 
ago by Blank and Finkenbeiner that when formaldehyde 
was oxidised in alkaline solution by means of hydrogen 
peroxide an inflammable gas was liberated which appeared 
to be hydrogen. An investigation of the course of the 
oxidation in neutral and acid solution has shown that under 
these conditions no formic acid is produced, and that the sole 
products of the oxidation are carbon dioxide and hydrogen, 
which are produced quantitatively according to the equation 
CH,0,+H,0,=CO,+H,0+H,. 
