'fnne 9, 1 881] 



NATURE 



^2>i 



Tartars da, nor with the Nogai, who are now, however, not 

 numerous. After having measured the skulls of about 200 

 persons, he finds that the cei halic index is : O'goS for children 

 from 4 to 7 years old, o'882 from 8 to 9 years, o'&-]6 from 10 to 

 12 year>, o'87i from 13 to 14 years, o 852 from 15 to 19 years, 

 and o"S45 from 20 to 23, being the average from 82 measure- 

 ments. When discu-sing the figures received for 27 very pure 

 representatives of Tartars, he shows that the maximum figures 

 were, in four cases, from o 886 to 0903, and the minimum in 

 two cases, 0"7S9 and o'Soo ; for the 21 others the index varies 

 comparatively little, namely, from o'822 to o 876. M. Merej- 

 l;ofr~ky has observed among the Tartar women the use of 

 tattooing in small spots between the eyebrows and on the 

 forehead. As to the staining the nails red, which is spread 

 everywhere among the women, and sometimes also among men, 

 M. Merejkoffsky, after having di.'-cus-ed the same custom among 

 other peoples, arrives at the conclusion that it is a survival from 

 the time when the whole skin was stained with red, originally 

 with the blood of enemies, to inspire dread. 



The geysers of Whakarewarevva, New Zealand, are stated to 

 have lately been in a state of agitation, throwing hot water to a 

 great height The natives anticipated still further eruptions. 

 Tlie geysers have been dormant for six months. 



The Annual Report for 1879-80 contained in the Proceedings 

 of the Norwich Geological Society complains of the little interest 

 taken in the work of the Society by the members ; the bulk of 

 the work seems to be done by the members of the Geological 

 Survey stationed in the neighbourhood. The presidential address, 

 by Mr. J. H. Blake, " On the Age and Relation of the so-called 

 ' Fore->t-bed of the Norfolk and Siiffilk Coast,' " is of consider- 

 able interest. It has been separately reprinted. Among the 

 other papers is one on "The .Subdivisions of the Chalk," by 

 Mr. A. J. Jukes-Browne. 



The Twenty-Third Report of the East Kent Natural History 

 Society contains some of the more important papers read during 

 the year. We regret to see that the interest of some of the 

 members in the v\elfare and work of the Society is not so great 

 as it might be, and that, as in not a few similar societies, the 

 bulk of the work falls on the shoulders of a few of the more 

 energetic members. 



We are glad to find a decided improvement in No. i , vol. x. 

 of the Canadian Naturalist. The papers are mostly geological, 

 a large proportion are original, or at least of purely Canadian 

 origin, and all of scientific value. Principal Dawson contributes 

 some important Palseontological N .tes, and there is a long paper 

 by Mr. K. Chalmers on the Glacial Phen miena of the Bay 

 Chaleuv Region, with a map. Dr. G. M. Daws m writes of the 

 Geology of the Peace River Region. Appended are Meteoro- 

 logical Notes for 1880, and a curious statement as to the Niagara 

 Falls having been dry for a day, March 31, 1848. 



Naiurie Novitafes, the fortnightly list of novelties in scientific 

 literature, started some time ago by Friedlander of Berlin, con- 

 tinues we are glad to see, to flourish. It is calculated to be of 

 real service to workers in science. 



Mr. Josceline Bagot and Mr. Drummond, of the Grenadier 

 Guards, accompanied by Mr. T. Wright, the winner of the 

 International Ba'loon Contest, went up in a balloon from the 

 Crystal Palace on the 1st inst. at I p.m. W^hen the ropes were 

 loosed they ascended to the height of 5000 feet, and travelled 

 slowly in a south-westerly direction f jr the distance of about 

 eight miles. The balloon then su idenly .sank, but ballast being 

 thrown out, it rose again to 8000 feet, and traversed in the direc- 

 tion of Epsom. The aeronauts then descended in a field about 

 a quarter of a mile from the Grand .Stand, which they reached 

 :n time to witness the race for the Derby. 



Sir R. Temple's lecture on the lake region of Sikkim is 

 given in the current issue of the Geographical Society's Proceed- 

 ings, illustrated by a capital map and some very good engravings 

 from the author's sketches on the spot. The other papers are 

 a translation from the Russian by Mr. Delmar Morgan of Dr. 

 Regel's account of his expedition from Kuldja to Turfan in 

 1879-80, and Mr. F. C. Selous' notes on recent explorations in 

 Ma huna-land, the latter of which adds ■■omething to our know- 

 ledge of the hydrography of the Zambesi basin, and is accom- 

 panied by a map in the text showing the routes of Mr. Selous and 

 others. The geographical notes relate chiefly to the work of 

 varijtts expeditions on the Congo and other parts of West 

 Africa. There are also notes of some interest on the true name 

 of the Chukches and on Richmond Gulf, Hudson's Bay. Mr. 

 James Stevenson contributes a memoiandum of the longitude 

 of Lake Nyassa, which is followed by a full abstract of the 

 proceedings of the Paris and Berlin Geographical Societies. 



The paper by General Pitt-Rivers announced last week will 

 be read at the Anthropological Institute on the 14th, not 7th 

 inst. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Macaque Mcmley (Macacus cynomolgus i ) 

 from India, presented by Mr. W. Nugent ; a Vulpine Phalanger 

 [Phalan^ista rnt'pitia ^ ) from Au^lr^dia, presented by Master H« 

 Berridge ; ten Green Lizards [Larerta virtdis), European, pre- 

 sented by Mr. H. N. Moseley, F.Z.S. ; two Ostriches (Stnilhio 

 camehisi'}) from Africa, two White-backed Piping Crows 

 (Gymnorhina leiiconota), a Laughing Kin,'fi-her (Z?a(-i»/o ^iganlea) 

 from South Australia, deposited ; a Prince Albert's Curassow 

 (Crax alberii 9 ) from Columbia, two Golden Agoutis {Dasy- 

 procia a^uti) from Guiana, two Common Boas (Soa co7istriclor) 

 from South America, on approval ; a Japanese Deer (Ceivus 

 sika <J ), a Cuming's Octndon (Octodon ciimingi), born in the 

 Gardens ; five Im|ieyan Phcasatits (Lnphophorus imfieyanus), 

 four Peacock Pheasants (Polypfeclron c/iinquis^, a Ruddy Shel- 

 drake ( Tadorna rutila), bred in the Gardens. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



Oxford — In a Convocaii n boUlen on June 7 a decree was 

 passed, without opposition, to amend the statute relating to the 

 Degree in Medicine. According to the new decree, those who 

 enter their names for the First Examination for the Degree of 

 Bachelor of Medicine, and who sans'y the Regius Professor of 

 Medicine that they have obtained Honours in the School of 

 Natural Science, or that they have passed the Preliminary 

 Honour Examination in the same School, shall not be required 

 to be examined either in Cheini try or in Mechanics and Physics 

 at the First Examination fir the Drgree of Bachelor of 

 Medicine. 



I Li the sinae Convocation the statute to enable non-members 

 of the University to pass an examinaiion in lieu of Responsions 

 was also ]iassed without opposition. The first examination in 

 lieu of Responsiiins will be held towards the end of the ensuing 

 long vacati >n. 



Mr. George B. Ferguon, M.D., Hertford College, has been 

 nominated Examiner in the Natural Science Schoi)l in place of 

 Prof. Lanke-ter, and Mr. John Watts, M.A., Balliol College, 

 in pl-ice of Dr. Odling. 



Prof. Sayce announces a public lecture in the Taylorian In- 

 stitution, June 8, on the ancient Hebrew inscription recently 

 discovered in Jerusalem. 



An examination will beheld in Exeter Colbge early in October 

 for the purpose of filling up a Naiural Science Scholarship, 

 tenable for four years during resilience. The age of the Can- 

 didaies is not hmited, but thry will be expected to give 

 evidence of sufficient Classical k.. .wIeHge to be able to pa-s 

 Re ponsions. The examination will be m Biologv, Chemistry, 

 and Physic-. Candidates will tie expected to .sh.iw proficiency 

 in at least two of these sulijects, and the Scholar will be 



