330 
NATURE 
[AucusT 3. 1899 
by Prof. C. J. Chamberlain; Current bacteriological literature, 
by Prof. H. H. Waite; Normal and pathological histology, 
by Dr. R. M. Pearce; Neurological literature, by Edith M. 
Brace, Among original communications in the same branch of 
science we may mention an improvement in the technique of 
making blood-serum culture media, by Ernest C. Levy; and 
preparing sections of cochlea for microscopicai examination, by 
M. T. Cook and H. H. Zimmermann. 
Two new volumes have been added to the series of brochures 
published by MM. Georges Carré and C. Naud under the 
general title of ‘‘Scientia.” The volumes are: ‘‘ Les actions 
moléculaires dans organisme,” by Prof. H. Bordier, and ‘*‘ La 
coagulation du sang,” by Prof. Maurice Arthus. Each book 
comprises about one hundred pages, and shows the present state 
of knowledge of the subject dealt with in it. 
THE seventh volume of the renowned ‘‘ System of Medicine,” 
edited by Prof. Clifford Allbutt, F.R.S., has been published by 
Messrs. Macmillan and Co., Ltd. The volume continues the 
treatment of the subject of diseases of the nervous system. In 
the eighth volume, which will conclude the work, this ,subject 
will be completed, and the full sections on mental diseases and 
diseases of the skin will be added. When the final volume has 
appeared, it will be reviewed with others not yet noticed in 
these columns. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 
past week include a Purple-faced Monkey (Sesmnopithecus 
cephalopterus, &) from Ceylon, presented by Mrs. Usborne; a 
Common Badger (JZe/es taxws, 9), British, presented by Mrs. 
F. Travers ; a Zebu (Bos zndicus, 6) from India, presented by 
Mr. Smith Rylands ; two Common Squirrels (Sczzrzs vulgaris), 
European, presented by Miss E. B. Sparrow; a Martinique 
Gallinule (onornzs martinicus), captured at sea, presented by 
Mr. H. A. Pare; a Raven (Corvus corax), European, presented 
Mr. P. Stuart ; two Tengmalms Owls (Wycla tengmalmz) from 
Norway, presented by Mr. P. Musters; an Adorned Terrapin 
(Chrysemys ornata) from Central America,* presented by Mrs. 
R. J. Aston; a Common Snake (77opzdonotus natrix) from 
Italy, presented by Mr. T. G. Gunn; a Common Badger 
(Aeles taxus) from Siberia, a Common Hamster (Cricetus fru- 
mentartus, European, a Ring-necked Pheasant (Phaséanus 
torguatus) from Mongolia, four Horsfield’s Tortoises ( Zes¢udo 
horsfieldz) from Central Asia, two Blackish Sternotheres (S¢e770- 
thaerus nigricans) from Madagascar, a Japanese Terrapin 
(Clemmys japonica) from Japan, six Land Lizards (Lacerta 
agzlis) from Central Europe, six Crested Anolis (Azo/is crista- 
tellus) from the West Indies, two Long-snouted Snakes 
(Dryophis myctertans) from India, a Common Snake ( Zyopzdo- 
notus natrix), two Common Vipers (V2fera derus), British, a 
Glass Snake (Ophzosauzrus apus) from Southern Europe, de- 
posited ; two Common Wolves (Cavs lupus, § ¢ ) from Siberia, 
two Yellow-tufted Honey-eaters (P2/otis auricomzs) from New 
South Wales, two Nonpareils (Cyanospica ctris,é 9) from 
North America, purchased. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 
TEMPEL’s COMET 1899 ¢ (1873 II.).— 
Ephemerts for 12h. Paris Mean Time. 
R.A. 
1899- Decl. Br. 
h. m. s, 2 aa elt 
Aug. 3. ... 20 56 14°6 25 43) 17, 
4 57 26°2 26 14 6 3°587 
5 58 37°9 26 44 34 
6 20 59 49°8 27 14 29 
7 Ze Me) 27 43 48 
8 2 14°3 28 12 29 3°447 
9 3 26°9 28 40 30 
10 21 A 20rSayeee  — 20) 748 
NO. 1553. VOL. 60] 
Mars DURING OpposiTIon 1898-1899.—MM. Flammarion 
and Antoniadi contribute to Astr. Mach. (Bd. 150, No. 3581) 
the results of their observations of Mars during the last oppos- 
ition of the planet. The work was done at the Observatory of 
Juvisy, with an objective by Mailhat of o°26m. aperture and 
381m. focal length. The magnifying powers employed were 
145, 224, 308, 411, and 607, the best images being obtained 
with the power of 308. Tables are given showing the pro- 
gressive diminution in the extent of the polar caps, and of 
the whitening of the land surface under varying degrees of 
obliquity of the sun’s rays. Two plates accompany the paper, 
showing the whole of the details observed, and in the description 
of these several differences are noted in comparison with the 
data given by Lowell. 
As indicating the probable transparency of the Martian atmo- 
sphere, mention is made of the visibility of the Mare Tyrrhenum 
as a black marking quite up to the edge of the disc. The 
number of canals seen at Juvisy has been thirty-six, the majority 
of which were large and diffuse. Those easiest seen were 
Boréosyrtes, Cerberus and Styx. Several observations of 
gemination were made, which it is thought will throw some 
light on the cause of the phenomenon. 
PHOTOGRAPHY OF NEBUL® AND STAR CLUSTERS.—At 
the meeting of May 3 of tne Astronomical Society of France, 
M. L. Rabourdin, in the course of a paper on the history of the 
subject, showed some remarkably fine photographs of nebulz 
and star clusters, and he gives a description of them, and of how 
they were obtained, in the July number of the Society’s Budletzn 
(Bull. Soc. Ast. Fr., July, pp. 289-299). The instrument was 
the large reflector of the observatory at Meudon, which was 
kindly placed at M. Rabourdin’s disposal by M. Janssen. It 
has an aperture of one metre and a focal length of three metres, 
and is thus admirably fitted for the photography of faint objects 
of extended area. In the same number (pp. 299-304), M. 
Janssen furnishes some remarks on the above paper, entering 
fully into the question of astronomical photography, in the 
course of which he suggests obtaining a photometric scale for 
the measurement of the brightness of nebulae by putting 
standard stars slightly out of focus, thus obtaining small circular 
discs on the plate instead of points, and then measuring the 
opacity of these circles. 
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS ON 
TELEGONY.' 
I. Lntroductory. 
THE belief in telegony, or what used to be known as the 
‘infection of the germ” or ‘‘throwing back” to a 
previous sire, has long prevailed. It may for all we know be 
as old as the belief in ‘‘ mental impressions,’’ which has had its 
adherents since at least the time of the patriarchs. During the 
eighteenth century the ‘‘infection’’ doctrine was frequently 
discussed by physiologists, and since Lord Morton, in 1820, 
addressed a letter to the Royal Society on the subject, believers 
in ‘‘infection”’ have been increasing all over the world, with 
the result that one seldom now hears of breeders or fanciers 
who are not influenced by the doctrine, while physicians and 
others interested in the problems of heredity either as a rule 
take telegony for granted or see nothing improbable in the 
‘infection’ hypothesis. 
It must, however, be admitted that, notwithstanding the 
criticisms of Weismann and others, very different views are 
entertained by the believers in telegony, not only as to the 
cause, but as to the results, of ‘‘infection.” By some telegony 
is confounded with simple reversion or atavism, while the 
better informed generally assume that ‘‘ infection” invariably 
results in the subsequent offspring repeating more or less 
accurately the characters of the first or of a previous sire. In 
a breeders’ journal of some standing there appeared recently 
under the heading ‘‘ Colour of Animals’ the following sen- 
tence :—‘“‘ Greys show in breeding a great tenacity of assertion, 
as they are few in comparison to other colours in the Stud 
Book, but they reappear and no doubt go back to the Arab, 
and prove telegony to be a fact” (Live Stock Journal, May 
12, 1899, p. 588). This shows simple reversion is sometimes 
mistaken for telegony. In support of the view that ‘* infec- 
1 “Experimental Contributions to the Theory of Heredity. A. Tele- 
gony.”’ By Prof. J. C. Ewart, F.R.S., University of Edinburgh. (A paper 
read before the Royal Society, June 1.) 
