Feb. 16, 1882] 
NATURE 
365 
‘occupy the same volume,” From experiments on friction of 
gases, velocity of gaseous diffusion, &c., conclusions have been 
drawn as to the sizes of different molecules ; Avogadro’s law, 
however, says nothing as to the relative dimensions of mole- 
cules; the conclusion drawn by the author from Avogadro’s law 
is therefore I think rightly called an ‘‘ erroneous” conclusion, 
apart from any considerations as to the accuracy of the statement, 
**the molecules of all gases are of the same size.” 
A knowledge of the ‘‘atomicity” of the most important 
elements would, I admit, be of much importance. But when 
the evidence on which this or that value is assigned to the 
*Satomicity ’’ of these elements is examined, it is found in most 
eases to be very slight : a great structure has been raised on a 
shifting foundation. A student who has committed to memory 
ithe assertion that the ‘‘atomicity” of the nitrogen atom is five 
is probably ready to receive with gratitude the formula for 
nitrous oxide referred to; had he asked for the evidence on 
which the assertion as to the atomicity of nitrogen rests, and for 
an explanation of the assertion itself, he would I think hesitate 
before accepting the graphic formula in question as in any way 
affording ‘‘accurate and well-grounded information,’—THE 
WRITER OF THE NOTICE.] 
The Recent Weather 
REFERRING to the leading article on ‘‘ The Recent Weather ” 
in a former number, perhaps the following proverb, prevailing I 
think in Norfolk, may possess some interest :— 
“* When Martinmas ice will bear a duck, 
The winter will all be mire and muck.’’ 
Martinmas Day is on November 11. Bearing in mind that 
Martinmas, like Christmas, connotes a season rather than a par- 
ticular day, and still more, that cold weather would usually come 
earlier in Scotland than in the eastern counties, the proverb 
seems to be entirely in unison with Sir Robert Christison’s 
prognostic. CHARLES J. TAYLOR 
Toppesfield Rectory, Halstead, Essex 
FATHER Logo’s *‘ AByssINIA.”—A correspondent asks if 
there is any trustworthy evidence that Lobo’s ‘‘ History of 
Abyssinia” was ever published in Portuguese, as stated in most 
biographies. The extracts translated by Sir Peter Wyche and 
published by the Royal Society in the end of the seventeenth 
‘century, were made from the manuscripts, as was also Legrand’s 
translation in the beginning of the eighteenth, from which Dr. 
Johnson made his epitome. In Barbosa-Machado’s ‘‘ Biblio- 
theca Lusitana” there is no mention of a Portuguese edition. 
ON THE WHALE FISHERY OF THE BASQUE 
PROVINCES OF SPAIN} 
MY attention was drawn to the Basque Whale-Fishery 
by observing, during my study of Arctic literature, 
and especially while editing the voyages of William Baffin, 
that the first English whaling vessels were in the habit of 
shipping a boat’s crew of Basques to harpoon the whales. 
I was informed that a whale, the Balena biscayensis, had 
frequented the coasts of the Basques provinces from time 
immemorial ; but that it had become nearly extinct in the 
seventeenth century, when the Basques began to extend 
their voyages further north, and across the Arctic Circle. 
Hence the Basques had become dexterous whale-fishers 
long before any other European people had entered upon 
that perilous occupation. 
I found that several naturalists had investigated the 
history of the Biscayan whale, notably Eschricht and 
Reinhardt in Denmark, M. Fischer in France, and Prof. 
Flower in this country. Full information respecting these 
investigations is contained in Eschricht and Reinhardt’s 
memoir, published by the Ray Society in 1866 ; and many 
interesting particulars have since been brought to light re- 
specting the whale-fishery so far as it relates to the French 
Basques, and to the ports of Bayonne, Biarritz, Guétary, 
St. Jean de Luz, and Ciboure. But in looking through the 
books and papers on the subject, a list of which was kindly 
1 By Clements R, Markham, C.B., F.R.S. Readat the Zoological Society, 
December 13. Revised by the Author. 
furnished to me by Prof. Flower last June, I did not find 
any particulars respecting the Spanish ports, where the 
Basque sailors are more numerous than in France, and 
inhabit a more extensive line of coast. I therefore thought 
it possible that, by visiting those ports and making in- 
quiries respecting the literature of the provinces in which 
they are situated, and the local traditions, I might be able 
to collect some further information touching the whale- 
fishery of the Basques. It has now been suggested to me 
that such particulars as I have succeeded in bringing 
together, from their bearing on the history of the Balena 
biscayensts, a nearly extinct animal, would be interesting 
to the Zoological Society. I therefore have pleasure in 
communicating the following notes on the subject. 
The coast which I personally visited this summer ex- 
tends from the French frontier to the Cabo de Pejias, 
including the Basque provinces of Guipuzcoa and Viz- 
caya, and the purely Spanish provinces of Santander and 
the Asturias. It is for the most part bold and rocky, with 
lofty cliffs of cretaceous limestone, having strata hove up 
at great angles. Occasionally there is a stretch of sand, 
generally at the mouths of rivers, and here and there 
a rocky little boat-harbour. Forests of oak and chestnut 
clothe the mountains, with occasionally open spaces of 
fern and heather and bushes of arbutus and myrtle. In 
some places the chestnut-groves come down almost tothe 
water’s edge. Along this coast there are many small 
fishing-towns. Fuenterrabia, on its picturesque hill, over- 
looks the French frontier. Following the coast to the 
westward the next port is Pasajés, and then comes the 
city of San Sebastian, which was the centre of the old 
whale-fishery. Zarauz is a town stretching along the 
shores ofa sandy bay. Guetaria is built in a cleft of rocks 
which are sheltered behind the island of San Anton. 
Zumaya and Deva are are at the mouths of rivers; and 
Motrico is a picturesque little town built on steep slopes 
like Clovelly, overlooking a rocky bay. These are the 
ports of Guipuzcoa. 
Ondarroa, at the mouth of its river, where small schoon- 
ers are still built, is the first port of Vizcaya, coming from 
the east. Lequeitio is a large and more important place, 
sending out about a hundred fishing-boats. Next come 
Mundaca, at the mouth of the river of Guernica, Bermeo, 
another populous fishing-town with as many boats as 
Lequeitio, Plencia, and Portugalete and Santurce in the 
bay of Bilbao. These are the principal Vizcayan ports. 
The province of Santander has Castro-Urdiales, Laredo 
and Santona on the shores of a large harbour, Santander 
itself, and San Vicente de la Barquera. In the Asturias 
are the ancient ports of Llanes, Rivadesella, Villaviciosa, 
the important town of Gijon, Candas, and Luanco, From 
the little village of Luanco to the end of the Cabo de las 
Pefas is a walk of eight miles, and this was the most 
western point I reached. 
The Basque fishermen are a handsomerace. They go 
away on their fishing-voyages for many days, and are 
brave honest, and industrious; while both men and 
women are always cheerful and light-hearted. They 
belong to a people who, for centuries, have repelled 
foreign invasion, have enjoyed free institutions, and made 
their own laws. The Basque fishermen are the descend- 
ants of the old whalers, and retain their traditions. They 
have, from time to time, produced naval worthies whose 
names are historical. Among them are Sebastian del 
Cano, a native of the little fishing-town of Guetaria, who 
was the first circumnavigator of the globe ; Legaspi, the 
conqueror of the Philippine Islands ; Machin de Munguia, 
the Spanish Grenville ; and Churruca, whose gallantry 
at the battle of Trafalgar won for him the admiration of 
his English foes. 
Such men were the product of the whale-fishery, which 
was for the Basques, as it has since been for the British, 
an admirable nursery for seamen. 
My first inquiries had reference to the antiquity of the 
