430 



NATURE 



{Sept. 13, 1877 



object of the pit, but it appears in all probability to have been 

 sunk by the inhabitants of an earlier period for the purpose of 

 obtaining flints similar to those of Cissbury. A vein of flints 

 was found near the bottom of the shaft, but there are no 1 

 galleries, as is the case at Cissbury, where they are perfect in 

 the shafts that have been discovered. Probably in the present 

 instance the flints were found to be unsuitable, and the works 

 were abandoned. On Saturday a section was cut through the 

 rampart in order to ascertain by the po'.tery whether it was of 

 the same age. Large quantities of pottery were found, which 

 was of an earlier period to that in the pits in the interior, 

 indicating that the rampart is probably of an earlier date, and 

 that the fort was subsequently occupied by a later race of people 

 in the Celtic age. At the bottom of the pits were discovered 

 several implements of the late Celtic type — amongst other things 

 a knife, battle-axe, and a kind of iron spud ; also a bone comb. 



There have just been placed at the entrance to the South Ken- 

 sington Museum four magnified drawings of different stages of the 

 Colorado beetle, drawn by Mr. Andre at Murray, F. L.S.,natur.aIist 

 to the Science and Art Departmen*. They show the pupa — the 

 "grub," as it is labelled, at full growth, the beetle at rest, and 

 the beetle on the wing. This last is the most interesting drawing 

 to people in England, as the appearance of the beetle at rest is 

 now somewhat famUiar through the many drawings and the 

 models that have been issued. As Mr. Murray has studied the 

 beetle in America, not only the shape, but the hue of the wings 

 may be taken as correct. These are of a delicate pink, and look 

 so beautiful that it might be welcomed in England as an addi- 

 tion to our insects were its ravages not so expensive. Of all the 

 drawings of the beetle yet made public these are the most care- 

 fully drawn, but it is surely a mistake to place them where they 

 are at present. They are really outside the turnstiles, as if not 

 forming a portion of the museum. 



A THIRD edition is announced by Harlleben, the Vienna 

 publisher, of lirommy and von Littrow's work "Die Marine," 

 a comprehensive treatise on the ocean and on navigation. 



The prospectus of a new work entitled " Ergebnisse phy- 

 sikalischer Forschun^," by Dr. C. Bohn, Profesfor of Physics 

 in Aschaffenburg, is being circulated by Engelmaun of Leipsic. 

 The work aims at giving the facts ascertained in physics, leaving 

 out, as far as practicable, the processes by which they have been 

 reached (a mode of treatment which offers certain advantages). 

 Theories, hypotheses, and methods of experimentation are not 

 wholly excluded, but the attention is limited to what seems 

 useful and necessary in order to confidence in th.e correctness of 

 the results. The work is designed especially as a preparation- 

 book for examinations ; also as a work of refeience, for which 

 purpose it will be fully indexed. The iirat part, just published, 

 treats of I. Bodies and forces in general (as Introduction). 

 II. General mechanics and gravitation. XII. PJiysical me- 

 chanics. IV. The] theory of heat] (Part i). Part 2 will also j 

 treat of IV. The theory of heit (second part). V. Rdintion I 

 (light and heat). Part 3 will be deroted to VI. Mngne'.ism 

 and electricity. 



The Kolnischs Zeiluug publishes some interesting details 

 regarding an excursion made by Ilerr Nikolai Sograf, a member 

 of the Moscow .Society of Naturalists, to the peninsula of Kanin 

 in the Samoyede district. It appeals that the natives showed 

 themselves rather diffident towards the Russian traveller, and their 

 want of confidence was still further increased v/hen he proceeded 

 to take measurements of their heads, extremities, &c. At last 

 they evidently arrived at the conclusion that their reindeers and 

 their tundras were to be taken from them and they themselves 

 were to be transported far away, perhaps to tlie war now rjging. 

 The consequence of this conviction was a somewhat unpleasant 

 intermezzo for Ilerr Sograf and his excursion. On or.e fine 



morning the traveller was aroused by a great noise and found 

 that the Samoyedes were picking up their tents in great haste 

 and preparing; for an immediate departure into the interior of the 

 country. All representations on his part were in vain, and he 

 had to submit to being carried off. His position among these 

 natives was, of course, a rather unpleasant one ; his collections 

 of insects, which were preserved in alcohol were destroyed, the 

 preserving fluid finding its way into the stomachs of the Samo- 

 yedes. Ilerr Sograf was rescued at last by two fishermen from 

 the Kanin Tundra co.ist, who had heard of his awkward situa- 

 tion. He arrived safely at Mesen after some time, and thence 

 addressed a narrative of his adventures to the Russian newspaper 

 the Golos. His courage and spirit seem, however, to be quite 

 undaunted, as he has the intention to start at once upon another 

 expedition to Cape Sswyatoi-Noss. 



In compliance with a suggestion from M. Engelhard, a 

 member of the Municipil Council of Paris, the Prefect of the 

 Seine has ordered photographs to be taken of every existing plan 

 of the city of Paris, so that it will be possible to see all the series 

 of transformations experienced by the city from the most remote 

 period when such p'ans were made up to the present age. 



Flags have been hoisted on the principal buildings of th» 

 Paris International Exhibition, which, according to the habit of 

 French working-men, is an indication that the external part may 

 be considered as havinrj been quite completed. The part allotted 

 to England has been given over to the architect of the English 

 Government. 



The American Jaiirnal of Science records the death inl Ut.ih 

 of Dr. Charles F. Winslow, formerly of Boston, at the age of 

 sixty-six. Dr. Winslow has written numerous articles on physical 

 science, relating more especially to earthquake phenomena, 

 which he observed extensively during his residence of many 

 years in California, South America, and elsewhere. 



Drs. Yarrow and Coue.s have lately published a list of the 

 fishes found at Fort Ma9on, North Carolina, in which io3 

 species are enumerated ; of these eleven are sharks and ray.«. 



In a paper by Prof. Wright, of Yale College, published in the 

 early part of this year, a method was described of producing 

 metallic films on the inner surface of exhausted glass tubes, by 

 the action of a succession of energetic electrical discharges. 

 Prof. Wright has been continuing this investigation, and has 

 arrived at important results, both theoretical and practical. It 

 seemed probable that the surface of deposit would be dull, but 

 this proved incorrect, and the films when removed from the 

 receiver presented surfaces of exquisite perfection, the ino;t bril- 

 liant of which were comparable only to the surface of clean liquid 

 mercury. This suggested the production of specula for optical 

 purposes by this method, and Prof. Wright's subsequent 

 inquiries have been directed to this end. Platinum seems to be 

 the mojt suitable metal for the purpose; it is not readily tar- 

 nished, and can be cleaned with water C}r acids. By the new 

 method it can be deposited on glass surfaces very easily, and a 

 mirror of the most perfect surface produced at once. The 

 adherence of the film seems very close. With silver, too, the 

 process succeeds well, but it is more diflicult to obtain good 

 surfaces than with platinum, or gold, the metal being volatilised 

 with extrtme ease by the action of tiie currcn'. The experi- 

 ments, int:r alia, showed it to be true of platinum and bismuth 

 (as well as gold), that the light which has passed through a layer 

 of metal varies somewhat v;ith the thickness of the film. 

 Platinum, with progressively thickening film, varies from a grayish 

 int to brownish, brownish yellow, deep yellow, and orange. This 

 last colour is almost exactly complementary to that transmitted 

 by silver, and Prof. Wright succeeded in getting a peculiarly wliile 

 and biilliant reflecting surface by depositing first a thin stratum 

 of silver, then one of platinum. The specu'a of a small 



