‘ 
é 
destroyed, while two very tall and isolated houses at a short 
distance escaped. One of these houses has a side-wall nearly 
60 ft. high, and another one supported by other houses. The 
same partial effect was observed in other places, the terrestrial 
disturbance having been, as it were, distributed in veins or cur- 
rents, in the line of which everything went down ; but outside of 
these limits the damage done was comparatively slight. The 
exaggerated accounts published of the loss of life and injury to 
the city have probably never been exceeded. 
- We hear from the province of Albay (the southern extremity of 
the island of Luzow) that the grand volcano, the Mayon, was 
again in eruption, though at the last advices no damage had 
been done. This is perhaps the most beautifully symmetrical 
voleano in the world. From almost every point of view the 
outline is equally elegant. A few years ago I was fortunate 
in witnessing a fine eruption of the Mayon, which lasted for 
many days. By means of a powerful telescope I was able to 
watch its progress from a station at the base of the moun- 
tain. The ejected matter appeared to be red-hot stones only,* 
nothing like laya streams being visible. Indeed most of the 
yolcanos of the Philippines throw out only scoria, ashes, 
and, it is said, in some cases hot water; but all informa- 
tion on these subjects is so liable here to gross exaggeration, 
that little dependence can be placed on anything but personal 
observation, 
Another volcano, about 20 or 25 miles from the Mayon, called 
the Bulusan, which has been dormant for many years, began to 
throw out columns of smoke soon after the eruption of the Mayon, 
which I witnessed. 
I regret I have not been able to ascertain whether these vol- 
canic disturbances have had any effect upon the thermal spring- 
of Tivi at the base of the Mayon in causing an intermission in the 
flow, &c. The waters of these springs, which are very limpid, 
deposit large quantities of silicious scuter, which encloses anything 
thrown into them. I have a piece of ordinary mat, which, in 
vulgar phrase, is completely petrified. The temperature is nearly 
boiling ; but it is dangerous to approach the openings too nearly, 
and thermometrical experiments are difficult. Some of the con- 
eretions from certain parts of these springs are very massive, and 
when broken appear to be a nearly transparent silex. 
Manila, Oct. 7 W. W. Woop 
P.S.—The post brings further accounts of the new eruption of 
the Mayon, which has assumed a formidable character, and is 
said to be the most violent which has occurred for many years. 
Some lives have been lost among the natives, who have their 
' Manila hemp plantation on the flanks of the volcano, and great 
apprehension prevailed in all the villages around the base of the 
mountain. The new volcano on the island of Camiguin remains 
in a semi-active state—smoking, but without any regular eruption. 
Those who haye visited it lately report that it is steadily increas- 
ing in volume, the irregular mass becoming larger daily, and 
working towards the sea. The inhabitants have generally re- 
turned to the island, but the villages in the immediate neighbour- 
hood of the volcano are still deserted. Camiguin is important 
from its plantations of Manila hemp (AZwsa textile), and a good 
deal of capital is invested in them. : 
Oct. 10 
Atmospheric Refraction 
Tr Mr, Wallace is still in search of facts on unusual atmospheric 
refraction, I would refer him in the first place to ‘‘ Scoresby’s 
Arctic Regions,” and Scoresby’s “ Greenland,” in both of which 
works very full and accurate information is given as to facts 
observed by the author; in the second place to the Phil. Trans. 
for 1798, 1799, and 1800, containing papers by Latham, Vince, 
and Wollaston; thirdly, to “Annales de Chimie,” first series, 
vols. 29 and 39; the former containing a paper by Monge at 
p- 207, and the latter a paper by Gorsse at p. 211. 
More recent observations are described in NATURE for July 28 
and August 25, 1870, and August 25, 1872. 
» Tfany of your readers can inform me of any important contri- 
butions to the literature of Mirage besides these above mentioned 
T shall be greatly obliged. 
J. D. Everett 
* These appeared as if slowly pushed up from the interior of the crater, 
and, rolling out over its edges, went thundering down the cone, throwing out 
showers of fire as they struck the rocks or each other. This eruption was well 
seen by me from two opposite stations, and was said to have been equally fine 
when viewed from all sides of the mountain, 
NATURE 
BIELA’S COMET* 
66 IELA’S Comet is my subject this time. A startling 
telegram from Prof. Klinkerfues on the night of 
Nov. 30 ran thus :— Biela touched Earth on 27th: search 
near Theta Centauri.’ 
“T was on the look-out from comet-rise (16") to sunrise 
the next two mornings, but clouds and rain disappointed 
me. On the third attempt, however, I had better luck. 
Just about 173" mean time, a brief blue space enabled me 
to find Bze/a, and though I could only get four comparisons 
with an anonymous star, it had moved forward 2°°5 in four 
minutes, and that se¢¢/ed its being the right object. I re- 
corded it as—‘ Circular ; bright, with a decided nucleus, 
but no tail, and about'45” in diameter.’ This was in strong 
twilight. Next morning, Dec. 3, I got a much better 
observation of it ; seven comparisons with another anony- 
mous star; two with one of our current Madras Catalogue 
Stars, and two with 7734 Taylor. This time my notes 
were— Circular ; diameter 75”; bright nucleus ; a faint 
but distinct tail, 8’ in length and spreading, a position 
angle from nucleus about 280°’ I had no time to spare 
to look for the other comet, and the next morning the 
clouds and rain had returned. 
“Tf I get another view before posting this I may be 
able to add a hasty postscript. The positions, the first 
rough, the second pretty fair from the two known stars, 
are— 
Madras M.T R.A. (Apparent) P.D. 
m s Ear os \-) to 
Dec. 2 17 33 21 472 124 46 
3) APE 25 17, 14 22 2°9 125 4 28 
HINTS ON COLLECTING ARACHNIDA 
I T having been suggested to me by Mr. Sclater that a few 
hints on the collecting of Arachnida might be of 
use for natural history collectors and travellers in foreign 
parts, I have had great pleasure in drawing up the fol- 
lowing notes on the subject, and shall be glad to receive 
collections of these animals from any part of the world, 
1.—What are Arachnida ? 
These are Spiders, Scorpions, Harvestmen, and Mites 
with several other allied groups (which have no English 
names), such as the 7helyfhonide, semi-scorpion-like 
creatures with a slender palpiform tail, and of consider- 
able size; the Phrynidea, short-bodied creatures of a 
somewhat spiderish appearance, but often of large size, 
with a horny skin, and fore-legs of immense length and 
great slenderness ; and the So/pagide, creatures which, 
if they can be said to resemble any others, are perhaps 
more like abnormal-looking spiders with a heavy head 
and great double jaws than anything else. 
2,—What places do Arachnida live in? 
Little need be said on this, for there is no place so 
barren, or so fertile, or so wet, or so dry, or so stony, but 
that some, and generally most, of the Avachnida may be 
found in it. Collectors abroad are often prevented from 
collecting birds or insects by weather, but Arachnida 
may be got in any weather, even if the collector be con- 
fined to the house. Numerous species may be found in 
corners and crevices ; beneath old bark, or detached rocks 
and stones, myriads of spiders haunt. They are also to be 
found among moss and deédris in damp places, in holes, 
in banks and river-sides ; among the lower stems of grass 
and rank herbage, and the borders of swamps and ponds ; 
on tree trunks, among lichens, on bushes, in blooms of 
flowers—in fact, to repeat it, everywhere ; often moving 
in the hottest sunshine, and often concealed during the 
day, coming abroad at dusk and in the night. 
3.—How to collect Arachnida. 
The mere modes of capturing them need not be much 
detailed ; there is an advantage in respect to Arachnida 
over all the /zsecfa in their being unable to fly. The 
* Extract of a letter from Mr. N. R. Pogson, Madras Observatory, to 
the Astronomer Royal, dated Dec. 5, 1872. 
