Mar, 6, 1873] 
in which they could have been introduced into the country, 
Some twenty-seven of them were found in an earthen vase 
mixed with earth and sand, each one being notched so as to 
permit its being arranged with others upona string. Wagner 
is of the opinion that these shells must have been brought by 
the Pheenicians for the purpose of bartering with the people for 
amber. A closely allied species (C. pantherina) was found in 
graves in Swabia, which could not in any way have been 
associated with the Phcenicians. Jeitteles also mentions the 
occurrence, among certain prehistoric objects found near 
Olmiitz, of a coral from the Indian Ocean, found very rarely in 
the Mediterranean. 
Mr. Epwarp A, BLYDEN has lately presented to Governor 
Hennessy, of Sierra Leone, a report of his mission to Falaba, 
in Africa, early in the year 1872. His route carried him through 
a considerable portion of the less-known region of Eastern 
Africa, and much information was derived, which it is proposed 
to embody hereafter in a detailed work, 
oot mS 
THE report of Major Powell of his survey along the Colorado 
of the West, during the year 1872, has just been printed by the 
U.S. Congress, and embraces as its most striking feature an 
account of a remarkable series of folds and faults in the earth’s 
strata, of the highest interest to the geologist, Numerous prac- 
tical results of value are recorded, especially the discovery of 
coal, salt, and metals. Very large collections of special ethno- 
logical interest were gathered. An appropriation of 20,000 dols. 
is asked for by the Major to continue the work during the current 
year. 
A BILL is now before Congress providing an appropriation of 
29,000 dols., or as much thereof as may be necessary, for the 
purpose of having printed, at the government printing office, 
one thousand copies of the ‘‘ Descriptive Anatomical Catalogue 
of the Army Medical Museum.” 
Mr. Joun Murr, in the Overland Monthly, announces the 
existence of actual glaciers in the Merced group of Californian 
mountains, and remarks that the snow banks of Mounts Lyell 
and M‘Clure, of the Yosemite region, are true glaciers as 
shown by the forward movement of stakes planted by him across 
the bank. The central stakes were found to move forty inches 
in forty-six days, while the surroundings exhibit all the peculiari- 
ties of glaciers in the form of moraines, &c. The Mount 
M‘Clure glacier is about half a mile in length, and of the same 
breadth in the broadest part, and the Mount Lyell glacier is 
about a mile long. 
A BILL has passed one branch of the Legislature of 
Michigan establishing a commission of fisheries, and appropriat- 
ing 10,000 dols. for two years for purposes connected with the 
increase of food fishes in the State. 
In the Australian Mechanic for December, a proposal is 
mooted for the formation of an association in the southern con- 
tinent, similar to our own British Association. 
WE learn from the same journal, that a society is in course 
of formation in Victoria, on the basis of the London Society 
of Arts. 
On Feb. 9 there was a shock of earthquake at Antioch. 
On February 10 there were earthquake shocks felt at 
Durazzo in Turkey, and the 11th at Kavalla in Macubria, and 
on the 12th at Jajat also in Turkey ; these were serious in their 
consequences. . 
On Feb. 14 there was an earthquake at Sour (Tyre), Akka 
(St. John d’Acre) and Jerusalem. On the same day there was 
a hot stifling wind on the same coast, at Beiroot, which made 
breathing difficult. As the Imperial Meteorological Observatory 
at Pera, Constantinople, is now constituted under M. Coumbary, 
NATURE 
35! 
with the aid of widespread telegraphs, we shall get better 
records of the earthquakes over the large districts of the Turkish 
empire. Hitherto our information chiefly depended on the 
chance intelligence obtained by M. Charles Ritter, of the Ponts 
et Chaussées, and transmitted to Paris. 
In the Calcutta Englishman “ A Bengalee”’ calls in question 
Mr. Darwin’s statement that Bengalees shrug their shoulders. 
He says he remembers having seen several of his countrymen, 
who had adopted English ideas and habits, shrug their shoulders, 
but never has he observed it in any unsophisticated Bengalee. 
The remonstrance shows how widely the study of Mr. Darwin’s 
works is disseminated. 
A NEW Octopus has been added to the Brighton Aquarium, 
in room of the one whose unfortunate end we recently chro- 
nicled. 
-WE learn from Zes Mondes that under the superintendence ot 
M. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, the sad havoc made during the 
late war upon the Paris Fardin d’ Acclimatation has been nearly 
repaired, The collection of animals now numbers 6,148 head, 
valued at 158,370 francs ; very nearly 5,000 animals have been 
added during 1872. The number of visitors during the past 
year has been 238,000. 
A PRELIMINARY meeting of skilled workmen was held on 
March 1, at the offices of the Working Men’s Club and Institute 
Union, at which it was decided to form a Trades Guild of learn- 
ing, with a view of enabling skilled workmen to acquire a know- 
ledge of history, political economy, technical education, litera- 
ture, science and art. 
WE learn from the Fournal of Botany that Dr. Erast of 
Caracas has been named by the Government of Venezuela to fill 
the chair of botany in the University of Caracas, where Natural 
History has hitherto never been taught. He is likewise com- 
missioned with the foundation and management of a small 
botanic garden and the correspondent botanic museum. For 
the garden he will have the two large yards of the University 
building, both together 1,300 square metres large, which will 
give about 800 square metres available ground for planting. 
A CATALOGUE is printed by M. Rodembourg, head-gardener, 
and M. E. Morren, director of the botanic garden belonging to the 
University of Liége, of upwards of 200 species of the interesting 
order Bromeliacee cultivated in it,—an evidence of the zeal with 
which scientific botany is pursued in some quarters on the 
Continent. 
WE see from the Ceylon, Odserver that that paper has been 
attempting to runa ‘‘pigeon express” between Galle and Co- 
lombo, and would very likely have succeeded, had not a blood- 
thirsty civet-cat wriggled herself between the narrow bars (13 in. 
apart) of the dovecot, and killed off five of the finest pigeons in 
training ; in every case it had cut the jugular vein and sucked 
the blood. The Odserver hopes, however, that ere many weeks 
other pigeons, now in training, will be regularly bringing from 
Galle to Colombo the budgets of news, written and printed on 
thin paper for the special purpose. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
last week include a Rose hill Parrakeet (Platycercus eximius) 
and a Crested Ground Parrakeet (Ca/opsitta nove-hollandie) 
from Australia, presented by Mr. Griffiths Smith. A Crested 
Screamer (Chauna chavaria) from Buenos Ayres, presented by 
Mrs. Wilson. Two Black-eared Marmosets (/efale penicillata) 
from Brazil, presented by Mrs. Bischoffsheim. A White- 
throated Capuchin (Cebus ypoleucus) from the U.S. of 
Colombia ; a2 Puma (72/is concolor) from Cartagena ; an Ocelot 
Felis pardalis) from Savanilla ; and a Prince Alkert’s Curassow 
(Crax Alberti) from Cartagena, purchased, 
