Nov. 16, 1882] 
NATURE 
63 
Nor is it that a selection of certain writers has been 
made, for numerous authors of many well-known works are 
only credited with one or two in the Derby Library Cata- 
logue. The letter B is not a specially unfortunate one. 
Ancient Geography refers only to Mature and the Quarterly 
Review (one reference each), Gladstone and Hugh Miller are 
equally unknown. Less than a column contains all the references 
to Geography, while Geology has nine columns allotted to it. 
Unler Astronomy the inquirer is referred to numerous papers 
where notices may be found of each of the planets and of many 
of the planetoids, but only fifteen works on Astronomy are 
catalogued. There is no work at all upon the Moon! More- 
over, the references to works which are in this library are made 
with no discretion. ‘‘ Barbarossa” does not refer the reader to 
Gibbon; ‘‘Borgia” only refers him to one article—on Lucrezia — 
in the Mineteenth Century | The spelling is not only unscholarly, 
but the correcting of proofs is careless. It were endless to point 
out the blunders everywhere ; we need only refer to the name of 
Prof, Haeckel, spelt in four different ways upon pp. 41, 42 only! 
If some little town struggling against the smallness of the 
Id. rate wishes to draw as much as possible from its Free 
Library with its motley collection of books contributed from 
various quarters, we can strongly recommend the sys¢e7z upon 
which this catalogue is drawn up. But that a place of the size 
and importance of Derby, whose rate also has been so helped 
by the munificence of Mr. Bass and others, should think it worth 
while to print and distribute a catalogue, displaying a knowledge 
and a collection of books in this rudimentary state, is beyond 
our comprehension. 
THE population of Cascia (Italy) is being constantly disturbed 
by repeated subterranean shocks. 
A VOLCANIC eruption is reported to have taken place:from a 
mountain in the Caucasus, which has not shown any voleanic 
phenomena during historic times. It is the Karabetow mountain, 
near Temrink, in the government of Jekaterinodar (Caucasia). 
The subterranean noi e was heard 4 versts away, the lava flowed 
for a distance of half a verst, and a large crater was formed. 
News from Belgrade states that some railway workmen have 
discovered a nearly perfect mammoth skeleton. It is being 
photographed on the spot, and will be handel over to the 
National Museum at Belgrade. 
A NATURAL intermittent spring has recently formed in 
the Jachére (Hameau de l’Argentiére, Hautes Alpes). At 
regular intervals of five and seven minutes it yields ro litres of 
water each time, It is very remarkable that the first time it consists 
of lukewarm and colourless water, but the second of cold but 
wine-red water. MM. Chester and Hadley are now studying 
the phenomenon. 
M, J. OLLER, the proprietor of the St. Germain racing esta- 
blishment, is preparing to organise night races. He intends to 
build a central lighthouse, of which the rays will be directed on 
the contending horses, so that spectators sitting in the centre 
may follow the proceedings with as much accuracy as in 
open day, 
AT the annual meeting for the distribution of prizes in Mason 
College, Birmingham, Prof, Tilden gaye a sens ble and interest- 
ing address on Technical Education, which has been published 
in a separate form, 
THE Captsia-General of the Philippines reports another de- 
structive hurricane on November 5, and it is worthy of remark 
that since the previous hurricane, a few weeks ago, the cholera, 
which had been very bad, has nearly disappeared from Manila. 
Messrs. SONNENSCHEIN AND Co. announce the forthcoming 
publication of Dr. Coppinger’s Notes of the four years’ voyage 
from which the A/er¢ has recently returned, 
Mr. Murray has issued a cheap elitioa of Dr, Blaikie’s 
“Life of David Livingstone.” 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include two Macaque Monkeys (Aacacus cynomolgus 
é 6) from India, presented respectively by Mr. J. Knight and 
Mrs. Snell ; a Sooty Mangabey (Cercocebus fuliginosus $) from 
West Africa, presented by Lady Stafford; two Globose Curas- 
sows (Crax globicera 6 9) from British Honduras, presented 
by Mr. R. W. Ryass; a —— Buzzard ( ) from 
Demerara, presented by Mr. G. H. Hawtayne, C.M.Z.S. ; 
three Common Chameleons (Chameleon vulgaris) from Egypt, 
presented by Mr. W. J. Ford ; a Hawk’s-billed Turtle (Che/one 
imbricata) from West Indies, presented by Mr. W. Cross; a 
Pig-tailed Monkey (Macacus nemestrinus 6) from Java, a Black 
Wallaby (Ha/maturus ualabatus 9) from New South Wales, a 
Greek Land Tortoise (Zestudo greca), South European, depo- 
sited; an American Bison (Bison americanus 9) from North 
America, a Capybara (Hydrocherus capybara 2) from South 
America, two Eastern Goldfinches (Carduelis orientalis) from 
Afghanistan, two Brent Geese (Bernicla brenta), a Red-throated 
Diver (Colymbus seplentrionalis), British, purchased ; three 
Capybaras (Hydrocherus capybara § 62), a Bluish Finch 
(Spermophile caerulescens) from South America, received in 
exchange, ~ 
GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
Ar the opening meeting of the Geographical Society on 
Monday Mr. A, &. Colquhoun’ gave an account of his recent 
adventurous journey, in company with the late Mr. Wahab, 
from Canton through Yunnan to Bhamo. Mr. Colquhoun’s 
object was mainly to discover trade-routes between Burmah and 
China, but he collected some interesting information on Further 
Yiinnan, parts of which have not before been visited by Euro- 
pean travellers, Mr, Colquhoun describes Yiinnan, which is 
the most westerly of the eighteen provinces of China, as a great 
uneven plateau, of which the main ranges trend north and 
south ; tho e in the north reaching an elevation of from twelve 
to seventeen thousand feet, while in the south they sink to seven 
or eight thousand feet. In the south, and especially in the 
south-west, there are many wide fertile plains and valleys, some 
with large lakes in them. These plains are very rich and thickly 
populated, the number of towns and villages and the comfort- 
able appearance of the peasantry being very remarkable. Fruits 
of all kinds—pears, peaches, chestnuts, and even grapes—are 
found in abundance, while roses, rhododendrons, and camelias 
of several varieties grow untended on the hill-sides, Minerals 
are found in great quantities. The travellers constantly passed 
caravans laden with silver, lead, copper, and tin in in- 
gots; and gold is beaten out into leaf in Tali, and sent 
in large quantities to Burma. Coal, iron, silver, tin, and 
copper mines were frequently passed. Mr, Colquhoun also 
found that the celebrated Puerh tea, the most fancied in 
China, is not really a Chinese tea at all, but is grown 
in the Shan district of I-bang, some five days south of 
Puerh, the nearest prefectural town. In the south the tempera- 
ture is moderate, and the rains by no means excessive; but the 
farther north the travellers went, the more sparse became the 
population, and the more sterile the country, until in the ex- 
treme north the hills were enveloped in al nost perpetual fogs, 
rain , and mists, and were practically uninhabitable. The people 
them elves are mostly the old aboriginal tribes—Lolo, Pai, and 
Maio—the Chinese being mostly of the official class, and found 
only inthe towns. These aborigines have a much more distinct 
physiognomy than the bullet-headed Celestial, and are remark- 
able for their frank and genial hospitality. The women do not 
crush their feet, and they adopt a picturesque dress not unlike 
that worn of old by Tyrolese and Swiss maidens. They have 
a novel way of making marriage engagements. On New Year’s 
Day the unmarried people range themselves, according to sex, 
on either side of a narrow gully. The ladies in turn toss a 
coloured ball to the other side, and whoever catches it is the 
happy man, It is said they are so skilful in throwing the ball 
that the favoured man is always sure to catch it ; which is reas- 
suring. Asin Marco Polo’s days, the couvade still prevails in 
