May 18, 1871] 
but we have no room to explain them at length in the 
present article. It is the less necessary to do so, as the 
final conclusion of the subject is very well embodied in 
two lines of the table of contents :—“ The origin of the 
prominences still a mystery,” “ The corona’s true nature 
also unknown.” 
Respecting the general spirit of the work, it may be 
remarked that while the author doubtless intends to do 
justice to all the investigators whose labours he describes, 
there is one feature of the work which may lead the reader 
to doubt whether he has really done so. We refer to the 
indications of personal feeling scattered here and there, 
and the depreciating tone adopted in treating of the 
labours of those he does not personally like. However 
this may be, there are few or no popular expositions of a 
Scientific subject in which the observations, opinions, 
and labours of so many men of science have been col- 
lected and referred to their authors. 
S. NEWCOMB 

FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS 
Proceedings of the Scientific Association of Trinidad, 
1866—69, Port of Spain. (London: Triibner and 
Co.) 
Proceedings of the Essex Institute. Vols 4 to 6. 1864—70. 
Salem, U.S. (London: Triibner and Co.) - 
Fournal of the North China Branch of the Royal 
Asiatic Society, 1864—68. New Series. (Shanghai : 
A. de Carvalho. London: Triibner and Co.) 
HE Scientific Association of Trinidad has now been 
in existence for some years. Its object is “ the cul- 
tivation of scientific knowledge in the West Indies ;” 
and if we may judge by the character of most of the 
memoirs contained in the parts of the Proceedings hither- 
to published, it must be a very useful society. 
Dr. Mitchell has communicated more papers than any 
other member. He has contributed articles ‘On the 
Use of Sulphites in Medicine,” with an “Additional 
Note on the Use of Sulphites and Bisulphites, whether 
Medicinally or otherwise,” “On Earth Closets,” “ Hints 
on the Breeding and Rearing of Horses,” “ On the Manu- 
facture of Sugar by the Process of Drying the Cane,” 
and “On the Manufacture of Sugar by Evaporation.” 
Mr. Guppy contributes three papers, “On the Mollusca 
of Trinidad,” “On Petroleum and Naphtha,” “ Remarks 
on the Cultivation of Scientific Knowledge in Trini- 
dad,” “On the Tertiary Fossils of the West Indies,” 
and “On the Marine Shells found on the Shores of 
Trinidad.” Amongst other articles of permanent interest 
we may especially mention Dr. Goding “On the Petro- 
leum or ‘Green Tar,’ and the ‘ Manjack’ of Barbadoes,” 
the Hon. Richard Hill, “On Poisonous Fishes,” and 
“On Fish Poisons ;” and Mr. Prestoe’s “ Catalogue of 
Plants in the Royal Botanic Gardens.” Many of the 
subjects treated of in these Proceedings serve to illustrate 
various points described by the Rev. Canon Kingsley in 
his charming “ Letters from the Tropics.” 
The Essex Institute seems to have commenced its exist- 
ence as the Essex County Natural History Society, and it 
published a “ Journal” as early as 1836, This Journal sub- 
NATURE 

43 

sequently merged in the “ Proceedings ” and “ Historical 
Collections ” of the Institute, the former commencing in 
1848, and the latter in 1859. It is only with the “ Pro- 
ceedings” that we have to deal at present, and the 
volumes now before us contain “The Records of the 
Meetings, the Written Communications on Natural 
History and Horticulture, and the Naturalist’s Direc- 
tory.” Amongst the most important memoirs we may 
especially notice Morse “On a Classification of Mollusca 
based on the Principles of Cephalization;” Verrill’s 
“Synopsis of the Polyps and Corals of the North Pacific 
Exploring Expedition from 1853 to 1856, collected by 
Dr. Stimpson;” Hyatt’s “Observations on Polyzoa ;” 
Dr. Wilder’s “ Revision of researches and experiments 
upon Silk from Spiders, and upon their Reproduction, by 
Raymond Maria de Termeyen, a Spaniard, translated 
from the Italian ;” Horace Mann, “ On the Flora of the 
Hawaiian Islands ;” Cowes’s “Catalogue of the Birds 
of North America in the Museum of the Essex Insti- 
tute;” Wood, “On the Phalangeze of the United 
States ;” and Packard “On Insects inhabiting Salt 
Water.” 
These quarterly “ Proceedings” came to a close at the 
end of the year 1868, when the “ Bulletin of the Essex In- 
stitute,” which appears in monthly parts, took its place. 
The “ Bulletin,” which we shall take an early opportunity 
of noticing, contains “ All the short Communications of 
General Interest, both of an Historical and Scientific 
character, made at the Meetings of the Institute, and 
the Records of the Meetings and Business of the Insti- 
tute.” 
Turning from the West to the uttermost parts of the 
East, we take up the “Journal of the North China 
Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society,” of which the new 
series commenced in December 1864, when the Society 
which had been formed in 1861 was reorganised. 
The papers contained in this Journal are for the most 
part very interesting, in consequence of their treating of 
subjects on which comparatively little is known in this 
country. The geographer will find articles “ On the City 
of Yeddo,” “On the Overland journey from St. Peters- 
burg to Pekin, “On an Overland trip through Hunan 
from Canton to Hankow,” “ On the Sea-board of Russian 
Manchuria,” “ On a Journey from Pekin to Chefoo vzé the 
Grand Canal,” “On a Journey from Pekin to Shanghai,” 
and “ On a Journey from Canton to Hankow through the 
Provinces of Kwangtung, Kwangsi, and Hunan.” Thena- 
turalist (using the term in the widest sense) will find arti- 
cles “ On the Geology of the Great Plain, and of a portion 
of Quangtung Province,” “On the Coal-fields in the South 
Eastern Province of China,” and “‘On the Bituminous Coal 
Mines west of Pekin,” ‘On the Birds and Beasts of For- 
mosa,” “On Chinese Notionsregarding Pigeonsand Doves,” 
““On some Wild Silk Wormsof China,” ““Onthe Entomology 
of Shanghai,” “On the Sorgo or Northern Chinese Sugar 
Cane,” and “On themineraland other productions of North 
China and Shantung.” Amongst other valuable papers 
may be mentioned those by the late Dr. Henderson ‘‘On 
the Medicine and Medical Practice of the Chinese,” by Dr. 
Bastian “On the Remains of Ancient Kanbodies,” Dr. Keer 
“ On the Great Examination Hall at Canton,” the Rev. A. 
Wylie “On the Opinions of the Chinese with regard to 
Eclipses, and on the Eclipses recorded in Chinese works,” 
