May 18, 1871] 
NATURE 
51 

mitted to keep, suitably identified, and will render an equivalent 
in other specimens, if desired, for such as are sent to him to be 
retained, Any specimens intended for him may be sent to his 
establishment, 55, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. 
Mr. C. H. BELFRAGE, of Waco, M‘Lennan Co., Texas, an- 
nounces that, at the request of several gentlemen in the United 
States and Europe, he intends making an extensive eight or nine 
months’ entomological collecting tour in Western Texas and 
Southern New Mexico, if sufficient means can be raised, and in- 
vites every entomologist who wishes to enrich his collection to 
assist in the undertaking. Mr. Belfrage is recommended by Dr. 
A. S. Packard, jun., the editor of the American Naturalist, as a 
faithful and excellent collector, and the opportunity seems to be 
an unusual one of obtaining specimens of rare or little-known 
insects. Mr. Belfrage’s address is at the above township, care 
of Messrs. Forsgard and Co. 
THE Clifton College Scientific Society has just issued the first 
part of its ‘‘ Transactions,” which affords a happy illustration of 
its motto, Viresgue acguirit eundo, Not yet two years old, and 
commencing with eighteen members, it has steadily increased in 
popularity and usefulness under the able presidency, first of Dr. 
Debus, and then of Mr. Barrington- Ward, till at one of its most 
recent meetings, nearly ten times that number of visitors and 
members were present. In this volume a number of interesting 
papers by the members, on various branches of natural and 
physical science, are printed ; but we are most interested in the 
sketch of theconstitution of the society. The School Museum has 
wisely been constituted especially a British one, and in order to 
facilitate the study of the natural history of the neighbourhood, and 
promote the other objects kept in view, the Society has been 
divided into sections of botany, geology, entomology, chemistry, 
physics, and archzology, the novel principle being introduced 
of limiting the number of members of each section to ten, in 
order to ensure a thoroughly working body. The Society has 
entered on its work in a spirit which entitles us to hope that it 
wil] be among the leaders in the spread of a real love of science 
among the generation now rising up. 
Mr. H. RoceErs read an important paper before the Edin- 
burgh Botanical Society on March 9, a report ‘‘ On the Effects 
of cutting down Forests on the Climate and Health of the 
Mauritius.” The epidemic which broke out in 1865 in the 
colony, previously so remarkable for its salubrity, he traced to 
this cause, and stated that between 1854 and 1862 vast tracts of 
forests had disappeared, causing a diminished amount of rain- 
fall, an increased amount of dryness, and a proportionate eleva- 
| tion of temperature. The difference in seasons is now much 
less marked, rains are scarce, droughts frequent and excessive, 
yast tracts of land, formerly productive, are now barren and 
desolate, and districts before noted for salubrity are now no- 
toriously unhealthy. Although the amount of rainfall is much 
reduced, the violence of the rain is increased when it does fall, 
and heavy floods are the result. It was immediately after one 
of these inundations that the fever broke out in February 1865, 
which proved so terribly fatal in the colony. 
From Ireland we have received the First Annual Report of 
the Natural History and Philosophical Society of Derry. Among 
papers of local history we find some on the antiquities, geology, 
| entomology, and fucology of the neighbourhood of Derry, with 
drawings and photo-lithographs of cinerary urns found at Grange, 
| Malin, and Buncrana, to illustrate a paper on that subject by 
| the president, Mr. W. Harte. The society has made a good 
start, and we wish it all success. 

THE Manchester Scientific Students’ Association has issued its 
Tenth Annual Report for 1870, AJthough none of the papers 
f ‘ead during the past year are printed in the report, the associa- 


physical conditions of the west coast of the Pacific. 



tion, judging from the list of proceedings at the ordinary meet- 
ings, the Microscopical Club, and the Mechanical and Engi- 
neering Section, appears to have been doing some good and 
useful work. The number of members has slightly decreased 
during the year, but the committee hope soon to raise it again, 
and thus obtain funds for some desirable additions to the library. 
It is stated in Zand and IVater that the laudable effort of the 
Acclimatisation Society of Otago to introduce birds and animals 
into New Zealand has lately met with great success. The ships 
City of Dunedin and Warrior Queen have arrived in New Zea- 
land with a living cargo of birds and animals which have thriven 
wonderfully well on board ship during their long voyage. Thus 
there are now in New Zealand five red-deer—we regret the stag 
died on the voyage—goldfinches, skylarks, blackbirds, sparrows, 
chaffinches, &c. The robins, numbering over a hundred, unfor- 
tunately died on the voyage. It is certain that the climate of 
New Zealand is admirably suited for the well-being and estab- 
lishment of a British fauna. The colonists wisely recognised the 
importance of the study of ‘‘ Practical Natural History,” par- 
ticularly as regards keeping insect life in check by means of small 
birds, the little feathered servants whose services are not suffi- 
ciently appreciated by agriculturists at home. Within the next 
fortnight thousands of young rooks will fall victims to the pea- 
rifle in England. How much better would it beif these unfortu- 
nate birds could have been sent across the ocean to our friends 
and relations in New Zealand! We understand that the cock- 
chafer has been imported with English grasses, but the enemy to 
the cockchafer, the rook, has been left at home. We hope that 
next year the Otago Society will repeat their experiments with 
insect-eating birds, the unpaid ‘‘ police of nature,” which would 
keep in check the insect ‘‘ pests of the farm,” which have now 
pretty nearly their own way, to the injury of the farmer and 
horticulturists at the antipodes. The greatest credit is due to Mr. 
John A. Ewen for the pains he has taken in shipping the birds, 
and to Mr, Bills for the care and skill he has shown by his 
judicious management of the birds during the long voyage. 
ON the 4th and 6th of March two shocks of earthquake were 
felt at Bogota, in Columbia, and these shocks were felt at the 
same dates at Cartago. 
ON the 19th February the great earthquake in the Hawaian 
Islands took place. This was succeeded on the 2nd March by 
an earthquake at Eureka, in Humboldt County, California. 
THE whole west coast of America, throughout its great 
mountain range, has now been seriously disturbed for some 
months. As far north as Washington Territory, Mount Rainer 
is reported as in commotion. 
On the 22nd February an earthquake was reported at Pano, 
in Peru, and a stronger one at two A.M. on the 23rd. These 
were slightly felt at Lima. 
FROM recent advices we have to report the continuation of 
serious disturbances on land and by sea of the meteorological and 
The phe- 
nomena appear to have been preceded long since, and are now 
accompanied, by volcanic disturbance, and some of them have 
passed from north to south. One remarkable feature is that of 
the inundations, particularly in the districts actually rainless, 
On the Isthmus of Central America rain is common, but this 
year the amount has been great, and the inundation greater. 
During the season immense quantities of vapour have been con- 
verted into rain along the western slopes of the Cordillera and 
the Andes. In northern Peru the effects have been particularly 
felt, and the more severely as the cities were unprovided to en- 
counter rains or floods. Lambayegue, an interior town of 7,000 
people, is destroyed, and the population have abandoned that of 
Supe. In some places bogs have been produced in which the 
cattle perish. Mud is washed far out to sea, and among the 
