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Sept. 29, 1870] 
NATURE 437 
1871. February 13, ‘‘ Primitive Civilisation,” by E. B. 
March 13 and 20, “‘ The Astronomy of Comets,” by 
Professor Robert Grant. March 27, ‘‘ War Ships and their 
Guns,” by E. J. Reed. March 3 and 10, ‘* Recent Researches 
in Physical Science,” by W. F. Barrett. 
wick. 
Tylor. 
AMONG the lectures to be delivered during next session before 
the Exeter Literary Society are “‘ Recent Researches in Spectrum 
Analysis,” by Rev. R. Kirwan ; ‘‘ Queer Flames, and what they 
have to say for themselves,” by C. Meymott Tidy ; ‘‘ The Orbs 
of Heaven,” by W. F. Quicke ; and ‘‘ Stonehenge compared 
with some other megalithic monuments,’’ by Rev. R. Kirwan. 
WE have received a prospectus of a new American Scientific 
Journal, to be called the American Fournal of Microscopy. It will 
endeayour to create an elevated taste for microscopic science 
among the people. It will give full descriptions of the con- 
struction and ways of using the various kinds of microscopes 
and other optical instruments, the selection, gathering, and 
mounting of the most beautiful and interesting microscopic ob- 
jects, microscopical diagnosis of diseases, reports of microscopi- 
cal societies, and, in short, everything pertaining to microscopy. 
This: journal will be ready for subscribers and agents about the 
Ist of October, and will be issued in neat quarto form of six- 
teen pages, of suitable size for preserving and binding, printed 
on fine white paper, in clear type, at one dollar per year. It 
will be published at Chicago. 
Wirth respect to the ‘‘whale of the bottle-nose species” 
said to have come ashore at Burntisland, Prof. Turner states that 
the animal is not one of the toothed whales, but a small whale- 
bone whale. The plicated belly and the fatty fin on the back, 
placed it amongst the Balenofteride or finer whales. The 
white baleen, dashed here and there with pink, the form of the 
skull, and the elongated cruciform breast-bone, proved it to be 
the Balenoptera rostrata or piked whale—the smallest in the 
baleen whales inhabiting the North Sea. The specific distinc- 
tion of this cetacean was first established by the late Dr. Robert 
Knox, from a specimen taken in 1834 in the stake nets at Queens- 
ferry, who named it the Balena minimus borealis. Several 
specimens have since that time been stranded on the coasts of 
the Firth. Mr. Prentice has, with great liberality, presented the 
skeleton to the Anatomical Museum of the University of Edin- 
burgh. 
Mr. W. G. Smitn’s ‘‘ Clavis Agaricinorum,” a paper origi- 
nally presented to the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club, and 
already printed in the Yournal of Botany, will be very acceptable 
to mycologists in the separate and more complete form in which 
it is now published. Mr. Smith follows essentially the system of 
Fries and Berkeley, in dividing the enormous genus of Agaricus 
(numbering 450 British species alone) into five series, termed partly 
from the colour of the spores, Leucospori, Hyporhodit, Dermini, 
Pratelle, and Coprinarit, Each of these five series he then 
divides into ten sub-genera, distinguished by characters of the 
hymenophorum, each of the five series of ten sub-genera closely 
corresponding to every other such series. Out of the fifty sub- 
genera which would thus be derived, only thirty-two are at 
present known, the remaining eighteen links in the chain re- 
maining to be discovered, A number of very clear and carefully- 
executed diagram-plates which are appended will be of great 
service in rendering intelligible to beginners the principles o1 the 
arrangement of this exceedingly difficult genus. 
Pror. ©. C. Marsu has reprinted from the American Fournal 
of Science and Arts several papers of considerable interest of 
American paleontology ; Notice of some fossil Birds from the 
Cretaceous and Tertiary formations of the United States ; Notice 
of some new Mosasauroid Reptiles from the Greensand of New 
Jersey; and a description of a new and gigantic fossil Serpent 
(Dinophis grandis) from the Tertiary of New Jersey. 
WE are informed from American sources that the Western 
Union Telegraph Company in America propose to co-operate 
with the War Department, fcr the rapid transmission of tele- 
graphic reports of ‘‘the operation and reports of storms for the 
benefit of commerce on our Northern lakes and sea-board.” 
The practical value of the Meteorological information that can 
thus be rapidly sent across the great continent of America, 
from the Pacific to the Atlantic, cannot but be very great, and 
there is every hope that the War department will close with the 
offer. 
SiR RoDERICK MURCHISON announced to the Geographical 
Section of the British Association at Liverpool the receipt of 
the following telegram relating to the safety of the Germania— 
a little vessel which sailed some time ago on an expedition to 
the Arctic regions, chiefly at the expense of the German geo- 
graphers and naturalists :—‘‘ Freeden to General Sabine. Kolde- 
way—wintered in East Greenland, 70°; sledged te 77°. Arrived 
at Bremen last night. Extensive results—best health. Ham- 
burgh, Sept. 12.” 
THE Consul-general of Chile at Bogota, the capital of Co- 
lumbia, has written to his government to ask for particulars on 
the ‘‘ Baldia” plant, reputed to be a great specific against liver 
complaint. 
THE Economic Society of Guatemala is endeavouring to 
promote agricultural education there by means of books. 
ONE of the most disastrous earthquakes we have lately re- 
corded is that in the large city of Batang, on the Kin-sha river 
in Tibet. It began on the 11th April, and there were various 
shocks until the 9th May at 10 A.M., when it shook the whole 
city, causing a uniyersal conflagration. Above 10,000 people 
were burnt to death. Several neighbouring villages shared the 
same fate. Many public buildings were destroyed, including 
those of the French millionaires. After the great shock others 
came on, and the people remained camped out for five days. _ 
A SLIGHT earthquake is reported on the 26th July at 11 to 
5 P.M., at Managua in Nicaragua, produced it is supposed by 
the volcano of Momstombe, from which subterranean rumblings 
were heard nearly every night. The people of Leon state that 
they have noticed flames and smoke proceeding from the crater. 
This seems to be the same earthquake that is reported from the 
neighbouring Republic of San Salvador on the 27th July. There 
it was strong, and lasted some seconds. On the 28th there was 
another, at 11.30 A.M., ofa more violent character, but no seriuus 
damage was done. 
On the morning of the 1st August there was a slight shock 
of earthquake at Calcutta at about 5 minutes to 10. 
Tue Arabian Nights are in progress of realisation. Deposed 
sultans and princesses in disguise are not wanting; and the 
gold diggings furnish nuggets as Jarge as any holder of a magic 
lamp can want. Aladdin’s jewellery is now under realisation. 
The Diamond diggings in the Vaal River are the scene of suc 
cessful venture, and one company in six months has got 22,000/ 
worthof diamonds. Womenand babies are nowtaken to this scene 
of fortune, where bands of music, billiard tables, and other ac- 
cessories of pleasure, have already appeared. Aladdin had not 
a billiard table when shut up in the cave of diamonds, 
THE BRITISH AsSOC/A TION 
LIVERPOOL, Wednesday 
HE number of tickets issued has now increased to 
2,800, very considerabiy more than was expected 
either by the officers of the Association or by the Liver- 
pudlians. The roll of eminent foreigners is also much 
larger. In addition to those mentioned in my first letter 
we have now the company of Prof. Tchebichef, of St. 
Petersburg, one of the most distinguished of living mathe- 
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