oQf^ 



NA TURE 



[March i8, 1875 



of the sun, and diminished gradually until it disappeared on-the 

 southern edge of the cloud. It was, when complete, a perfect 

 circle of white light, with the centre quite black, but not thick 

 enough to prevent the sun being seen. The phenomenon lasted 

 from 1 1 '39 to X2-I5, and was noticed at the Paris Observatory. 



American papers state that an earthquake at Guadalajara, 

 Mexico, on the nth of February, damaged houses and churches. 

 The Seboruco volcano at ihe same time was in a violent state of 

 eruption. The shocks extended to San Cristabal, where houses 

 were destroyed, and several persons were killed. 



For the protection of vineyards against frost in spring, the 

 production of large artificial clouds of smoke is a common 

 appliance in France and Germany. We now hear of a new 

 method in this operation, recommended by M. G. Vinard. It is 

 easily executed, and has proved successful ; it consists in care- 

 fully mixing gas-tar with sawdust and old straw, and piling up 

 this mixture into large heaps in the vineyards. The mixture 

 remains easily inflammable, in spite of rain and weather, for more 

 than a fortnight. When required for use, smaller heaps are made 

 from the large ones, of about two feet in diameter, and are distri- 

 buted in and round the vineyard. If there is little wind these 

 heaps burn freely for about three-and-a-half hours, and produce 

 a very dense smoke. The artificial cloud which thus enwraps 

 the vines considerably decreases the radiation from the gi-ound, 

 and with it counteracts frost, which is greatest towards morning 

 during calm spring nights, and which does so much harm to the 

 plants. 



It is proposed — in fact steps have been taken — to acclimatise 

 the Florida Cedar in Bavaria. The superiority of the wood of 

 this tree (yiiiiipcris Virgiiiiaiin) over all other kinds of cedar, 

 is well known, and the demand for the wood in Bavaria, where 

 immense quantities of lead-pencils are made, has induced some 

 manufacturers to take up the question of the acclimatisation of 

 the tree in that country. Seeds have been sown in the Royal 

 Forest, and about 5,000 young plants have been grown on one 

 private estate : the cultivation of the tree is also being attempted 

 in other parts of Geimany. 



In a farm in the Slate of Nevada (U.S.), near the River 

 Larson, there is a troop of twenty-six camels, all of which, with 

 the exception of two, have been reared there. A fev/ years ago 

 nine or ten of these animals were imported into America, but 

 only two survived ; and these two, being fortunately a male and 

 female, have produced twenty-four, all of which are now alive. 

 The soil is sandy and sterile in the extreme, and the animals 

 thrive well, although their only food consists of the prickly 

 leaves of a small shrub, and bitter herbs which cattle will not 

 touch. They are employed to carry merchandise, and perform 

 considerable journeys .across a very barren country. 



A RECENT number of the Courricr of Jonzac reports that a 

 meteorite was seen falling on a field in Ihe Island of Oleron, and 

 is believed to be a part of the meteor which was seen at so many 

 places on the loth of February last. The circumstances of the 

 fall will be inv estigated carefully. 



A METEOR was not only seen but actually caught .at Orleans 

 on the gth inst. A small mass of pyritous substance was dis- 

 covered in one of the streets, at the very place which had been 

 struck by an immense flame a few seconds before. The pieces 

 were divided among bystanders anxious to secure the possession 

 of the smallest fragment of such a celestial object ; but it is 

 hoped some of the possessors will be intelligent enough to get 

 a specimen sent to the Academy of Sciences. 



Astronomical and meteorological subjects are beginning to 

 interest the French public. Two of the most influential Parisian 

 papers, the Temps and the Siccle, publish daily, with comments, 

 the weather forecasts of the Observatory. 



We may expect soon to see every large town in the kingdom 

 in possession of an aquarium. A very fine one has quite recently 

 been completed at Southport, a description of which we are able 

 to give in to-day's Nature ; the foundation-stone of the West- 

 minster establishment will be laid in a week or two ; a scheme 

 for the construction of an aquarium at Plymouth is maturing; an 

 aquarium and winter garden is talked of at Edinburgh ; a bill is 

 before Parliament for the purchase of a site at Scarborough for 

 an aquarium ; and we have every reason to hope that Birmingham 

 will soon be able to count one among its many other educational 

 institutions. In a recent lecture at the last-mentioned town by 

 Mr. W. R. Hughes, F. L. S., on Aquaria, the lecturer pointed out 

 very forcibly how valuable such institutions might be made as a 

 means of education. That gentleman deserves great credit for 

 the trouble he has taken to obtain full information concerning the 

 history and management of aquaria, and under his guidance we 

 should think an aquarium at Birmingham ought to be second to 

 none in the kingdom. 



We are glad to see from several numbers of the Huddersfield 

 Chronicle which have been sent us, that the Huddersfield 

 Naturalists' Society is in a healthy working condition. The 

 members are evidently successfully investigating the natural 

 history of their district, and from the reports of papeio read and 

 the discussions thereon, we judge that a considerable proportion 

 of the members take a share in the business of the Society. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Vervet Monkeys (Ccrcopithecns 

 lalandii] from South Africa, presented by Mrs. A. Thornley ; a 

 Macaque Monkey (Macacus cyiwmolgjis) from India, presented 

 by Mr. H. Edwards ; a Chimpanzee ( Troglodytes itiger) from 

 West Africa ; two Indian Munljacs (Cervtilns viuntjac) from 

 India, deposited ; a Yellow-bellied Liothrix (Liothrix luteus) 

 from India, purchased ; two Hairy Armadillos {Dasypns villosiis), 

 born in the Gardens. 



SCIENTIFIC REPORT OF THE AUSTRO-HUN- 

 GARIAN NORTH POLAR EXPEDITION OF 

 1872-74* 



II. 

 lyTAGNETIC disturbances are closely connected with the 

 Aurora; ; while in temperate zones they are the exception, 

 they form the rule in Arctic regions, at least the instruments are 

 almost in constant action. This is the case for the inclination, 

 declination, and intensity needles. As long as the vessel was 

 drifting, i.e. until October 1S73, the fixed variation instruments 

 could not be used ; absolute determinations with Lament's 

 magnetic theodolite were made, and several " magnetic journals " 

 (only declination-readings) were kept, but already when near 

 Novvaja Semija, Lieut. Weyprecht found out that on account of 

 the constant distutbances these readings were of very little v.alue, 

 as they could not be compared with simultaneous readings of 

 the variation-instruments. In November, as soon as it was ascer- 

 tained that the ice-field which enclosed the ship had come to a 

 standstill, Lieut. Weyprecht had snow-huts constructed in which 

 he fixed the variation-instruments, the magnetic theodolite, the 

 inclinometer for the absolute determination?, and the astrono- 

 mical instruments. The three variation-instruments for declina- 

 tion, horizontal intensity, and inclination had been furnished to 

 the expedition by Prof. Lament, director of the Munich 

 Observatory. 



After one day's work it was found already that the former 

 methods of observation, /.f. simple readings at certain hour.<=, 

 are of no value whatever in Arctic regions, as they represent 

 solely the accidental m.ignitude of the momentaiy disturbance. 

 These neither give any true mean result, nnr do they correctly 

 represent the action of the needles. All intervals, which were 

 observed for such readings at former expeditions, are absolutely 

 useless, lying far too widely apart to peimit of correct conclu- 



* Die 2. Oesterr.-Ungarische Nord Polar Expedition, unttr Weyprecht 

 und Payer, 1872-74. (Petermann's Geogr. MUtlieiliingen, 1875 ; lieft ji.) 

 (Continued from p. 363.) 



