NA TURE 



INov. 5, 1 1 



forms of the present population. Dr. Studer suggests that the 

 Rhaetian short-headed type may be referred to the old dwellers 

 of the Stone period, in which case the prevalent dark hair, eyes, 

 and skin of the present natives of Graiibiinden may recall the 

 aspect of the older prehistoric race. There is also a large dark 

 population about the lakes in Canton Berne. 



M. Vernet has recently made a number of physiological 

 observations on himself during eighteen ascents of high Alpine 

 summits (between 1680 and 4638 metres in height). He finds 

 that the strong muscular efforts made both in mounting and 

 descending caused a rise of temperature of about I •64° to i'70° 

 C. on an average ; a rise in the pulse from about 75 to 83 in a 

 minute, and an increase in the respiratory acts from about 21 to 

 25 in a minute. A few hours' rest after the effort ceased brought 

 back the temperature to its normal value. Other muscular efforts, 

 such as riding, wood-sawing or chopping, &c., had quite the 

 same effect. The author's observations are detailed in the 

 Arc/lives dcs Sciences. 



The School of Anthropology, created a few years ago under 

 the auspices of the city of Paris, has opened its 18S5-86 session. 

 The course of lectures delivered by M. de Mortillet on pre- 

 historic anthropology will be illustrated for the first time by a 

 series of projections. English anthropologists will learn with 

 pleasure that M. Gabriel de Mortillet, who was one of the com- 

 panions of Agassiz, has been elected representative of the Seine 

 et Oise Department. 



The engineers of the French Service are establishing a tele- 

 phonic communication between Paris and Rheims, 160 kilometres 

 from Paris. The Paris terminus of this line will be the Exchange. 

 A sum of one franc for each five minutes will be charged for 

 conversation. As soon as this line is finished the work will 

 begin of connecting Rouen with Paris (126 kilometres). Rouen 

 has been already connected with Havre, 78 kilometres distant, 

 by a telephonic line. Conversation between these two cities 

 is very easily held. It is the success of this system which led to 

 further extension on larger distances. 



On October 9, between 9 and 10 a.m., two severe shocks of 

 earthquake were felt on the Lis Island, in the parish of Sorunda, 

 in Sweden. In the school-house, while teaching was going on, 

 two severe shocks were felt like two blows from an enor- 

 mous hammer in the north-western corner of the building. 

 In this corner the windows rattled, the floor swayed, and 

 rumbling like that of distant thunder was heard. Simultaneously 

 a great thunderstorm passed over the district, accompanied by 

 heavy rain. It has, however, been ascertained beyond doubt 

 that the shocks were not due to the former, as the shocks were 

 felt by many persons out of doors. The earthquake went from 

 west to east. 



Since 7S80, when diggings for amber were commenced under 

 the Smaland Peninsula in East Prussia, the yield of the veins 

 here has greatly increased. In 1S64 the revenue was 1700.''. 

 against 25,000/. in 1883. 



Mr. William Cameron, F.G.S., the Singapore papers 

 state, has been appointed Honorary Explorer and Geologist to 

 the Straits Settlements. "Honorary Explorer" is a curious 

 office, and we cannot recollect ever having heard of one before ; 

 but as Mr. Cameron, it is to be presumed, has accepted these 

 two honorary offices, they must be of some assistance to him in 

 his explorations in the Malay Peninsula. One so rarely hears 

 of an Honorary Colonial governor, secrelary, treasurer, or other 

 official, that an " Honorary Colonial Explorer" is something of 

 a rara avis, and as such deserves to be specially chronicled. 



The additions to^the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Macaque Monkey [Macacus cynonwlgus i ) , 



a Bonnet Monkey {A/ucacus siiiicns] 9 ) from India, presented by 

 Mr. C. E. McCheane ; a Macaque 'Monkey {Macacus ctio- 

 molgus i ) from India, presented by Mr. C. Canfor ; a Mexican 

 Deer (Cariacus mexicanus i ) from Florida, presented by Mr. 

 G. B. H. Marton ; two Spotted- tailed Dasyures (Dasyiirus 

 luaculatus i 9 ), three Short-headed Phalangers [Belideus hrivi- 

 ceps <J i 9 ) from South Australia, presented by Sir W. C. F. 

 Robinson, K.C.M.G. ; an Osprey {Pandion haliivtus), captured 

 at sea, presented by Capt. Morgan ; an Alexandrine Parrakeet 

 [Pahsoriiis alexandri) from India, presented by Mr. Chas. 

 Williams ; a Black-eyebrowed Albatross (Dioniedea melanophrys) 

 from False Bay, South Africa, a Vulturine Eagle {Aquila 

 verreauxi) from South Africa, a Sharp-headed Lizard {Lacer/a 

 oxycephala) from Madeira, presented by Mr. W. Ayshford 

 Sandford, F.Z.S. ; a Black-crested Eagle [Lop/totetus occipitalis) 

 from South Africa, presented by the Lady Robinson : a Rufescent 

 Snake [Leplodira rufesccns), a Hoary Snake {Corondla caiij), a 

 Keeled Euprepes {Euprepes carinatus), five Rough-scaled 

 Zonures {Zonurus corydlus) from South Africa, presented by the 

 Rev. G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S. ; three Grey-breasted Parrakeets 

 [Bolborhynckus monachus) from South America, a Pale-headed 

 Broadtail [Plaiycercus pallidiceps) from North-East Australia, 

 deposited ; two Lesser Vasa Parrakeets ( Coracopsis nigra] from 

 Madagascar, purdiased. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 



WEEK, 1885, NOVEMBER S-14 

 (For the reckoning of time the civil day, commencing at 

 Greenwich mean midnight, counting the hours on to 24, is here 

 employed.) 



At Greenwich on November 8 

 Sun rises, 7h. 8m. ; souths, lih. 43m. 54' Is. ; sets, l6h. 20m. ; 

 decl. on meridian, 16° 43' .S. : Sidereal Time at Sunset, 

 I9h. 32m. 

 Moon (two days after New) rises, 8h. 28m. ; souths, I3h. 9m. ; 

 sets, I7h. 46m. ; decl. on meridian, 16° 33' S. 



Planet Rises Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 



h. m. h. m. h. m. , , 



16 42 ... 21 42 S. 



IS 26 ... 26 12 S. 



14 12 ... 13 II N. 



14 5S ... I 33 N. 

 II 33 ... 22 18 N. 

 is that of the preceding day. 

 Phenomena o/yupiter's Satellites 

 Nov. h. m. Nov. h. m. 



8 ... 4 54 II. eel. disap. . 13 ... 4 59 I. tr. ing. 



9 ... 5 40 III. occ. reap. 13 ... 7 16 I. tr. egr. 

 10 ... 4 42 11. tr. egr. 14 ... 4 37 I. occ. reap. 

 12 ... 6 54 I. eel. disap. 



The Phenomena of Jupiter's Satellites are such as are visible at Greenwich. 

 Nov. h. 



10 ... 20 ... Venus in conjunction with and 7° 49' south 



of the Moon. 



OPTICAL THEORIES^ 

 'X'HE last general report on Optics which was laid before the 

 ■'■ Association was read at Dublin by the late Dr. Lloyd in 

 the year 1S34, fifty-one years ago. Since then, in 1862, Prof. 

 Stokes dealt very completely with double refraction so far as the 

 elastic-solid theory is concerned, and there is little to add to 

 what he said then. In all branches of his subject the fifty-one 

 years since Dr. Lloyd's report have been most fruitful, and in 

 consequence the mass of papers to be dealt with has been very 

 large. 



The report is divided into four sections : the first, which is 

 introductory, deals with the work of Green, MacCulIagh, 

 Cauchy, and Neumann, the founders of the elastic-solid theory. 



In the second section the more modern writers on the elastic- 



