1 88 



NA TURE 



{Dec. 24, 1885 



8 for Plate 7. We notice, however, an improvement in the 

 lithography. In his notes Mr. Maskell describes several new 

 species, and advances our knowledge of the New Zealand 

 fauna very considerably. In a paper on the spiders of New 

 Zealand, Mr. A. T. Urquhart describes and figures a great 

 many new species, chiefly from the neighbourhood of Auckland. 

 Prof. Jeffrey Parker gives notes on the skeleton and baleen of a 

 Fin Whale [Bahvnoplcra miisculus), and Mr. S. Mieson gives 

 some interesting details about a plague of rats in Nelson. 



Among the botanical memoirs may be noted those of Mr, T. 

 Kirk, on the flora of Stewart Island. Prefaced by a short 

 sketch of the island, and the facts previously known as to its 

 natural history, Mr. Kirk gives the result.s of his investiga- 

 tions of its flora made during two visits in January, 1882, and 

 in January, 1884. So far as at present known the flora of the 

 island comprises about 380 species of Phceno>ams, and nearly 

 70 species of Pteridophyte-. The area of the island is estimated 

 at 640 square miles. Attention was at once attracted by the 

 blaze of crimson presented by the flowers of Metrosidcros liicida, 

 often flecked by the beautiful pale racemes of Weinmannia 

 racefnosa. Veronica salicifoUa occurred by the side of water- 

 courses, but was far from common. The soil was often carpeted 

 with a compact growth of the charming liliaceous plant Callixenc 

 parvijiora, with its elegant drooping flowers. The terrestrial 

 orchids formed a marked feature in some parts of the forest. 

 Coryanthes oHonga and C. rivularis produced their attractive 

 flowers literally by thousands. Arborescent ferns were abundant, 

 the most abundant being Dicksonia sqtiarrosa and Hemitilea 

 smithii. The crest of Mount Anglem, the highest peak of the 

 island, was ascended. The weather, unfortunately, was unfavour- 

 able, the driving snow obscuring the prospect. A splendid 

 Alpine flora was discovered. DracophyUitm muscoidcs formed a 

 compact dark green sward gemmed with white flowers ; several 

 species of Coprosma, Ranunculus lyclii, the beautiful Ourisia 

 sessiliflora, also 0. ccespitosa. 



On exposed portions of the coast on both sides of the island 

 Okaria angustifolia was found ; it is one of the grandest of 

 flowering plants. Varying in size from shrubs of about 6 feet 

 high, to a tree of 20 feet, the snowy ray florets, with the dark 

 purple of those of the disk of the innumer.ible flower heads, set 

 off by the dark, deep, glossy green foliage, form a never-tiring 

 source of attraction, while the aromatic odour exhaled is of a 

 grateful type. O. Irailii, also another splendid species, but 

 sparingly occurred. A list of the ferns and fern allies is 

 given. Todea superba grows luxuriantly ; one specimen was 

 examined which had a stout stem some iS feet high, from 

 which arose a dense crown of nearly erect fronds, with drooping 

 tips ; some of these were several years old and were between 

 four and five feet in length, of a deep blackish green. Mosses 

 and large frondose Hepaticse also abounded. 



Mr. Cheeseman, Mr. Colcnso, and Mr. Petrie, continue their 

 descriptions of species new to science and to New Zealand. 



In the section devoted to geology Capt. F. W. Hutton de- 

 scribes a large number of new Tertiary shells ; Dr. J. von Haast 

 has notes on the geological structure of the .Southern Alps of 

 New Zealand, in which he criticises Dr. Hector's recently-pub- 

 lished map of this district ; and Dr. Hector has a note on the 

 geological structure of the Canterbury Mountains, in which he 

 very temperately justifies changes in his views of geological periods 

 as based on the progress of his knowledge of facts. Mr. James 

 Parks's account of the ascent of Mount Franklin will be read 

 with interest ; though occupying a central position in the pro- 

 vince of Nelson, it does not seem to have been before ascended. 

 The Waiau Gorge is described as one of the most wonderful in 

 New Zealand. On both sides the mountains frequently rise by 

 a succession of steep, rugged precipices to a height of 3500 feet 

 over the river. About 6050 feet high a small area of glacier ice 

 was found, probably all that now remains of the great Waiau 

 Glacier. Small patches of red snow were found ; at 6500 feet 

 in height permanent snow-fields were met with, and the top of 

 the range, described as a mere razor-back, only a few feet wide, 

 and composed of loose, angular, and slab-like rocks was found 

 to be 7500 feet high. The highest peak, by aneroid measure- 

 ment, was 350 feet higher. A list of the Alpine plants collected 

 on the occasion, and determined by Mr. J. Buchanan, is 

 appended. 



it will be judged from this short notice that this volume, 

 edited by Dr. Hector, is one coming in no way short of its pre- 

 decessors and that it reflects credit on the scientific workers of 

 New Zealand. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



O.XFORD. — A Fellowship will be filled up in Lincoln College 

 in January next. 



The Examination will be in the subjects of .\nimal Physiology 

 and Animal Morphology ; and candidates are invited to send 

 in any treatises or theses th.it they may have written or pub- 

 lished in special branches of one or both of these subjects. 



Candidates should communicate at once with the Rector, who 

 will furnish them with full information as to the conditions and 

 tenure of the Followship. 



Cambridge. — Another development from Prof. Stuart's 

 School of Engineering is probable. The Special Board for 

 Physics and Chemistry, considering the number of students of 

 engineering warrants such a step, propose for their benefit an 

 Honours Examination, to be connected with the Natural Sciences 

 Tripos. Certain branches of Mathematics, useful alike for stu- 

 dents of Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry, are to be intro- 

 duced into an examination alternative with the first part of the 

 Natural Sciences Tripos. Papers should be included on Prin- 

 ciples of Measurement, Theory of Structures, Properties of 

 Matter, Principles of Mechanism, and other branches of Physics 

 and Chemistry, and there should be practical work in Engineer- 

 ing, as well as in Physics and Chemistiy, each candidate being 

 required to pass the practical examination in at least one of 

 these three subjects. A student passing this examination with 

 credit in his third year should be entitled to a degree in honours. 



A second higher Examination is proposed, to be concurrent 

 with the second part of the Natural Sciences Tripos, in the 

 same subjects as above-mentioned, and the examiners shottld be 

 at liberty to set questions involving the Mathematics of the first 

 Examination, and in those parts of Mineralogy which belong to 

 Physics and Chemistry. Other conditions are similar to those 

 of the Natural Sciences Tripos. The Special Board for Mathe- 

 matics has expressed its general approval of the scheme. 



At St. John's College E. H. Hankin and F. S. Locke, both 

 of St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School, have been 

 elected to Exhibitions of 50/. a year in Natural Science. In 

 Mathematics, F. M. Monro, King William's College, has been 

 elected to a Foundation Scholarship of 80/. a year ; A. G, 

 Cooke, City of London School, to a Minor Scholarship of 75/. 

 a year ; A. Kahn, Middle Class School, Cowper Street, E.C., 

 and J. A. Lawrenson, Liverpool Institute, to Minor Scholarships 

 of 50/. a year ; W, H, Box, LTniversity College, Aberystwith, 

 and S, Humphries, Middle Class School, Cowper .Street, E,C,, 

 to Exhibitions of 40/, a year for three years. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 



Tlie youriuil of Anatomy and Physiology for October {vol. 

 XX. part I) contains: — On the anatomy of the muscles, liga- 

 ments, and fascia of the orbit, by C. B. Lockwood (plate t). — 

 Two cases of an abnormal coronary artery of the heart arising 

 from the pulmonary artery, by Dr. H. St, John Brooks (plate 2). 

 — On a second bursa connected with the insertion of the biceps, 

 &c. , by A. Ward Collins. — Abnormalities of the lobes of the 

 human lung, by A. E. Maylard. — On the nature of ligaments, 

 part 4, by J. Bland Sutton (plate 3). — Vital relations of micro- 

 organisms to tissue elements, by Drs. G. S. Woodhead and A. 

 W. Hare. — The blood-forming organs and blood-formation : an 

 experimental research, part ii., by Dr. J. Lockhart Gibson. — 

 The relationship of urea-formation to bile-secretion : an experi- 

 mental research, by Dr. Noel-Paton. — The index of the pelvic 

 brim as a basis of classification ; and on the anatomy of 

 .Sowerby's whale, by Prof. W. Turner (plate 4). 



The Quarterly yournal of Microscopical Science for October 

 contains ; — On the chromatology of the blood of some inverte- 

 brates, by Dr. C, A. MacMunn (plates 33 and 34). Among 

 other pigments referred to, the colouring-matter of the perivisceral 

 fluid of Strongylocentrotus lividus^ named echinochrome, is 

 described in detail, —On the cephalic appendages of the gymno- 

 somatous Pteropoda, and especially of Clione, by Dr. Paul 

 Pelseneer (plate 35). The cephalic appendages in Clione, 

 Clionopsis, and Pneumodermon are described. In Clione there 

 are tentacles, properly so called, and buccal cones. In Pneumo- 

 dermon there are tentacles and two acetabuliferous buccal 

 appendages, and in Clionopsis only tentacles are found. While 

 the author leaves the function 'j1 the buccal cones in Clione 



