Jan. 2 1, 1886] 



NA TURE 



279 



is on ihe climate of the Chester district considered in its 

 relation to frait-growing. Dr. Stolberforth describes the special 

 forms of microscopic life fotmd by surface dredging in the 

 estuai-y of the Dee. Mr. Ruddy gives a list of the Caradoc or 

 Bala fossils found in the neighbourhood of Bala, and Mr. Siddall 

 writes on the American viaXsrvi^zA^Anai/iarisAlsiiiastnim, Bab.), 

 its structure and habit, and adds some notes on its introduction 

 into this country, the causes affecting its rapid spread at first, 

 and present apparent diminution. Mr. Shrubsole has three 

 short papers — one a list of the land and freshwater shells of the 

 Chester district, a second on the Glauconome distkha from the 

 Bala beds at Glyn Ceiriog, and the third on the occurrence of 

 Cahisphara (Williamson) in the Eglwyseg rocks near Llan- 

 gollen. It will be noticed that Ihese fifteen papers, with two 

 exceptions, refer solely to the district in which the Society works, 

 and that they refer to its geology (including paleontology), 

 meteorology, and several departments of its natural history. 

 The Society is to be congratulated on the thoroughness and 

 comprehensiveness of its work for the past year. 



According to the Colonies and India the Winnipeg Historical 

 Society has suggested to the Canadian Government that a scien- 

 tific investigation be made into the remarkable ancient mounds 

 recently found in the Canadian North-West, and the suggestion 

 has been warmly commended in the Canadian press. It is 

 pointed out that these mounds are rapidly disappearing under 

 the ploughshares of the farmer, anJ with them will go the best 

 means of settling the problem whether the mound-builders 

 crossed from Asia and passed down the river valley to the 

 central portions of the continent, or whether their migrations 

 were from south to north. 



The recent attempts to cultivate the tea-plant in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Messina have been veiy successful. Similar expe- 

 riments had been made some years ago without giving any 

 satisfactory results. 



An International Exhibition, similar to that held at Antwerp 

 last year, is planned by the city of Geneva for 1887. 



The Provincial Diet at Salzburg has issued a law interdicting 

 the sale of Edelweiss-plants with roots. The Tyrol Diet has 

 also asked for Government regulation of the trade in these 

 plants. 



Mr. James Grieg, of the Museum of Bergen, 'wAoim's, Nalunn 

 that in the course of last summer a male specimen of Paliiiuru! 

 vidgatis was taken in a lobster pot at Manger. This, as far as 

 is known, is the first time that this crustacean has appeared as 

 far north as the Norwegian coasts. 



The following new books and new editions have been received 

 by us since January I: — "A Tangled Tale," by L. Carroll 

 (Macmillan and Co.) ; " East Anglian Earthquake of 18S4," by 

 R. Meldola and W. White (MacmiUan and Co.); "Osteology 

 of the Mammalia," 3rd edition, by W. H. Flower (Macmillan 

 and Co.) ; " A Brief Te.xt-Book of Political Economy," by F. 

 A. Walker (Macmillan and Co.) ; " A Treatise on Colours and 

 Pigments," 2nd edition, by J. S. Taylor (Winsor and Newton) ; 

 "Catalogue of the Coventry Free Library"; "Practical Bac- 

 teriology," l)y E. M. Crookshank (Lewis) ; " Key to Tod- 

 hunter's Mensuration for Beginners," by the Rev. Fr. L. 

 McCarthy (Macmillan and Co.) ; "Catalogue of Fossil Mam- 

 malia," British Museum, part 2, by R. Lydekker ; " Geology," 

 vol. i., by Prof. Prestwich (Clarendon Piess); " Annuaire de 

 I'Academie Royale de Belgique " (Hayez, Bruxelles) ; "The 

 Rotifera ; or, Wheel Animalcules," by Hudson and Gosse 

 (Longmans) ; " Light," 4th edition, by Prof. Tyndall (Long- 

 mans) ; "Year-Book of Pharmacy, 1885 " (Churchill). 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Bonnet Monkey (Macaciis sinicus i ) from 



India, presented by Messrs. Phillips Bros. ; a Vervet Monkey 

 [^Cercopithecus lalandii i ) from South Africa, presented by Mrs. 

 Sinclair ; a Ring-tailed Coati {Nasua riifa S ) from South 

 America, presented by Mr. C. E. Dashwood ; a Northern 

 Mocking Bird {Mimus polyglottiis) from North America, pre- 

 sented by Mr. F, Green ; a Jackal Buzzard ( Buteo jacal) from 

 South Africa, presented by the Rev. C. W. H. Reynolds ; a 

 Jay {Garrtdus glandanin), British, presented by Mr. E. R. 

 Collins ; three Hoaiy Snakes (Coronella cana) from Conslantia, 

 South Africa, presented by the Rev. G. H. R. Fisk, C.M.Z.S. ; 

 a White-throated Capuchin [Cebus hypolmcus 9 ) from Central 

 America, deposited ; four Cirl Buntings {Emberiza cirlus), two 

 Pied Wagtails {Motacilla lugubris), British, purchased ; a Vulpine 

 Phalanger [Plialangista vulpina), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 

 Comet Brooks. — Dr. H. Oppenheim has computed the fol- 

 lowing elements and ephemeris for Comet Brooks : — 

 T= 1885 Nov. 247806 Berlin M.T. 



IT = 296 38 45 ) 



Si = 262 I 4S • Mean Eq. iSS6-o. 

 2 = 42 25 II ) 

 log q = O'O30I2 

 Error of the middle place (o - C). 



d\ = 



d& = 



Ephemeris for Berlin Midnight 



1886 App. R..4. .\pp. Decl. Brightness 



h. m. s. . - 



Jan. 22 ... 21 35 II ... -I-15 21-0 ... 0-3115 ... o'S9 



24 ... 21 42 32 ... + 16 7'o 



26 ... 21 49 50 ... -I- 16 51-9 ... 0-3203 ... 0-54 



28 ... 21 57 4 ... -f 17 35-7 



30 ... .22 4 14 ... + iS 18-5 ... o'3295 ... 0-49 



The brightness on December 28 is taken as unity. 



This comet was independently discovered by Mr. E. E. 

 Barnard, of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, on 

 December 27, the night after its discovery by Mr. Brooks. 



ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA FOR THE 



WEEK 1 886 JANUARY 24-30 

 (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 January 24 

 Sun rises, 7h. 52m. ; souths, I2h. 12m. 22-5S. ; .sets, l6h. 33m. ; 

 decl. on meridian, 19^ 9' S. : Sidereal Time at Sunset, 

 oh. 49m. 

 Moon (at Last Quarter on Jan. 27) rises, 2lh. 13m.* ; souths, 

 3h. 39m. ; sets, 9h. 53m. ; decl. on meridian, 1° 53' N. 

 Planet Rises Souths Sets Decl. on meridian 



Mercury... 655 ... 1050 .. 1445 ... 23 10 S. 



Venus ... 8 39 ... 14 17 ... 19 55 ... 5 5 S. 



Mars ... 21 6* ... 3 35 ... 10 4 ... 5 9 N. 



Jupiter ... 22 12* ... 4 II ... 10 10 ... I 4 S. 



Saturn ... 13 45 ... 21 55 ... 6 5* ... 22 38 N. 

 * Indicates that the rising is that of the preceding evening and the setting 

 that of the following morning. 



Occullaiion of Star l>y the Moon 



Corresponding 



Jan. Star Mag. Disap. Reap. f^ltrrS'tfor" 



inverted image 



100 222 



24 ... B.A.C. 4043 ... (i\ ... 3 40 •• 4 40 

 Jan. h. . o , 



24 ... iS ... Jupiter in conjunction with and o 17 south 

 of the Moon. 



26 ... 16 ... Venus stationary. 



26 ... 21 ... Mars stationary. 



30 ... 6 ... Mercury at greatest distance from the Sun. 



