370 
NATURE 
[August 19, 1886 
of which it wou'd permanently preserve the form. 
Nathorst replies that the decay would follow no such 
downward course ; that it would commence in the softest 
tissues, wherever they were ; and that in such objects as 
Bilobites and Cruziana, which Saporta believed to be 
cellular and fistular objects, whilst their outer surfaces 
were sufficiently hard and resisting to impress their sculp- 
turings upon the underlying mud, the decay would com- 
mence in their interior, with the result, in each instance, 
not of destroying all traces of the upper surface whilst 
the lower one was preserved, but that both surfaces of the 
flattened organism would be preserved, as is the case with 
the Carboniferous Sigillaria and Lepidodendra. Once 
thus flattened, the organism would no longer be capable 
of producing the deeply concave groove in the clay to 
which the specimens in bold demi-relief have been due; 
This part of the controversy furnishes Nathorst with 
another argument. However much compressed, em- 
bedded fragments of vegetable matter almost invariably 
retain some traces of their primitive carbonaceous con- 
stituents, however thin the film thus preserved may be. 
As in the case of many of the Monte Bolca Fucoids, this 
may be no more than a faint brownish stain on the sur- 
face of the stone ; whereas such stains, suggestive of the 
former permanent presence of organic matter, are almost 
invariably, if not wholly, absent from the pseudo-Fucoids. 
In his new memoir M. Nathorst then proceeds to ex- 
amine in detail the claims of several well-known genera 
to rank as members of the vegetable kingdom. I must 
refer such as are interested in the details of this contro- 
versy to the original memoir of the Swedish palontolo- 
gist. I would only observe that, whilst M. Nathorst 
denies the accuracy of some of M. Saporta’s statements 
as to the facts in certain instances, in others on which the 
two paleontologists are agreed he shows that the 
acknowledged facts are capable of such explanations 
as lead to conclusions diametrically opposed to those 
arrived at by M. Saporta. 
One of the most important features of M. Nathorst’s 
new memoir is seen in his illustrations. He has invented 
some simple instruments, by rolling which over some 
plastic materials he produces impressions, casts of which 
recall most strikingly the objects known by the generic 
titles of Cruziana and Harlania. 
Whatever ultimate decisions may be arrived at respect- 
ing these debated objects, I am compelled to arrive at a 
conclusion which I have already announced on more than 
one previous occasion. When it is possible for two 
observers so experienced as are M. Nathorst and M. 
Saporta to study the same objects and to arrive at such 
opposite determinations as to their organic or inorganic 
character, we must at least conclude that objects capable 
of receiving such contradictory explanations can have no 
value when we are considering the evolution of the 
vegetable kingdom. The evidences of the witnesses in 
such a controversy must be clear in their testimony and 
indisputable as to their antecedents. 
Manchester, August 11 W. C. WILLIAMSON 
NOTES 
A TELEGRAM from Grenada, August 16, states that the 
British observing party for the eclipse of the sun on the 29th 
inst. has arrived there, and has divided into two. Messrs. 
Lockyer, Turner, Perry, and Maunder are going to Green 
Island and Grenville Bay, on the east side of Grenada, and to 
Carriacou, asmallisland tothe north. Messrs. Darwin, Thorpe, 
Schuster, and Lawrence will take up their station at Prickly 
Point, Hog Island. 
THE seventeenth meeting of the German Anthropological 
Society was formally opened on the rith inst. at Stettin. The 
gathering is described as a very representative and distinguished 
one, 
THE Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union fungus foray will take 
place on Thursday, September 30. On the following day there 
will be an exhibition of the specimens in the Leeds Museum, 
kindly lent for the purpose ; and in the evening the usual dinner. 
Several distinguished mycologists have promised to be present, 
and no effort is being spared on the part of the officials to make 
it a success. 
Lorp DUFFERINis, it is stated, about to address a memoran- 
dum to the Provincial Governments of India regarding technical 
education, pointing out where the present system fails, suggest- 
ing remedies, advising the adoption of a more practical system, 
and inviting opinions from the Provincial Governments on the 
whole subject. 
WE have received the Smithsonian reports on the progress” 
of physics and mineralogy for the past year. ‘The former is 
by Prof. Barker, the latter by Prof. E. S. Dana. Physics is 
treated under the heads general, mechanics (with the sub- 
titles solids, liyuids, gases), acoustics, heat (sub-titles production 
of heat, expansion and change of state, conduction and radiation, 
specific heat), light (production and velocity, reflection and 
refraction, dispersion and colour, interference and polarisation), 
electricity (magnetism, electric generators, electrical units and 
m2asurements, electric spark and electric light), obituary, and 
bibliography. Mineralogy, similarly, is treated under the heads 
general, crystallography and physical mineralogy, chemical 
mineralogy, new mineral localities, new minerals, papers on 
mineral species, bibliography, and obituary. 
THE Smithsonian Report for the past year contains a most 
interesting paper on the ‘‘ Volcanic Eruptions and Earth- 
quakes in Iceland within Historic Times,” translated and 
condensed from the work of Th. Thoroddsen, by Mr. George 
Boehmer. The original work appears to be one of enormous 
research and thoroughness. Mr. Boehmer divides his subject 
into early accounts, position of the active volcanoes, of which 
there are eight groups, with a sketch of each, chronological list 
of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in Iceland, and finally an 
extensive bibliography of the volcanoes, earthquakes, and 
geysers of Iceland. 
THREE severe shocks of earthquake occurred at Malta, the 
first at 8.30 p.m. on August 14, the second at 3.45 a.m. 
on August 15, and the third at noonday. Three fresh 
shocks were felt on the evening of the 17th, the first at 5.45, 
the second at 6.20, and the third at 7.45. They were not 
so violent as those experienced on Saturday and Sunday, and 
no damage is reported. 
Mr. H. B. Guppy is completing his work on the Solomon 
Islands and their natives, which will shortly be ready for the — 
press. The work will refer chiefly to the anthropology and 
geology of this region. It will also treat of the botany, natural 
history, meteorology, and general resources of these islands, and 
there will be appended an account of the original discovery of 
the group as related in the British Museum manuscript of 
Gallego’s ‘‘Journal.” The chief value of Mr. Guppy’s observa- 
tions will lie in the circumstance that his collections have been 
examined by the leading authorities on the subjects to which 
they relate. He hopes to illustrate the work from his own 
photographs, 
Wit reference to Mr. Verbeek’s investigations into the 
Krakatao eruption, which were noticed in NaTuRE, vol. xxxiil. 
p. 560, we have received a letter from Herr Retgers, Mining 
Engineer in Samarang, stating (as indeed Mr. Verbeek had 
already stated in his work) that the whole of the mineralogical 
nyestigations inte the composition of the volcanic ashes then 
thrown out were carried out by him. 
