June 22, 1882 



NATURE 



175 



mation can be expected in the discbarge-measurement of 

 mighty rivers in flood. This collection of river discharge- 

 measurements being made in such a way as to test each 

 other is almost unique, most published results being 

 isolated results incapable of test. 



Allan Cunningham 



OUR BOOK SHELF 

 The Botanical Atlas ; a Guide to the Practical Study of 

 Plants. By D. McAlpine, F.C.S. (Edinburgh: W. 

 and A. K. Johnston, 1882.) 

 The above is the title of a publication appearing in 

 monthly parts, each containing, in the words of the 

 prospectus, " four beautifully coloured plates and descrip- 

 tive letterpress." Part I. deals with common representa- 

 tives of the natural orders Caryophyllacea, Crucifera, 

 Fumariacea, Gcraniacca, and Labiate?. 



We are perplexed as to the intentions of the author of 

 this work, which is advertised as designed "for the use of 

 medical schools and Universities.'' If the "Botanical 

 Atlas" is intended to supply candidates for certain ele- 

 mentary examinations with the facts absolutely necessary 

 for a "pass" certificate, it seems fair to expect accuracy 

 in the drawings of common objects. 



The author, however, appears to think otherwise ; not 

 only are there gross inaccuracies in the execution of the 

 conspicuous figures, but the types are ill-chosen and im- 

 perfectly referred to. 



In illustration of this may be noted Fig. 2, on PI. 

 xiv., professing to represent a vertical section of the 

 common wallflower ; the reference "long stamen," points 

 to the anther of a short one, and the words " short sta- 

 men," are referred to a green band, which might be 

 imagined as intended for filament, petal, or sepal, and 

 seems to do duty for all three. 



In the figures standing for other vertical sections of 

 flowers — e.g. Fig. 3, PI. xvi., and Figs. 2 and 3, PI. 

 xxiii. — no one can avoid noticing the mysterious vague- 

 ness in the lower portions of the drawings ; the same re- 

 mark applies to the sections on PI. xv. Is the author 

 undetermined as to the relations of the parts composing 

 the andrcecium and gyncecium, or does he expect 

 students, for whom elaborately-coloured drawings of 

 sepals and petals have been prepared, to discover the 

 forms and relations of the smaller essential organs with- 

 out aid — or, rather, in spite of the misleading caricatures 

 here placed like pitfalls in his path ? 



Similar faults are apparent in the diagrammatic plans 

 of the flowers, and one wonders at the ingenuity displayed 

 in going so far out of the way to prepare imperfect and 

 inaccurate drawings of common objects. 



Among other equally ingenious misrepresentations may 

 be named Figs. 9 and 10, PI. xv. — the marvellous streaks 

 in a somewhat oval frame (Fig. 11, PI. xvi.) supposed to 

 represent a longitudinal section of the seed of Geranium, 

 the incomprehensible stigma in Fig. 8, PI. xxiii., with 

 reference to which we cannot agree with the author when 

 he says : " The figures will show the arrangement of the 

 parts better than any description." 



Passing over such errors as Nostoe, Hydrodietyon — 

 possibly printer's mistakes — and the questionable mixtures 

 of Latin and English names, we may notice one or two 

 specimens of description appended to these gaily-tinted 

 plates. We are told, without further remark : " The 

 form and arrangement of the different parts (Fumitory) 

 are evidently suggestive of some purpose." Also, the 

 description of the wallflower commences : "Wallflower is 

 a universal favourite, no less from its beautiful colour 

 than from its sweet smell," and then passes on to a 

 highly condensed and imperfect synopsis. We are told 

 that the "Campion" "also smells in the evening in 

 order to guide and attract insects," and that in Herb 



Robert " the stem forks a deal, and is very brittle at the 

 joints." 



Such drawings and writing speak for themselves. We 

 can only express the hope that if the other parts arc 

 published, more attention will be paid to accurate de- 

 lineation and exhaustive description, and less to merely 

 gaudy colouring. So far, the "Botanical Atlas" must 

 be considered as but a very inefficient and faulty " guide 

 to the practical study of plants." W. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 



[Tlie Editor dots not hold himself responsible for opinions expressid 

 by his correspondents. Neither can he undertake to return, 

 or to correspond with the writers of, rejected manuscripts. 

 No notice is taken of anonymous communications. 



[The Editor urgently requests correspondents to keep their letters 

 as short as possible. The pressure on his space is so great 

 that it is impossible otherwise to ensure the appearance even 

 of communications containing interesting and novel tacts. ] 



The Magnetic Storms of 1882, April 

 The Astronomer Royal having received from Mr. Charles 

 Carpmael, superintendent of the Meteorological Office at Toronto, 

 Canada, copies of the Toronto records of the double magnetic 

 storm of April last, has had them compared generally with the 

 Greenwich records. Some results of this comparison I am 

 desired by him to communicate to you for insertion, if you think 

 proper, in the columns of Nature. 



The records comprise traces of the changes of magnetic 

 declination, horizontal force, and vertical force. The com- 

 mencement of disturbance on April 16 was sudden, in all 

 elements, as was also the renewal of disturbance on April 19. 

 Measuring out the time-, both for Greenwich and Toronto, the 

 following results are found : — 



Toronto time of Corresponding Greenwich time of 



Element. commencement Greenwich commencement 



of disturbance. time. of disturbance. 



h. m. h. m. h. m. 



Declination ... April 16, 6 17 ... 16, 11 35 ... April 16, II 31 



Hor. Force ... ,, 6 15 ... ,, 11 33 ... ,, 11 31 



Ver. Force ... ,, 6 16 ... ,, 11 34 ... ,, 11 35 



April 16, II 34 ... April 16, II 32 



Declination ... April 19, 10 15 ... 19, lj 33 ... April 19, 15 34 



Hor. Force ... ,, 10 16 15 34 ... ,, 15 34 



Ver. Force 10 16 15 34 ... „ 15 37 



Means April 19, 15 34 ... April 19, 15 35 



The times are mean solar. In the first case the mean of 

 the Greenwich times is but 2m. earlier than that of the reduced 

 Toronto times ; in the second case im. later, indicating no real 

 difference. This confirms, what has been before observed, that 

 in times of storm the commencement of disturbance at different 

 places appears to be simultaneous. 



As regards the variations registered during the progress of the 

 storm there does not seem to be any very close correspondence 

 between the records of the two places excepting in one particular, 

 the occurrence of a very remarkable decrease of horizontal force, 

 soon after the first outbreak on April 16. which continued for 

 some hours, and is a striking feature in both records. 



William Ellis 



Royal Observatory, Greenwich, June 16 



Earthquakes in China 



Plusieurs secou^ses de tremblement de terre ressenties en 

 Chine pendant l'annee 18S1 ont ete rapportees dans les journaux 

 de Shanghai, de Hongkong et de l'etranger. Voici sur deux 

 d'entr'eux quelques circonstances toutes particulieres qui sont 

 venues a ma connaissance et dont on n'a pas parle. 



Le 20 Juillet, un peu apres 9I1 du soir, une secousse assez forte 

 ebranla la ville de Tchong-kin, capitale de la Province de Sze- 

 tchuen, longitude 104° E. de Paris ; immediatement apres, ecrit 

 un Missionnaire, la ville fur couverte d'une brume tellement 

 dense qu'on ne voyait pas a 10 pieds devant soi ; de plus une 

 odeur de soufre tres sensible se repandit partout. On prit tout 

 d'abord cette brume et cette odeur pour un indice d'incendie ; 



