334 
sinking from the Sicilian to somewhere not far from the 
existing sea-level and then rising to the Milazzian, and 
similarly for all the succeeding stages. 

CHRONOLOGY OF THE HUMAN FAMILY. 
The researches of Mr. Reid Moir have made us 
familiar with the existence of some member of the 
Hominid in the Red Crag, 7.e. in the Calabrian stage 
of the Pliocene system, and if Prof. Depéret is right 
in referring the Forest Bed to the Sicilian, man seems 
to be also represented in this stage. 
In the Milazzian (third terrace of the Somme) human 
artefacts are found associated with a warm fauna. 
Some of them are primitive forms of the Chellean 
boucher, and the industry as a whole is known as the 
Strepyan or Pre-Chellean. 
The Tyrrhenian (second terrace of the Somme) affords 
the typical Chellean industry. It was indeed from 
this stage at Abbeville that Boucher des Perthes 
obtained the so-called ‘‘ coup de poing ” by which he 
established for the first time the existence of man at 
this remote period. 
In the Monastirian, represented by the lowest gravels 
of the first terrace, the Chellean attains its final stage 
of evolution. It is still associated with a warm fauna. 
But these gravels are “ ravinées ”’ by a later one which 
brings with it Acheulean implements and the mammoth. 
If our preceding correlations are correct, the Acheulean 
must evidently be referred to a later stage of the 
Monastirian when the Wiirm glaciation was beginning 
to make itself felt. The Mousterian and all the suc- 
ceeding industries of the Upper Paleolithic would then 
belong to the closing days of the Monastirian and the 
final retreat of the ice. 
The interpretation seems to represent the present 
state of our knowledge, but it is not without its 
NATURE 

[Marcu 10, 1923 

difficulties ; one of the most perplexing is suggested 
by the ‘“‘ warm” Mousterian of Commont. More than 
one explanation may be offered of this, but the question 
may well be left to future research. 
CoMPARISON OF THE CoAsT-LINES OF THE NORTHERN 
AND SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. 
A eustatic movement of the sea-level is by itself — 
unproved and unlikely, but a general deformation of — 
the globe might well produce effects involving such 
a movement. That epeirogenic movements cannot be 
excluded is shown by the fact that the Tyrrhenian 
coast-line is deformed by local disturbances so that 
m the Strait of Messina it stands at 100 m. instead of 
30 m., and in the Isthmus of Corinth even reaches 
300m. The Quaternary age was indeed by no means 
so reposeful as seems to be generally assumed; it 
includes movements of the earth’s crust affecting wide — 
areas and on no inconsiderable scale, as is shown by 
the recent observations of Prof. Bosworth in Peru, 
and Dr. Molengraaff in the East Indies. 
This immensely complicates our problem. Prof. 
Depéret has sketched in bold outline a remarkable and 
suggestive history of the Quaternary age. To work 
it out in all its details will be the arduous task of more 
than one generation of geologists. 
That a general deformation of the globe was in 
progress during Tertiary and Quaternary times is 
suggested by the general presence of raised beaches 
on both sides of the equator. On the north, General 
de Lamothe determined the existence of ancient coast- 
lines in Algeria at 325, 255, 204, 148, 108, 60, 30, and 
18 m. On the south, they have been observed in 
Mejillones Bay, Chile, at 320-300, 225, 133, 111-108, 
4o, and 15-18 m. 
It looks as though the earth accomplished its con- 
traction by pulsations. 
Obituary. 
Pror. Paut JAcoBsoN. 
‘6 January 26 the death occurred at Berlin of Prof. 
Paul Jacobson, who was widely known as the 
general secretary of the German Chemical Society and 
as the editor of important chemical works. He was born 
on October 5, 1859, at K6énigsberg in Prussia, and he 
studied under A. W. Hofmann at Berlin and Victor 
Meyer at Gottingen. In that university he became a 
lecturer, and followed Victor Meyer to Heidelberg, 
where he became professor. Jacobson carried out a 
number of researches in the field of organic chemistry, 
especially on azo- and hydrazo-compounds, which 
earned him the reputation of a careful and original 
research worker. At the same time he began with 
Victor Meyer the ‘‘ Lehrbuch der organischen Chemie,” 
in which these two workers have put on record an 
immense amount of knowledge and _ experiences. 
After the early death of Victor Meyer, Jacobson con- 
tinued to work alone, unfortunately without being able 
to finish it. 
In 1897 Jacobson removed to Berlin as editor of the 
Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft and 
general secretary of the society. He transacted the 
business of this society with indefatigable industry and 
perfect tact until September 1911. He then became 
NO. 2784, VOL. 111] 

scientific editor of the Abteilung fiir Sammelliteratur, 
which was founded by the society for the purpose of 
re-issuing F. Beilstein’s ‘Handbook of Organic 
Chemistry” and M. M. Richter’s ‘‘ Lexicon of the 
Carbon-Compounds,” and between 1900 and 1906 
Jacobson edited five supplementary volumes to the 
third edition of Beilstein’s Handbook. Then he 
commenced the fourth edition of this standard work, 
which is to be completed in the near future. The new 
editions of M. M. Richter have been continued under 
the supervision of Jacobson by R. Stelzner, as “ Litera- 
turverzeichnis der organischen Chemie.” 
The death of Paul Jacobson will be deeply regretted 
by all who came to know him in the meetings of the 
Society and at international congresses. Scientific 
research suffers a great loss by his death. 1 

Pror. W. N. PARKER. 
THE death occurred on February 22, at the age of 
sixty-five, at his residence at Cardiff, of Prof. W. N.. 
Parker, emeritus professor of zoology at the University 
College of South Wales and Monmouthshire. ’ 
Prof. Parker was a pupil of Huxley and for a time 
acted as his demonstrator. During 1881 and 1882 he 

