APRIL 14, 1923] 

city. Judging from the duration (1:9 seconds) of 
the preliminary tremor, Prof. Omori infers that the 
focus was distant 14 km. from the observatory and 
therefore at a depth of 13 km. Numerous stone- 
lanterns and tombstones were overthrown in Kago- 
shima, the average direction of their fall being 
N. 68° W., which agrees roughly with the direction 
of the first movement registered in the same place. 
The trigonometrical re-survey of the district revealed 
horizontal movements since the eruption began of 
2-62 to 4:52 metres to the north-east and north 
in the north and north-west parts of the island, 
while new soundings made in the north part of 
Kagoshima Bay showed that the floor of the bay 
had sunk from one-half to four fathoms, except in 
two spots in which a rise of from one to three fathoms 
hhad occurred. An hour or a little more after the 
earthquake, small sea-waves or ¢sunami swept over 
the shore at Kagoshima. At about the same time 
or later, the cable from Kagoshima to Sakura-jima, 
which crosses one of the elevated spots, was fractured 
on the flat bottom of the channel about one-third 
of its width from the coast of the island. Prof. 
Omori points out that it was not a single clear fracture, 
such as might have been formed if the application 
of the tension had been instantaneous, but that 
uumerous breakages occurred over a length of 420 
, the average distance between successive breaks 
ing 1-7 feet. He infers that the horizontal and 
vertical movements of the sea-bed took place 
gradually. 
_ The occurrence of a great tectonic earthquake 
in a volcanic district and during the progress of an 
eruption is somewhat rare. Prof. Omori gives some 
other examples from Japan in this memoir. Their 
connexion with the corresponding eruptions can 
Scarcely be doubted. It seems equally clear that 
they do not owe their origin to the volcanic outburst 
itself, but that eruption and earthquake are both 
effects of the same deeply-seated cause. 
C. Davison. 





























Fishery Research in Lancashire. 
3 tT HE report on the scientific fishery investigations 
} carried out under the auspices of the Lanca- 
shire and Western Sea Fisheries District Committee 
‘during the year 1921, which is edited by Prof. James 
Johnstone, the honorary director of the scientific 
work, is characterised by the extremely cautious way 
in which it has been drawn up. While the absence 
of very definite conclusions must to some extent be 
a matter for regret, it has to be admitted that the 
amount of evidence collected, though very extensive 
when considered in the aggregate, is still insufficient 
to make any other course possible for a highly- 
trained and critical mind. Like so much of the 
valuable fishery work which has been accomplished 
during the last twenty or thirty years, these investiga- 
_ tions have tended to show how exceedingly complex 
‘the problems may become, and how dimeult it is 
_ to get together data sufficiently varied in character 
and in sufficient quantities to provide material for 
their solution. The investigations do, however, 
afford clear indications of the lines upon which 
future research should proceed and make it certain 
that many of the questions discussed may be answered 
in the future, if the necessary facilities can be provided 
on an adequate scale. 
The two most important articles in the report 
deal with the plaice and the herring. The plaice 
investigations were commenced in 1908 and were 
specially extended in tr919-21. They are now 
summarised for the whole period in a series of tables 
NO. 2789, VOL. 111] 
NATURE 
517 
which include all the data. These tables will have 
a permanent value as a record of the condition of 
the plaice population, and will be invaluable for 
comparison with the results obtained in future years. 
The discussion of the data is limited to broad general 
features, and is directed throughout to show the 
bearing of the work on the actual practical problems 
with which the Sea Fisheries Committee is called 
upon to deal. 
The herring work is of a more technical statistical 
character, and it is difficult to avoid a feeling of 
regret that so much work in mathematical analysis 
has been carried out upon samples containing for 
the most part only 50 fish. The work, it is true, 
is preliminary, and it will probably be found more 
profitable in the future to examine fewer samples 
and fewer characters but with very much larger 
numbers of fish. 
Mention must be made of Mr. R. J. Daniel’s work 
on the chemical composition of mussels, especially 
on the substance which has been called “‘ glycogen ”’ 
in these shell-fish. It is most important that these 
biochemical studies should be continued, for they 
promise results of much interest. 
The report of the Marine Biological Station at Port 
Erin for 1922 has also been published recently. The 
most important paper in this report is by the late 
Prof. Benjamin Moore, in co-operation with Messrs. 
E. Whitley and T. A. Webster, on the subject of 
photo-synthesis in marine alge. The authors show 
that green, brown, and red alge are arranged on the 
shore so that each kind is in that intensity of illumina- 
tion which is the optimum for the colour scheme of 
chromophylls it possesses. In strong illumination, 
green alge synthesise far more rapidly than red, but 
in weak illumination the red alge synthesise more 
rapidly than green. The brown alge are intermediate 
in their action. 
The two reports reflect credit both on those 
responsible for the organisation of the investigations 
and on those who have carried them out. 


University and Educational Intelligence. 
ABERDEEN.—By the bequest of the late Miss Anne 
Hamilton Cruickshank in 1911, a sum of money was 
set aside for the foundation of a chair in astronomy. 
The special trustees have now reported to the Uni- 
versity Court that the accumulated sum available 
exceeds 15,000/., and have recommended the founda- 
tion of a chair, or lectureship, in astronomy, includ- 
ing navigation and meteorology. The recommenda- 
tion is under consideration by a committee of the 
Court. Miss Cruickshank was the daughter of John 
Cruickshank, professor of mathematics in Marischal 
College and University from 1817 to the union of the 
Universities in 1860, Miss Cruickshank also founded 
the Botanic Gardens and the Cruickshank Law prize, 
while the Science Library of the University is associated 
with her name. ; 
Notice is given that the Blackwell Prize Essay, 
value 30/., and open to all, will be awarded in 
1924 for the best essay on ‘‘ The History of the 
Fishing Industry of the Port of Aberdeen since 
1800,” provided any essay sent in is of sufficient merit. 
Each essay (which must bear a motto and be accom- 
panied by a sealed envelope bearing the same motto 
and enclosing the name and address of the sender) 
must be sent to reach the Secretary of the University 
not later than January I, 1924. 
CAMBRIDGE.—A Bill has been presented to the 
House of Lords appointing Statutory Commissioners 
for the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge to make 
