November 28, 1907] 



NATURE 



87 



gardens by the firm of Veitch during a period of more 

 than fifty years. 



I\ the introduction to a paper on parasites of Bermuda 

 fishes, published in the Proceedings of the U.S. National 

 Museum (No. 1560), Mr. Edwin Linton observes that 

 fishes from the inner reefs appear to be freer from 

 encysted parasites than those living on the outer reefs and 

 in deep water outside. This he explains by the fact that, 

 owing to the exceeding clearness of the water, sharks, 

 which are the great dispersers of cestode ova, do not 

 frequent the shoal-water. In contrast to the comparative 

 immunity enjoyed by the shallow-water forms is the strong 

 infestation of the deep-water species, the large " groupers " 

 and rock-fish, living at a depth of about fourteen 

 fathoms, harbouring numerous encysted cestodes on the 

 viscera, more especially the walls of the stomach. 



The young stages of two fresh-water .\merican cray- 

 fishes form the subject of an elaborate memoir by Prof. 

 E. \. Andrews, of the Johns Hopkins University, pub- 

 lished in the Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge 

 (vol. x.\xv., No. 1718). Of the two genera, Cambarus is 

 limited to North America east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 while Astacus is common to the Pacific slope of the 

 northern half of the American continent and the two great 

 northern continents of the Old World. As the former is 

 the more specialised form of the two — more especially as 

 regards the adaptation of the young for a life of associ- 

 ation with the female parent — it is a reasonable hypothesis 

 that the group reached the New World by way of what 

 is now Bering Strait, while the evolution of Cambarus 

 from Astacus-like ancestors took place in the region of 

 Mexico. In regard to the latter part of this theory, it 

 might, we think, be stated that the evolution took place 

 from Astacus itself, seeing that this genus is common to 

 both hemispheres. The larval stages of the two genera 

 are found to differ in a number of important particulars, 

 and other results of the investigation furnish a basis for 

 practical application to the problems of the artificial 

 cultivation of crayfishes and the introduction of new 

 species. 



In the October issue of the Emu Mr. A. H. Mattingley 

 gives some harrowing details of the results of the visit 

 of a party of " osprey "-plume hunters to a colony of 

 egrets. The writer had visited the site some months 

 previously, when all was well, but on re-visiting the place 

 at Christmas it soon became evident that mischief had 

 been done. " As we drew nearer, what a spectacle met 

 our gaze^— a sight that fairly made my blood boil with 

 indignation. There, strewn on the floating water-weed, 

 and also on adjacent logs, were at least fifty carcases of 

 large white and smaller plumed egrets — nearly one-third 

 of the colony, perhaps more — the birds having been shot 

 off their nests containing young. . . . There were fifty 

 birds ruthlessly destroyed, besides their young (about 200) 

 left to die of starvation ! This last fact was betokened by 

 at least seventy carcases of nestlings . . . which had fallen 

 from the nests into the water and been drowned ; while 

 in the trees above the remainder of the nestlings could be 

 seen staggering in the nests." Some of these unfortunates 

 fell from time to time into the water, others died of 

 inanition as they sat, while yet others stretched out their 

 necks 'n the vain attempt to attract the attention of others 

 of their own kind as they flew by with food in their 

 beaks. 



According to the report for October, the additions to 

 the Zoological Society's menagerie during that month were 

 214 in number, of which 107 were acquired by presentation 



NO. 1987, VOL. ']']'\ 



and three by purchase, while ninety-two were received on 

 deposit, ten by exchange, and two were born in the 

 gardens. Special attention is directed by the secretary to 

 the following : — two chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera), pre- 

 sented by the Countess De Grey ; five viscachas (Lago- 

 stomus Irichodactyhis), three presented by the Countess 

 De Grey and two deposited ; a spotted cuscus (Phalanger 

 maculatus), a species new to the collection, purchased ; 

 and a naked-throated bell-bird (Chasmorhynchus nudi- 

 collis), a ground-hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus), and two 

 .Arizona poisonous lizards (Heloderma susfecti(in), de- 

 posited. 



The University of California continues its useful series 

 of publications on the religion, sociology, and languages 

 of the Indian population of the State. The most valuable 

 of those recently issued is a monograph, by Mr. A. L. 

 Kroeber, on the religion of the Indians of California. 

 This is a form of Animism ; but its distinguishing 

 characteristic is the strong belief in Shamanism, generally 

 in connection with disease and death. Dancing, always 

 accompanied by singing, is a conspicuous element in all 

 tribal ceremonials. In one tribe the dance is performed 

 by the women, who stand up to their hips in water. The 

 author gives full details of the mode in which the Shaman 

 or medicine-man is initiated. The profession, though 

 lucrative, can hardly be said to be desirable. Among 

 some tribes, if he loses several patients in succession, he 

 is held responsible by the relatives ; in another, murder 

 seems to be his normal end ; in a third, if he fails to cure, 

 he is obliged to return his fee. The author also gives a 

 most interesting account of the rites of initiation for girls 

 and boys, of the domestic and tribal celebrations, and of 

 the mythology and popular beliefs. In a second paper he 

 furnishes an elaborate analysis of the Washo language 

 of east central California and Nevada. It is satisfactory 

 to learn that the University has acquired the large MS. 

 collections on the North American Indians made during 

 a long service among them by the late distinguished 

 scholar. Dr. Washington Matthews. These are now being 

 published, the first instalment being a collection of Navaho 

 myths, prayers, and songs, with the text and a transla- 

 tion. 



The importance of algal growth in the colonisation of 

 new ground is well recognised, but there are few records 

 of detailed examination, so that the paper contributed by 

 Dr. F. E. Fritsch to the Geographical Journal (November), 

 embodying primarily the results of observation in the 

 tropical climate of Ceylon, furnishes valuable data for 

 reference and for extended inquiry. The blue-green algae, 

 by reason of their colour and sheaths, are peculiarly pro- 

 tected against insolation and desiccation, and therefore 

 comprise the bulk of aerial algal colonies in Ceylon. Dr. 

 Fritsch distinguishes four methods of growth, which he 

 calls adhesive, tangled, tufted, and stratified. The adhesive 

 is the earliest and simplest type ; tangled and tufted 

 colonies, being better adapted as regards respiration and_ 

 water absorption, proceed from the adhesive ; the stratified 

 form is a special modification determined by light or 

 possibly by moisture conditions. 



Throughout Germany the moors form an important 

 feature of the vegetation, and on this account have engaged 

 the attention of botanists, who have investigated their origin 

 and formation. With the view of providing ocular demon- 

 stration of their development. Dr. C. A. Weber has designed 

 two attractive coloured plates indicating in section eleva- 

 tion the different strata that have formed successive stages 

 in the production of a moor. The diagram of the low-moor 

 pictures the various zones from a mineral substratum 



