February 25, 1909] 



NA TURE 



497 



existence, lightened the cnrapace by a great reduction in 

 the size of the costal plates, which are more aborted in the 

 type-genus than in the modern Chelone, thus leaving very 

 large intercostal vacuities. The reduction is carried to a 

 still greater degree in Archelon, the absorption process being 

 also extended to the neural bones, many of which, so far 

 as can be seen, appear to be reduced to thin films. Upon 

 the neurals in this genus arc, however, superimposed a 

 series of digitate epineural dermal bones, which correspond 

 to the neural keel of Dermochelys, and discharge the 

 function of the aborted neurals. It is added that in life 

 Archelon must have possessed a leathery hide, with a 

 system of keels similar to those of the leathery turtle. In 

 conclusion, the author observes " that of the two camps 

 which have attacked the difficult and highly attractive 

 problem of the origin of Dermochelys, those favouring the 

 view of a close relationship to ordinary turtles and a com- 

 paratively recent origin have rather the best of the argu- 

 ment." It seems, in fact, that Dermochelys and its allies, 

 having become less pelagic in habits than ordinary turtles, 

 found the reduction in the bony framework of their carapace 

 a disadvantage, and they accordingly developed a secondary 

 structure of overlying dermal bones to take the place of 

 the proper carapace, which then underwent a still further 

 reduction, and finally vanished. 



The January number of the Psychological Review 

 (Baltimore) contains a further contribution to the study 

 of galvanometric deflections which they ascribe to psycho- 

 logical processes in man. This branch of work, which 

 was started by Dr. Petersen, has led the authors to 

 the conclusion that active emotional processes in man 

 bring about electromotive forces, and consequent galvano- 

 metric deflections. These results have been the sub- 

 ject of somewhat sensational articles in the lay Press, but 

 it is wise at present to withhold judgment on their inter- 

 pretation. Voluntary muscular movements, secretion of 

 the glands in the skin and other parts, the cardiac activity, 

 and the action of other internal organs are all accompanied 

 with electrical changes, and. although the authors claim 

 10 have eliminated currents due to these causes, we do not 

 think that physiologists accustomed to the study of electro- 

 physiology by the use of the galvanometer or electrometer 

 will be convinced that such is the case. The very erratic 

 galvanometric movements described are just what we would 

 anticipate in the bewildering intermixture of physiological 

 activities which the intact human body presents. To con- 

 clude that they are produced in the anatomical correlate 

 of various psychical phenomena is, to say the least of it, 

 extremely premature. 



Following upon a study of the genus Pentstemon in 

 the Western States, Dr. L. Krautter has compiled a list, 

 with diagnoses, of American species, that is published as 

 vol. iii., No. 2, of the Contributions from the Botanical 

 Laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania. The 

 arrangement of the sections as drawn up by Asa Gray has 

 been followed, but whereas Gray's last contribution recog- 

 nised eighty species, the present collation includes nearly 

 a hundred and fifty species. 



While afforestation is providing a topic of general dis- 

 cussion, it is opportune to refer to the Chopwell Woods, 

 an area of 930 acres near Newcastle, that was made over 

 by the Commissioners of Woods in 1904 to Armstrong 

 College. The working plan, by Mr. J. F. Annand, is 

 briefly noted in the Transactions of the Royal Scottish 

 .\rboricuItural Society (vol. xxii., part i.). The soil varies 

 from stiff clay through loams to sand and pebbly gravels ; 

 the old plantations, chiefly of oak, larch, or Scots pine, are 



NO. 2052, VOL. 79] 



none of them productive. It is proposed now to grow 

 various coniferous trees. Larch will be planted on the 

 best-drained loamy soil, Scots pine on the poorest, and 

 spruce will be tried on moist soil. Corsican pine, Sitka 

 spruce, and Douglas fir will also receive a trial. 



A BOOK on trees and shrubs, native or introduced, to be 

 published in sixteen parts, at the price of one shilling the 

 part, is announced by Messrs. J. M. Dent and Co. The 

 main object of the book is to provide descriptions for 

 identifications of the plants, while short details regarding 

 cultivation and origin have been given. Beginning with 

 the Ranunculacete, the genera Clematis, Magnolia, and 

 Calycanthus are treated in the first part. The authors, 

 Messrs. C. S. Cooper and W. P. Westell, have perforce 

 limited the species of Clematis to three, but ten of the 

 Magnolias are described. The general plan is well con- 

 ceived, and the text bears evidence of careful compilation, 

 but a striking omission occurs in the absence of the names 

 of the authorities for the specific binomials. The black- 

 and-white artistic drawings by Mr. C. F. Newall are 

 chiefly intended for diagnostic purposes, and sixteen 

 coloured illustrations will serve to delineate general habit. 



Colonel Pease, Inspector-General of the Indian Civil 

 Veterinary Department, in the October (1908) number of 

 the Agricultural Journal of India, records a discovery of 

 much importance to poultry fanciers in the East. No more 

 fatal disease than that hitherto known as " fowl cholera " 

 is found in India. Quite accidentally. Conductor Dare at 

 Mian Mir, while studying the surra disease in camels, 

 ascertained by the use of the microscope that the death of 

 some ducks from " cholera " was really due to a specific 

 organism of the Spirochastes type. It is spread by the 

 agency of the Argas fcrsicus, or common fowl-tick, which 

 it is difficult to destroy. The best method of dealing with 

 it is to burn the old roosts and nests ; but scraping the 

 walls of the fowl-houses, painting them with hot coal tar, 

 and brushing the feathers of the birds with paraffin have 

 been found efficacious. Now that the disease has been 

 traced to this parasite, a suitable form of treatment wilt 

 doubtless soon be discovered. 



The Weather Bureau of the Philippine Islands has issued 

 an advance chart showing the approximate tracks of four 

 typhoons that crossed the archipelago from September 23 

 to October 13, 1908. The first and fourth of these were 

 remarkable for the terrific violence of the winds ; the 

 latter, also, for the great floods which swept the Cagayan 

 Valley during the passage of the cyclonic centre. These 

 tvphoons will be discussed, in due course, in the bulletins 

 for the respective months ; the last number received is for 

 February, 1908, and contains a catalogue of Philippine- 

 earthquakes for February, 1890-1907. The Manila 

 Observatory, like those of Hong Kong and Zikawei, has 

 published a typhoon-warning code ; it is intended prin- 

 cipally to lighten the burden generously borne by several 

 telegraphic companies by the free transmission of reports 

 between the chief meteorological services in the Far East. 



To the Proceedings of the Rhodesia Scientific Associa- 

 tion, vol. vii., part ii., Messrs. F. White and E. C. Chubb 

 contribute a paper on a cave containing fossilised bones, 

 worked pieces of bone, stone-implements, and quartzite 

 pebbles. The cave is situated in a small hill of zinc and 

 lead ores in north-western Rhodesia, and an account of 

 its contents was given in the Geological Magazine for 

 October, 1907. With the e.xception of a humerus and tibia 

 of a rhinoceros, all the mammalian bones specifically 

 identified are referred to existing forms. The rhinoceros- 



