I 60 



NA TURE 



[December 19, 1901 



fauna may have been due to the Glacial epoch. Ancient terminal 

 moraines occur at an elevation of about 70°° fi^^t '" Sikhim, 

 whereas no glacier at the present day is known to descend much 

 below 14,000 feet. The author's observations, moreover, lead 

 him to conclude that the Glacial epoch affected the whole world, 

 and that it was not a partial phenomenon induced by special 

 conditions, such as local elevation. 



Mr. George Abbott, of Tunbridge Wells, has printed a 

 classified list of the " Cellular " Magnesian Limestone Concre- 

 tions found in the Permian formation of Sunderland. These 

 concretions are grouped as pseudo-organic or discoid, coralloid, 

 and honeycomb, and are considered by Mr. Abbott to have 

 originated in a different way from the botryoidal masses. He 

 illustrates four stages in each group, remarking that the struc- 

 tures have been produced by the action of a " molecular 

 directive force." As a contribution to the study of "concre- 

 tionary action " the diagrams should prove useful, but some 

 particulars are desirable with regard to the conditions under 

 which the different groups occur. 



1 In a letter to the Ctnlralblatl fiir Mineralogie (1901, No. i\, 

 p. 641) Dr. Berwerth, of Vienna, discusses the structure of 

 chondritic meteorites. It will be remembered that according 

 to one view the structure is that of a tuff and the stone is the 

 product of a celestial volcano ; according to another view-, the 

 structure, though fragmental, is not that of a tuff, but the result 

 of the sudden cooling of a molten mass ; according to a third 

 view the chondritic structure is that of a metamorphic rock 

 and may be really of a terrestrial origin, having possibly re- 

 sulted from the enormous pressure on the stone during its 

 passage through the earth's atmosphere. After a minute petro- 

 graphical study of the Zavid meteorite. Dr. Berwerth infers that 

 the structure of a chondritic stone is that of a metamorphosed 

 volcanic tuff, and that the metamorphosis has been due, not to 

 great pressure, but to a partial remellingof the material, through 

 exposure of the stone to great heat, followed by quick cooling. 

 The author points out that there may have been a sudden de- 

 velopment of heat while the tuff was in situ, for instance, 

 through the birth of a new and neighbouring star, or, again, 

 that the stone may have passed through the upper region of a 

 sun's atmosphere during part of its celestial journey. 



Among a number of papers in the recent issue of the Pro- 

 ceedings o( the Philadelphia Academy, attention may be directed 

 to one by Mr. H. A. Pilsbry on the Clausilias of the Liu-Kiu 

 (Loo Choo) Islands. A large number of these land-shells are 

 recorded, many of which arc new ; for one group a new sub- 

 generic term is proposed. A second paper, by A. M. Kielde, 

 describes in detail the life-history of the ant known as Stenamma 

 fulvum. The observations were made, for the most part, on 

 colonies kept in portable nests, of which a description is given 

 in No. 2 of the second volume of the Biological Bulletin. 



The first annual general report has been published (1900- 

 1901) of the newly formed Department of Agriculture and 

 Technical Instruction for Ireland, wherein the scope and constitu- 

 tion of that body are defined. The Dublin Science and Art 

 Museum now comes under the cognisance of the Department, 

 and the report of the director is included in the volume before 

 us. It is satisfactory to learn that the Museum is making steady 

 progress in all its sections. Among several interesting addi- 

 tions to the zoological collections during the year, " by far the 

 most important was Ussher's collection of Irish birds' eggs, 

 contained among which are many which have now become rare 

 and practically unobtainable, l-'or the purpose of showing ihe 

 wide range of variation in clutches such as ihosc of the 

 peregrine falcon, ihe guillemot and others, Mr. Ussher's 

 NO. 1677, VOL. 65] 



collection is unequalled and invaluable." The director adds 

 that his permanent staff is not sufficiently large to allow him to 

 make all the improvements in the arrangement of the .Museum 

 he thinks desirable. 



A NEW illustrated catalogue of apparatus for laboratory 

 experiinents and lecture deinonstrations in friclional and voltaic 

 electricity has been published by Messrs. C. E. Miiller, Orme 

 and Co. It is evident from the catalogue that scientific apparatus 

 can now be obtained at a much lower price than formerly. 



A WORK on " British Vegetable Galls, an Introduction to 

 their Study, Collection, Mounting, Classification, &c. ," by Mr. 

 Edward T. Connold, will be published immediately by Messrs. 

 Hutchinson and Co. The volume will contain numerous illus- 

 trations reproduced from photogr.iphs of living specimens of 

 vegetable galls. 



The Electrical Kevietu devotes practically the whole of its 

 last week's issue (December 13) to electric traction work. The 

 number contains articles by such well-known traction experts as 

 Messrs. Philip Dauson and F. J. .Sprague, and also many ex- 

 cellent descriptions and illustrations of machinery and appliances 

 used in traction work, which make it of great value to those 

 engaged or interested in this branch of engineering. 



The first part of a work on " The Fauna and Geography of 

 the Maldive and Laccadive Archipelagoes," by .Mr. J. Stanley 

 Gardiner, was published a few weeks ago by the Cambridge 

 University Press. Mr. Gardiner left England in lS99as Balfour 

 Student of the University of Cambridge, with a commission to 

 explore and investigate the coral reefs of the Laccadives, Maldives 

 and Ceylon. The results of the expedition will be described in 

 the work now in course of publication. The second part of 

 vol. i. will be published in April next, and when the work has 

 been completed it will be reviewed. 



Members of the British Association are well aware that 

 excellent manuals upon scientific aspects of the places of meeting 

 are prepared under the direction of the Local Committees. In 

 connection with the meeting at Glasgow three volumes of this 

 kind were prepared, and as copies have been sent to us since 

 the conclusion of the meeting we presume they are still avail- 

 able. The subjects are: — "Fauna, Flora and (Geology of the 

 Clyde Area," edited by Messrs. G. F. Scott Elliot, Malcolm 

 Laurie and J. Barclay Murdoch ; " Local Industries of Glasgow 

 and the West of Scotland," edited by Mr. Angus McClean ; and 

 " Handbook of Archaiology, Education, Medical and Charitable 

 Institutions," edited by Prof. Magnus Maclean. The volumes 

 are filled with trustworthy information upon in at ters of scientific 

 and engineering interest, and deserve to be widely known. 

 Though published pirlicularly for the meeting of the British 

 Association, probably copies can still be obtained from Glasgow 

 booksellers, or the acting secretary of the Local Committee, 

 Mr. John S. Samuel, 30 George Square, Glasgow. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Lesser White-nosed Monkey (Cercopitkcciis 

 petatirista) from West Africa, presented by Mrs. K. Harris ; a 

 Green Monkey {Cercopithecus callitrichus) from West .Africa, 

 presented by Captain R. J. Vyner ; a Rhesus Monkey (Macacus 

 rhesus) from India, presented by Miss Rodel ; a Marica Gazelle 

 (Gazella marica) from Arabia, presented by Mr. F. C. Strick : a 

 Common Otter (Lutra vulgaris) from Scotland, presented by 

 Mr. W. Radcliffe Saunders ; a Plantain Squirrel (isciurus plan- 

 lani) from Java, presented by Mrs. Beauchant ; two South 

 Island Robins (Miro albifrons) from New Zealand, deposited ; a 

 Nicobar Pigeon (Calaeiias nicobarica) from the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, purchased : five Shaw's Gerbilles (Cerbilius shawi), 

 born in the Gardens. 



