;.*6 



NATURE 



[September 7, 191 1 



marking of any who are specially interested, and have 

 some knowledge of birds, and also time and opportunity 

 fur the work. The necessary rings, schedules, postage 

 stamps, &c, are supplied by us, without charge, and we 

 undertake to let the marker know of each case of a bird 

 marked by him being recovered, and to let him have copies 

 of printed reports as far as possible." 



A very complete account is given by Dr. H. Wallner in 

 thi Mitteilungen der k.k. Geographischen Gescllschafl 

 (No. 7, Band 54) of the Aim region of Lungau, in the 

 1 astern Alps. Where these Alpine pastures are suitably 

 developed there is an annual migration of flocks and their 

 herdsmen from the valley to the high slopes in the earl) 

 summer, and a return downwards in the autumn, thus 

 constituting a class of semi-nomadic communities as 

 described by Ratzel. The general position of these 

 pastures, their climatic and physiographic conditions, are 

 carefully worked out, and on this basis the distribution of 

 the scattered settlements, the ways and means of com- 

 munication, the periodical movement of both men and 

 animals, have been thoroughly investigated, not merely bv 

 way of description, but by that strictly quantitative method 

 which is so essential for the scientific development of 

 human geography. 



Dr. E. Rueel has compiled a very comprehensive 

 ecological account of the highly interesting Bernina Valley 

 and adjacent country, that is published in Engler's 

 Botanische Jahrbucher (vol. xlvii., parts i. and ii.). Seven 

 chapters deal with topography, climate, geology — contributed 

 by Dr. E. Blosch — plant societies, vertical distribution, 

 geography, and a comparison of the floras on the north 

 and south slopes. No fewer than seventy-five plant associa- 

 tions are described under twenty-three formations, and 

 these are grouped under the classes of woods, bushes, 

 shrubs, grasses and swamps, water and rock formations. 

 The most important trees are Pinus Cembra and Larix 

 decidua, that grow either separately or mixed, as in the 

 beautiful woods towards the lower end of the Roseg 

 Valley. The shrubby and grass associations are perhaps 

 the most interesting. The highest vertical range is that of 

 the Carex curvula association, which ascends somewhat 

 higher than 10,000 feet. A list of 100 species that grow 

 above the snow limit is given ; to Silene exscapa and 

 Ranunculus glacialis is assigned the maximum limit of 

 3500 metres. The illustrations are numerous and excel- 

 lent, while an interesting item is provided in the record 

 of light measurements. 



A collection of papers dealing with the fauna and flora 

 of Boulder County. Colorado, is published in the University 

 of Colorado Studies (vol. viii., No. 4). Prof. T. D. A. 

 Cockerell contributes a catalogue of protozoa, including 

 mycetozoa and arthropoda ; as the author notes, it is re- 

 markable that a preliminary list of mycetozoa from this 

 semi-arid region should contain more than fifty species; 

 Badhamia. Physarum, Stemonitis, and Comatricha are 

 well represented. A description of the lodge-pole pine 

 forests of Boulder Park is provided by Miss K. Bruderlin. 

 The lodge-pole pin.-, Pinus Murrayana, produces the 

 climax formation at an elevation varying between 9000 and 



10,000 feet; asj Engelman spruce, and subalpine fir 



form local associations. Species of Vaccinium, roses, and 

 Wctostaphylos uva-wsi are 1 1 1 ■ - prevailing shrubs. 



Thi annual report el the count) surveyor of Kent, Mr. 

 Maybu , e ff e < t of the wear and 1. .1, oi thi 



roads oi thi- count) die- to motor traffic, and the conse- 

 quent increase of the cost of their maintenance. More than 

 800,000 gallons of tai wen used last year on ^ 7 1 miles 

 NO. 2184, VOT - 8/] 



of road in Kent in painting the surface to prevent its 

 disintegration. The report states that although this process 

 has proved of very great service, and that the dust nuisance 

 is now a thing of the past, yet on the- most important 

 roads where the commercial motor traffic is greatest, some 

 more efficient means of preservation will have to be used 

 than tar painting, and it may become necessary to cover 

 the surface with granite macadam grouted with tar 

 or pitch. As mentioned in a previous note, experiments 

 are about to be conducted by the Road Board to ascertain 

 the most effective method. 



Works are now being carried out for the purpose of 

 improving the harbour at Lagos, in South Africa. Owing 

 tei the dangerous and uncertain condition of the bar at the 

 entrance to the harbour, it is impossible for ocean steamers 

 to enter, and the whole of the traffic has to be transported 

 to the steamers by means of surf boats, at a cost varying 

 from five to thirteen shillings a ton. As the traffic is 

 rapidly increasing, having risen from 154,000 tons in 1900 

 to more than 300,000 tons, this additional cost, besides the 

 increased risk, is becoming a matter of verv serious 

 importance. In order to obtain safe access to the harbour, 

 a mole is being constructed 10,000 feet long, which wilt 

 project about 7000 feet beyond the present line of fore- 

 shore. This mole has a top width of 20 feet, with base of 

 about mo feet, and rises q feet g inches above low water, 

 and is composed of granite rubble blocks. When this mole 

 is completed further works are to be carried out on the 

 other side of the entrance. 



The deterioration of stored coal and its liability to 

 spontaneous combustion are questions of great practical 

 importance, and have been the subject of numerous in- 

 vestigation- in different countries. The University of 

 Illinois Bulletin No. 46, which deals with the spontaneous 

 combustion of coal, with special reference to bituminous 

 coals of the Illinois type, by S. W. Parr and F. W. 

 Kressmann, gives an account of an exhaustive set of 

 experiments. It is shown that coal is continuously 

 oxidised, a number of more or less distinct oxidation 

 processes being involved. There is a certain critical tem- 

 perature above which the oxidation is ultimately destruc- 

 tive. The effects of external sources of heat, state of 

 division of the coal, presence of moisture and of iron 

 pyrites are detailed, and a set of principles summarised, 

 which must be observed in any attempt at the prevention 

 of spontaneous combustion. The most important points are 

 the avoidance of any external source of heat which may in 

 any way contribute toward increasing the- temperature of 

 tlie coal, the elimination of coal dust or finely divided 

 material, and dryness in storage. Storage under water 

 would prevent both deterioration and spontaneous com- 

 bustion, but its industrial practicability is still an open 

 question, and can only be determined by actual experience. 

 In a valuable appendix a historical review of the whole 

 subject is given, together with a summary of the opinions 

 of various workers on the same subject. 



At the July meeting of the International Photometric 

 Commission, held at Zurich, an important paper was 

 communicated b) Messrs. W. J. A. Butterfield, J. S. 

 Haldane, and A. P. Trotter on the corrections for the 

 effects "I atmo pheric conditions on photometric flame 

 standards. It is known thai the light given by the standard 

 flame (Harcourt pentane lamp or Hefner amylacetate lamp) 

 depends upon the atmospheric pressure, the humidity, and 

 the amount of carbon dioxide present. In these experi- 

 ment- a special steel compression chamber was fitted up 

 in such a manner that one of these variables could be 

 altered, the othei two being kepi constant, the correspond- 



