134 



NA TURE 



[Dec. 9, 1 1 



matter — opinions vary almost as hopelessly as on the size. No 

 doubt the " vast clouds of the most pungent sulphurous steam," 

 which are described as rising swiftly out of the caldron, render 

 exact observation difficult. The Times Correspondent speaks 

 of catching glimpses of the crater-wall at depths which a very 

 moderate estimate would ]ilace at 300 feet. But the gradual 

 convergence of the cavity apparent at this depth forbids the 

 acceptance of the enormous profundity for which some visitors 

 have contended, and suggests that the depth can hardly much 

 exceed 500 feet. After a weird description of the appearance 

 presented to the spectator by the volcano at work, the writer 

 concludes by remarking that the present crater is apparently the 

 youngest and innermost of three. Further down on the south 

 west side are to be seen, along with numerous fissures of un- 

 fathomable depth, remains which point to the e.Kistence of two 

 former craters, concentric and of large dimensions, an! separated 

 from one another by a considerable interval. Possibly the exist- 

 ing cone was formed by the great eruption of 17S3. 



A TELEGRAM from New York of December 2, states that eight 

 slight shocks of earthquake are reported from Siimmerville, 

 one severe shock from Columbia, and two slight one; from 

 Charleston. No damage was caused. Dr. Forel writes that 

 earthquakes were felt in .Switzerland on November 25 at 3h. at 

 Pontresina and Bernina (Orisons), and again at 3h. 58m. (both 

 Greenwich times) at Pontresina. 



According to the Ctyloii Oisei-'cr, Mr. C. Stevens, a 

 naturalist, has returned to Colombo from a most successful and 

 interesting sojourn amongst the Veddahs, whose district he has 

 thoroughly explored, and with whom he was enabled to establish 

 a closer intimacy than any European ever did before. He has 

 been able to clear up a good many dubious points relating to the 

 manners, customs, and religious beliefs of these veritable wild 

 men of the woods. He has succeeded in obtaining several 

 perfect skeletons, and a number of skulls. 



The London ami China Telegraph states that a Folk-Lore 

 Society has been established in the Philippines, at the prompting 

 of a Society for the study of folk-lore in Spain. The archipelago 

 certainly presents a wide field for investigation and inquiry in 

 this respect, on account of the diversity of native races inhabiting 

 it. The survivals in the shape of traditions, customs, and 

 observances amongst the primitive tribes still to be found in the 

 inaccessible interior of many of the islands may be expected to 

 throw much light un the early history of the people, and on the 

 origin of many superstitious practices common in more civilised 

 lands. 



The Report of the Public Free Libraries of the City of IMan. 

 Chester, while expressing the deep regret of the Committee at 

 the loss of Sir Thomas Baker, their chairman for nearly twenty- 

 five years, is at the same time a testimonial to the ability and 

 judgment with which the work under his care has been carried 

 on. Additional libraries, a tenfold increase in circulation since 

 the two first of them were opened, and over 4000 volumes with- 

 drawn this year as worn out, are proofs of the earnestness of this 

 work. Nor does the increase seem likely to cease, for the 

 extension of the time of keeping open the reading-rooms till 

 10 o'clock, although it adds to the already long hours of tho- e 

 • engaged in their management, is sure, we think, to increase their 

 counter-attraction to the public-houses, and to brinj up the 

 number of visitors annually to the libraries to three millions. 

 Two recently incorporated districts also have requested that 

 equal advantages may be extended to them, and help in carrying 

 this out has been liberally supplied by independent public 

 bodies. A remarkably large proportion of books are taken out 

 to be read in the reading-rooms. Boys especially avail tliem- 

 selves of these rooms on a Sunday, ne.irly twice as many of 



them attending then as on a week-day ; a direct reversal of the 

 practice of other classes. The success of Manchester is the 

 more marked that so moderate a proportion of fiction is supplied 

 to its readers. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during 

 the past week include two Macaque Monkeys {Macacus cyuj- 

 molgiis i 9 ) from India, presented by the Countess Dowager of 

 Lonsdale ; a Mona Monkey ( Cercopilhecus mon i 5 ) from West 

 Africa, presented by Miss Bashall ; a Domestic Sheep {Oi'is 

 arics, var.) fron West Africa, presented by Sir Albert Kaye 

 RoUitt, F.Z. S. ; a Grey-striped Mouse (Smilhus vagus) (con 

 the Tatra Mountain, presented by Dr. A. Wryesniowski ; a Poe 

 Honey-eater {Prosthemadera nova:-2ea!andif€) [ro\n New Zealand, 

 presented by Capt. B. J. Barlow, s.s. Taimu ; a Blue-fronted 

 Amazon (Chrysolis trstiva) from Brazil, presented by Miss 

 Joachim ; two Tuatera Lizards {Sphenodon ptmctatus) from New 

 Zealand, presented by Dr. E. B. Parfitt ; a Cerastes Viper 

 ( Vipcra. cerastes) from Egypt, presented by Mr. J. H. Leech, 

 F.Z.S. ; a Beisa Antelope {Oryx beisa i) from North-East 

 Africa, a Rough Fox {Caiiis riidis) from Guiana, purchased ; a 

 Red Kangaroo {Macropis riifus), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 

 Corrections to Refraction Tables. — Prof. Cleveland 

 Abbe, in a short note to the Astronomische Nachrichten, calls 

 attention to the fact that the reading of the mercurial barometer 

 which is used in the refraction-formula as an index to the density 

 of the air is not a true index to the pressure controlling that 

 density until it is corrected for the elTect of the variations in 

 gravity. The correction is accomplished by adding one more 

 factor, g, for gravity, when the formula becomes — 



o , /I - 0-00259 cos 2A ,,,, \A X 



R = a tan : ( ^^ 2- B 1 I 7 , 



Vi - o'00259 cos %(p„ I 



where i|) is the latitude of the observer, and (J)^ of the station for 

 which the tables were computed. Prof. Cleveland Abbe con- 

 siders that the omission of this correctio.i for gravity may partly 

 explain the origin of small systematic differences in the declina- 

 tions of different star-catalogues, though such differences, so far 

 as they are due to refraction, must also be caused by local 

 irregularities in the ditribution of pressure and temperature, 

 which produce effects equivalent to slight inclinations of the 

 horizontal planes of equal density. The systematic change; in 

 his distribution, due to change of season, mu^t introduce an 

 annual variation in refracti 3n similar to the effect of parallax, 

 and it will occasion a difference in the refractions north .and 

 south of tlie zenith, which may often attain an appreciable 

 amount. 



Comet Finlay (1SS6 <■)• — The following ephemeris by Dr 

 Krueger, for Berlin midnight, is in continuation of that given in 

 N.^ture of November 25 (p. 85) : — 



T.S86 R..A. Decl. I03 r log A Bright- 



h. m. s. . , ness 



Dec. 10 22 2 49 13 256 S. 0-0074 9'894i 3'' 



14 22 23 51 II 9-7 0-0142 9-S909 30 



iS 22 44 58 8 460 0-0221 9-S901 2-9 



22 23 6 o 6 16-7 0-0309 9-8917 2-8 



26 23 26 49 3 44-6 S. 00404 98958 2-6 

 The brightness at date of discovery is taken as unity. 



Comet Barnard (1886/).— This object is now visible to the 

 n.-iked eye, and is at its brightest. As it is now visible in the 

 early evening, it should be frequently observed. The following 

 ephemeris by Dr. Aug. Svedstrup, for Berlin midnight {Aslr. 

 Nac/ir., No. 2756), is in continuation of that given in Nature 

 of November 25 (p. 85) : — 



iS36 R,A, Decl. log r log A Brlght- 



Dec. II 17 6 7 16 20-9 N. 9-8266 o'ooo4 24-7 



16 17 54 19 13 43-9 9-8212 0-0300 22-1 



21 18 34 18 10 32-2 9-S266 00679 iS'o 



26 19 6 32 7 13-7 9-8421 0-1084 i4'0 



31 193232 4 5-2 N. 9-8652 0-1478 10-5 

 The brightness at date of discovery is taken as unity. 



