January 20, 1910] 



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545 



encyclopEcdic work on the " Castes and Tribes of Southern 

 India " were then ready, and that it was hoped the print- 

 ing of the remaining volumes would be completed during 

 the current financial year. The museum has received a 

 number of additions during the year, among which may 

 be mentioned a series of coins acquired by means of the 

 Indian Treasure Trove Act. 



The value of the stereoscope in biological investigations 

 forms the subject of an article, by Dr. W. Berndt, in 

 Naturuiissenschaftliche Wocheiischrift of January 2. The 

 instrument, it appears, has lately been used by Prof. F. E. 

 Schuize, of the Berlin Zoological Institute, for the investi- 

 gation of the structure and mode of action of the ultimate 

 ramifications of the bronchial tubes, or broncheoli, in the 

 lungs of mammals. Such objects have to be prepared in 

 a special manner before being photographed for the stereo- 

 scope, but when this is done a stereogram is stated to 

 afford an insight into the structure which cannot be 

 obtained in any other way. Stereograms of an amoeba, 

 of the broncheoli of a rat's lung, and of a section of the 

 lung of an ostrfth illustrate the paper. 



We are indebted to the author, Mr. J. W. Shoebotham, 

 for a copy of his paper on the life-history of CaUidium 

 violaccunt, reprinted from vol. iv., part iv., of the Journal 

 of Economic Biology. In the year 190S Mr. Shoebotham 

 noticed insect-borings in some of the wooden fences near 

 Berkhamsted, and subsequently ascertained that these were 

 made by the larva; of the beetle CaUidium violaceum, a 

 species which does not appear to have been observed in 

 England as damaging timber since the time of the Rev. 

 William Kirby. Mr. Shoebotham has worked out the life- 

 history of this beetle, which attacks only coniferous timber 

 — more especially larch — from which the bark has not been 

 removed. The larvce burrow between the bark and the 

 wood, but subsequently tunnel into the latter, in which 

 they pass the pupa-stage. 



In the January number of Witherby's British Birds 

 further notes are given with regard to the flights of cross- 

 bills which visited the British Islands in the second half 

 of 1909. In Durham these birds were noticed in the last 

 week of June, w-hile at Woburn Abbey a flock was observed 

 so late as December 24. .As an appendix to these notes, 

 Dr. C. B. Ticehurst refers to the circumstance that the 

 crossing of the two halves of the beak in these birds is 

 dimorphic, the upper half having its tip directed in some 

 cases to the right and in others to the left side. In Loxia 

 curvirostra the rights seem to be about equal in number 

 to the lefts, but in L. leucoptera the lefts appear to be 

 twice as numerous as the rights. Further specimens are, 

 however, required before the existence of such a difference 

 between the two species can be considered proven. In 

 1903 three examples of the black-winged pratincole 

 (Glareola melanoptera) were shot in Kent, these being the 

 first recorded British examples of the species. A fourth 

 specimen was shot at Northallerton, Yorkshire, on August 

 17, 1909. 



A DESCRIPTION of the lateral roots of Amyelon radicans, 

 a Carboniferous type now accepted as part of a gymno- 

 spermous Cordaitean structure, forms the subject of a 

 paper, by Mr. T. G. B. Osborn, in the Annals of Botany 

 (vol. xxiii.. No. 92) with respect to the branching of the 

 root and the occurrence of a fungus permeating the cells 

 of the cortex. The fungus mycelium is traceable in the 

 outer cortex, but only forms dense tufts in the inner zone ; 

 the hypha; are non-septate, ending sometimes in thick-walled 

 vesicles. Proceeding from analogy with the root-tubercles 



NO. 2ogg, VOL. 82] 



of Podocarpus, and having regard to the branching 

 tendency of the lateral roots, the author arrives at the 

 conclusion that the fungus was a mycorrhiza. 



The Go\ernment of India has issued two additional 

 Forest Pamphlets (Nos. lo and ii) dealing with Indian 

 timbers, prepared by Mr. R. S. Troup, the Imperial forest 

 economist. The first refers to Lagerstroemia tomentosa, 

 a tree, yielding Burmese Leza wood, that grows in the forests 

 of Burma with Xylia dolabriformis. It might be classed 

 with .American birch, with which, however, it could not com- 

 pete on the European market. It is recommended for use in 

 India for tea-boxes, and is under trial for railway sleepers, 

 as also for conversion into match spUnts. The second 

 pamphlet deals w-ith Carallia integerrima, which yields a 

 timber resembling European oak in the silver grain, but 

 differing in its brittle nature. Locally it is used in con- 

 struction and for agricultural implements, and has been 

 favourably reported on for brush-backs. 



A PAPER on the British pansies, contributed by Dr. E. 

 Drabble to the Journal of the Royal Horticultural 

 Society (vol. xxxv., part ii.), is brought to notice, 

 not only for the observations which are recorded, 

 but also because it represents a line of work which is 

 desirable and likely to be fruitful in results, especiallv in 

 the case of plants which are hybridised. The author has 

 taken the species Viola tricolor, L., and tr.iced out by 

 comparison with authentic specimens, as also by growing 

 plants through several generations, a series of forms — the 

 elementary species of Jordan and Boreau — among British 

 plants. As a conclusion, four classes of British pansies are 

 demarcated, and it is suggested that the garden stock may 

 have been produced from Viola Lloydii, V. -jariaia, and 

 (rather doubtfully) I', polychroma by crossing with 

 I', lutea. 



When- consideration is given to the great difference 

 between the conditions in the Alps and in English gardens, 

 it is a matter for surprise that so many Alpine plants can 

 be grown successfully in our climate. The contrast is 

 well brought out in an article published in the Journal of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society (vol. x.xxv., part ii.) by 

 -Mr. A. CIutton-Brock, who submits some arguments with 

 respect to cultivation and treatment which cannot fail to 

 interest the growers of alpines. Primarily, the author 

 directs attention to the correct disposition of rocks and 

 stones so that the roots may run underneath and obtain 

 protection from drought. This is particularly necessary 

 for Dryas, Silene acaulis, and Poly gala Chamaebaxas. 

 Top-dressing is suggested for Primula and Aster alpinus 

 to imitate the action of deposits left by the snow. Close 

 planting is another recommendation, provided unequal 

 competition between intermingling plants can be avoided. 

 On this point the author gives details regarding suitable 

 combinations of plants. 



From the Agricultural Journal of British East Africa 

 we learn that cotton growing is making steady and con- 

 tinuous progress at the coast, although the early difficulties 

 were very numerous, and large sums of money had to be 

 expended in educational work. There is still the prospect 

 of trouble with insect pests, but it is stated that cotton 

 growing is distinctly profitable to the native. In the same 

 journal there is also a suggestive article on the prospects 

 of the production of cane sugar ; considerable quantities 

 are at present imported, but there is every reason to believe 

 that it could be produced locally and form the basis of a 

 flourishing industry. 



