468 



NATURE 



{March 17, 1881 



Historical Periods, been found in the County of York." Tlie 

 authors state that when engaged on the compilation of various 

 papers on the natural history of the county for tlie Transactions 

 of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, find that there is a deficiency 

 of information of a reliable nature as to the detailed distribution 

 in Yorkshu'e of the various species of vertebrated animals, and 

 this in spite of the fact that all available published information 

 has been by them systematically and diligently collected. This 

 deficiency they beUeve to some extent arises from the circum- 

 stance that never yet has there been published a list of the verte- 

 brated animals (or of any subdivision thereof) of the county as a 

 whole. Such a list they propose to supply. The Birds mil be 

 undertaken by Mr. Clarke, the Mammals, Reptiles, and 

 Amphibians by Mr. Roebuck, and the Fishes jointly. The 

 vwiters would be glad to have co-operation, in the way of 

 supplying lists and notes for as many districts in the county as 

 possible. Scattered observations on any species are as much 

 desured as lists. Notes on the historical evidence of the former 

 existence of species in the county, and on the local names used 

 for the various species, are also desirable. Communications are 

 requested to be addressed to either author at his residence, or at 

 No. 9, Commercial Buildings, Park Row, Leeds. 



The Times correspondent sends some additional facts to 

 account for the recent earthquake at Ca^amicciola. "The 

 lamentable accident," Prof. Palmieri states, "which has hap- 

 pened at Casamicciula was not only not felt by the University 

 seismograph, nor by that of Vesuvius, but did not extend even 

 to the whole of the island. It must be regarded, therefore, as a 

 perfectly local phenomenon, produced probably by the sinking 

 of the soil occasioned by the slow and continual subterraneous 

 action of the mineral waters." That there M'ere severe shocks 

 of earthquake, the Times correspondent goes on to say, is 

 unquestionable, but unless the ground had, so to speak, been 

 prepared for it, the disaster would probably have not been so 

 great. The fact is that the island is burrowed in many parts. 

 Wherever there is any chance of finding a spring the ground is 

 hollowed out, and the fortunate proprietor makes a good thing 

 of it during the season. In addition to this fact, a considerable 

 part of the soil is formed of clay, w hich is held in high estima- 

 tion ; and not merely Naples, but the country around to a great 

 extent, is provided with bricks and pottery from Ischia. This 

 branch of industry has been carried on successfully for many 

 years, and it may readily be understood, therefore, that the sub- 

 soil is so perforated that any violent shock suffices to wreck the 

 houses on the surface. Ischia is well known to be of volcanic 

 formation, and has, in times long past, been subject to shocks 

 and eruptions from Epomeo, the now dormant cone in the centre 

 of the island. What is called the Lake of Ischia is supposed to 

 have been the crater of an extinct volcano. The last great 

 eruption occurred in 1301, and lasted two months, inflicting 

 complete ruin on the i.Jand. A scientific Commission, composed 

 of Professors Palmieri, Scacchi, Linno, and Guiscardi, have gone 

 to Casamicciola to endeavour to ascertain whether the earthquake 

 there was due to local causes or not. 



Earthquake shocks continue in Switzerland to an extent 

 that, in view of the terrible disaster at Ischia, is causing con- 

 siderable apprehension. A very strong oscillation was observed 

 at Heniveil, in Zurich, early on Monday morning, and about 

 two o'clock on the following morning two separate shocks were 

 felt at Lausanne. Two deaths resulted in a rather singular way 

 on Friday last from the earthquake of the preceding day. The 

 shock loosened a mass of rock overhanging a quarry at Oberburg, 

 in Berne, and twenty-four hours afterwards it fell, literally 

 grinding to powder two unfortunate men who were working 

 hard by. 



It has been decided by a large number of friends and ad- 

 mirers of the late Mr. Frank Buckland to perpetuate, by a 



substantial memorial, the services which he has rendered to the 

 study of natural history and fish-culture by his numerous writ- 

 ings, and also by the formation of his celebrated fish museum 

 at South Kensington, which he has bequeathed to the nation. 

 A committee which has been formed with this object in view 

 includes amongijthers Sir William Vernon Harcourt, M.P., Sir 

 Philip Cunlifife-Owen, Prof. Owen, Mr. Spencer Walpole 

 (Inspector of Sahnon Fisheries), and several other gentlemen 

 representing the different fishery boards throughout the country 

 and the various fishery interests. The exact form which the 

 memorial shall take has not yet been determined. This will be 

 decided at the next meeting of the cjmmittee, which will shortly 

 be held. 



We hear that Mr. Walter Hill is about to retire from the 

 Curatorship of the Botanic Gardens at Brisbane, in connection 

 witli which his name has become widely known. It is rumoured 

 that the Gardens will be placed under the management of a 

 board. 



We are glad to see that the Liverpool College of Chemistry 

 has been reopened after being renovated and refitted with 

 modern apparatus for research. Under the guidance of Dr. 

 Tate and Mr. G. H. Sharpe, we have no doubt it will prove a 

 useful centre for instruction and science. 



The stenographic machine which we mentioned in our last 

 issue was presented on March 1 1 to the Societe d'Encourage- 

 ment, meeting under the presidency of M. Dumas. It is a 

 small instrument, about I J foot long aud i foot wide, placed on 

 a stand 2i feet high, on which it is easy to play with both 

 hands. The number of elenientary signs is only six, which by 

 mutual combin.T.tiou give seventy-four phonetic letters. It has 

 been worked with an astounding velocity, reproducing the words 

 pronounced by a man reading a passage from a book. The limit 

 of velocity is stated to be 200 words in a miuute, which is more 

 than sufficient, no speaker having ever uttered more than 180. 

 The signs are ^■ery neatly printed on a paper band passing auto- 

 malically under the types. They can be read by any person 

 conversant with the peculiarities of the system, which requires 

 the teaching of a very few months. The work of the stenographer 

 is more difficult, but in little more than a year he can be 

 educated. Womea and persons who have an acute and correct 

 hearing can practise it with succes-. Blind people, generally 

 having very delicate hearing, will be most useful, the reading 

 and translation being done by other people. The same machinery 

 is available for every language in existence. The system is so 

 .perfect that it can be used for reproducing a language that is 

 neither spoken mx understood by the operator. But under such 

 circumstances the orator must speak slowly and in a veiy distinct 

 manner. This machine was uorked by a young lady belonging 

 to the stenographic staff of the Italian Senate, where the machine 

 is in constant use. 



The work of laying subterranean cables is proceeding favour- 

 ably froji Nan^y to Pari;. This telegraph line is composed of 

 twelve insulated wires placed in a large tube of cast iron. For 

 each length of 500 metres doors have been arranged so that any 

 section can 'oe removed and repliced without having to open 

 the ground, which is nece;sary in the German system of laying 

 the cables in a solid bed of asphalte. 



We are asked to make kuo.vn that at the request of the 

 Commis:aire-General, the Society of Telegraph Engineers and 

 of Electricians have uaderlakeu to supply to and collect from 

 intending British exhibitors, applications for space at the forth- 

 coming Exliibition. Forms of application and copies of the 

 general rules can be obtained at the offices of the Society, 4, 

 Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, London, by letter addressed to 



