5IO 



NATURE 



[Septemher 12, 1907 



Borodine, is de- 



Society of Naturalists, edited by Mr. ] 

 voted to botany. Mr. Y. N. Voronoff describes his 

 botanical excursion in the summer of 1902 in Abhasia 

 (Caucasus). The whole region is rich in Alpmc fiora, o 

 which the writer collected thousands of specimens and 

 hundreds of species. Mr. Voronoff supplements Albofl s 

 work on the (lora of Colchis, and Rives a list of 129 

 plants, of which four are newly described. Mr. fc.. 

 Ispolatoff's article on the vegetation of the eastern portion 

 of the Novgorod government contains descriptions and lists 

 of that found in forest, marsh, and meadow land re- 

 spectively with observations on the influence of man upon 

 local vegetation. He notes that localities suitable for 

 human habitation arc also favourable to vegetation. The 

 presence of primitive Siberian flora in certain districts is 

 accounted for by the wild, sparsely populated nature of the 

 country, as contrasted with the more cultivated areas of 

 western Russia. Mr. Ispolatoff gives a list of local names 

 of plants, e.g. Cypripedium calccolus (Adam's head), 

 Aegropodi'um podai;raria (bear's paw). Ranunculus (jaun- 

 dice, hen's blindness). The bulk of the journal is occupied 

 with Mr. Leonid Ivanoff's papers on phosphorus and its 

 relations to plant life, with results of experiments. Mr. 

 J. L. Serbinoff furnishes preliminary notes on water plants 

 and fungi of the Crimea, a field scarcely studied. The 

 mountain districts arc poor in water plants, while there 

 arc more in the south, but on account of their comparative 

 rarity considerable time must elapse before a complete list 

 can be compiled. 



There is a wealth of interest for the geologist in part v. 

 of vol. xxxiii. of the Transactions of the St. Petersburg 

 Society of Naturalists, devoted to geology and mineralogy. 

 Mr. W. Lemann writes on the Jurassic deposits of Orlovka, 

 and furnishes a plate of fossils. Mr. B. Popoff describes 

 a new method of investigating spherolilhic formations, 

 with diagrams. Besides notes on diabasic rocks on the 

 shores of Lake Onega, by Mr. S. A. Jakovleff, and on the 

 island of Pargas, by Mr. Sustchinsky, Mme. Jeremina 

 and .Mr. I^oewinson-Lessing describe expeditions in the 

 Mugodjaren (Ural) mountains, and the former writes on 

 the spherolithic formations in this range, with numerous 

 illustrations. Hisumis of the articles appear, mostly in 

 German. 



In part ix. of vol. xxxvii. of the Journal of the Physico- 

 chemical Society of St. Petersburg University appears a 

 list of minutes and papers, the volume containing more 

 than 1300 pages. Mr. V. Menschutkin writes on the action 

 of water on etherales and combinations with elher-salts, 

 and Mr. A. GorbofI on the static character of the equil- 

 ibrium of physicochemical systems. Mr. E. Orloff 

 furnishes a new synthesis of benzylideneimides, and a 

 lengthy paper on the phosphorescence of some organic 

 compounds between +100° and —190° appears from the 

 pen of Mr. P. Borissofl. The purpose if Mr. Borissofl's 

 work was to examine the influence of temperature on the 

 phosphorescence of certain organic compounds, and to 

 determine the relation of fluorescence to phosphorescence. 

 A memoir of Mr. V. A. Mokievsky, a promising laboratory 

 worker cut off all loo soon, is given by Mr. S. Lebcdeff. 



In part ii. of vol. xxxv. of the Transactions of the St. 

 Petersburg Society of Naturalists, Mr. V. N. TonkolT de- 

 scribes experiments in embryology in connection with dual 

 formations, and gives a bibliography of works on 

 embryology, development, abnormal formations, &c. The 

 writer appears to be of opinion, judging by results of ex- 

 periments by pressure and osmosis on the eggs of frogs, 

 fish, and medusa;, that similar results would be produced 

 in the case of other ova. This article is illustrated by two 

 plates. Mr. A. V. Zhuravsky contributes notes of a zoo- 

 logical journey in the Siberian tundra. This region, largely 

 volcanic, has been summed up as " dead land (i.e. clay) 

 and lakes." For the naturalist there is abundant material 

 for studv in the lakes and on the sloping shores. Of the 

 fauna, Xfiis amphibius is very prevalent, and finds its way 

 on board steamers and other craft as an emigrant. A list 

 of mollusca occupies several pages. A short riSsumd in 

 German follows each article. 



Vol. XXXV., part iv., of the Transactions of the St. 

 Petersburg Society of Naturalists, devoted to zoology, is 

 chiefly taken up with articles by Mr. W. M. Schimkevitch, 

 one of the editors. He is responsible for notes on the 



NO. 1976, VOL. 76] 



development of Thclvponus, experimental observations of 

 the eggs of Philim- 'apcrta, and a preliminary article on 

 the theory of nmlation. His paper of more general interesi 

 is that on the instincts of domestic animals, in which 

 cerlain well-known habits of the dog are discussed, a^ 

 burying of bones, Jtc, without apparent reason. Most ol 

 Ihese are followed by a German rfsumi. The concluding 

 article, by Mr. S. Susloff, treats of phagocytes in relation 

 to insects, with diagrams and a bibliography. 



Mr. N. Andrussoff has issued part I. of his materiaK 

 for the geology of the Aralo-Caspian region (Transaction-, 

 of the Aralo-Caspian Expedition), which he has studied for 

 twenty years at intervals. The places covered in this pari 

 include the Krasnovodsk peninsula. Great and Little 

 Ualchan, Djanak, and Ustiurt. Notwithstanding ii' 

 proximity to Krasnovodsk and the railway, the geological 

 features of the Kubadagh have been very little studied. 

 In his first chapter Mr. Andrussoff summarises the work 

 of previous explorers since Eichwald visited the neighbour- 

 hood in 1825. The work is illustrated with plans, sections, 

 and views. 



11 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



The professor of mechanical engineering at the Cily and 

 Guilds Technical College, Einsbury, is about to appoint .1 

 chief assistant to take charge of the new engineering 

 laboratory. Particulars of the appointment will appear in 

 our advertising columns. 



The question of the extent of the training in science, 

 and especially in physics, which one who intends ultiniat.ly 

 to become a physics teacher should receive at the higb- 

 sihool stage of his career, is treated with great insight 

 by Dr. K. T. Fischer, of Munich, in a recent article in 

 Xatur tind Schule. It will be remembered that Dr. 

 Fischer spf-nt some time in this country investigating our 

 methods of teaching science, and that his observations are 

 embodied in his book " Der naturwissenschaftliche Unter- 

 richt in England." His present article is largely a plea 

 that even at this stage the future teacher should be 

 brought into close contact with physical apparatus, and 

 should be taught to handle simple tools and fit together 

 apparatus. Or. Fischer's ideal of a teacher is one who 

 by. the end of his training has not only learnt to read 

 with understanding the original work of the great 

 masters, but has carried out a piece of research himself. 

 He recognises, however, the difficulty of his last demand 

 even in his own country, and we in this country must, 

 we fear, look on it as a counsel of perfection for many 

 years to come. 



The new syllabus of classes at the Sir John Cass 

 Technical Institute, Aldgate, shows that the work of the 

 various departments has been considerably re-organised 

 since last year. Apart from systematic courses in physics, 

 mathematics, and chemistrv, special courses of instniction 

 are now given in physical chemistry, brewing and malting, 

 and in several branches of advanced physics, including 

 radio-activilv. The course in physical chemistry incliides 

 general physical chemistrv, electrochemistry, and a labor- 

 -Itorv course of practical work ; the instruction in brewing 

 and malting also includes laboratory work of a tcchnicar 

 character in addition to a course of lectures designed lor 

 those engaged in the brewing and malting industries. 

 The teaching in metallurgy, which for the past four years 

 has formed a distinctive part of the work of the institiite, 

 b:,^ now been established as a separate dep.artment, and a 

 full graded curriculum extending over three years is 

 provided. 



The London County Council desires to direct attention 

 to the facilities offered for evening instruction m the 

 various institutions maintained bv it or under its confroh 

 In the various polytechnics, technical institutes, ami 

 schools of art situated in the counlv. classes in science 

 art and Icchnologv. music, artistic handicrafts, Sc, will 

 be re-opened towards the end of the present month. 

 Th.se institutions provide instruction of an advanced or 

 technical character. The council offers annually scholar- 

 ships and exhibitions to the total value of 1500!. for rom- 

 petilion .-inionc,' studrnts of polylechni 



technical insti- 



