September 24, 1908] 



NA TURE 



515 



swans, recent and fossil. Living swans the author divides 

 into the genera Cygnus, Olor, and Chenopis, the South 

 American Coscoroba being regarded (we think wrongly) as 

 a duck. In our opinion such generic divisions seem super- 

 fluous, but if they are adopted surely the emendation 

 Chenopsis for the absurd and meaningless Chenopis might 

 be accepted. The large Pleistocene swan of Malta is re- 

 ferred to yet another genus, under the name of Palaeo- 

 cygnus falconeri, on account of its relatively short thigh- 

 bone, long metatarsus, and short, thick toe-bones. A fossil 

 black swan (Chenopsis sumnerensis) has been named on 

 the evidence of bones from a cave at Sumner, near Christ- 

 church, New Zealand, and a second (Ch. nanus), of very 

 small size, from Pleistocene or Pliocene deposits at Lake 

 Evre, South Australia. From the same locality have been 

 obtained remains of a larger swan which Mr. de Vis has 

 made the type of yet another genus, under the name of 

 Archaeocygniis lacustris, despite the apparent slightness 

 of the osteological differences by which it is distinguished 

 from the existing black swan. 



In sending a copy of part iii. of the first volume of the 

 Annals of the Natal Government Museum, Dr. Warren 

 refers to the large number of plates necessary for the 

 proper illustration of the specimens described, wliich com- 

 prise a large number of new species. As these plates, of 

 which there are no less than fourteen (with five of double 

 size) in the present issue, are executed, for the most part 

 in London, in the best possible style, the expenses of 

 publication are necessarily very great. An increase in the 

 number of subscribers is therefore asked for, in order that 

 this invaluable journal may be carried on in the same style 

 as hitherto. The contents of the present part comprise 

 an article by the editor on a collection of hydroid zoo- 

 phytes, for the most part from the Natal coast, in which 

 several new species are described, while others receive 

 fuller illustration and description than have previously been 

 accorded them. Mr. G. A. Boulenger describes several 

 new fresh-water fishes and reptiles (including one of 

 Zonurus and anotlier of Gerrhosaurus), while in a third 

 paper Mr. C. T. Regan contributes to our knowledge of 

 the marine fish-fauna of this part of Africa. 



The greater portion of the third part of vol. xxxviii. of 

 Gegenbaurs Horphologisches Jahrhnch is devoted to an 

 article on the human sacrum, by Dr. C. Radlauer, of the 

 Anthropological Institute of Zurich University. After the 

 examination of a very large series of specimens, the author 

 finds that, in addition to a remarkably large range of 

 individual variation, this portion of the skeleton also shows 

 modifications dependent upon sex and race, special atten- 

 tion being devoted to variations of the latter type. As 

 regards individualism, it is pointed out that whereas five 

 vertebra; normally unite to form the sacrum, the number 

 may be occasionally reduced to four or augmented to si.x, 

 the addition being less uncommon than the subtraction of 

 an element. As regards sexual variation, the sacrum is rela- 

 tively broader in the female than in the male. The breadth 

 in both sexes (each for each) is, however, greater in 

 European than in non-European races ; there is also a dis- 

 tinction in the form of the under surface in European sacra 

 compared with those of other races. Bushmen, Malays, 

 and Chinese possess a sacrum of the " dolichohierische " 

 type ; in most negroes, Ainus, and Japanese the type is 

 " subplatyhierische, " while in some Japanese, Australians, 

 and Europeans it becomes " platyhierische." In view of 

 recent changes of view in regard to the relationship of the 

 natives of Australia, their association from the present 

 standpoint with Europeans is extremely significant. 



NO. 2030, VOL. 78] 



Graphic methods of recording and utilising bird-migra- 

 tion data form the subject of an article by Mr. W. Stone 

 in the .April issue of the Proceedings of the Philadelphia 

 Academy of Sciences. The date of the first arrival of one 

 particular species in a given locality is not a fact of much 

 importance or value, and the author suggests, in lieu of 

 the recording of such isolated cases, maps for certain 

 districts embracing a ten-mile radius should be prepared 

 on which all early arrivals can be plotted. Charts show- 

 ing temperature-variation in connection with bird-migration 

 are also suggested and exemplified by samples. 



In Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses, vol. vi., part iv., 

 Mr. I. Tkeda records the interesting fact that at certain 

 seasons the relative of Balanoglossus known as Glandiceps 

 hacksii consorts in swarms and assumes a pelagic habit. 

 In the -same issue Dr. A. Oka describes a new genus and 

 species {Stephanella hina) of fresh-water bryozoans from 

 Japan. In many respects the new genus differs from any 

 hitherto known, this being specially noticeable as regards 

 the peculiar conformation of the colony, which differs from 

 that of all other phylactolsmatous fresh-water bryozoans 

 in that it consists of a thick, creeping stolon and of a 

 single upright polyp-stem, such as is found in certain 

 marine members of the ctenostomatous group. 



A SECOND botanical part of the Philippine Journal of 

 Science, issued in June, contains a paper by Signor M. 

 Ugolino on the native species of Pandanus, describing 

 varieties of Pandanus tectorius and several new species. 

 Among the determinations of Philippine fungi communi- 

 cated by Dr. P. Hennings are new species of Uredo, 

 .'\ecidium, Phyllachora, Rosellinia, and Diplodia. One 

 species of Rosellinia and Pestalozzia paUnarum, genera 

 known as insidious pests in the tropics, were taken on 

 cocoa-nut trees, and a Diplodia was obtained from the 

 scales of a Pandanus fruit. Mr. E. D. Merrill contributes 

 an article on the plants collected by the Wilkes United 

 States Expedition in 1842, and a further instalment of 

 botanical literature connected with the islands. 



Mr. a. M. F. Caccia has compiled a glossary of technical 

 terms for use in Indian forestry that has been published as 

 Forest Pamphlet No. 3 by the Government of India. The 

 forester's vocabulary consists of many technical expressions 

 such as form factors, sylvicultural systems, classes of rota- 

 tion, as well as terms that have a special application, to 

 wit, fireline and forest devil. The Indian forester cannot 

 be accused of coining terms, as " taungya " or " jhum " 

 and " indaing " appear to be the only contributions, the 

 former referring to sowing the seed of special trees with 

 field crops, the latter to forests where " in " trees, species 

 of Dipterocarpus, abound. A special list of American terms 

 furnishes a tribute to the push of American foresters. 

 Tree scribe, volunteer growth, and veteran require ex- 

 planation, but to harden off and sapling sound distinctly 

 British. 



An account of the plant formations in mid and southern 

 Greece, contributed by Dr. E. Pritzel to Engler's 

 Botanische Jahrhiichcr (vol. xli., part iii.), derives special 

 interest from the classic associations connected with the 

 regions described. Olive trees still clothe thickly the Attic 

 plain, and the vine foliage colours the valley of the 

 Cephissos that flows towards the Piraeus. In other parts 

 the evergreen formations termed " maquis " are found. 

 The characteristic trees in the maquis are the Aleppo pine, 

 species of .\rbutus, and Ouercus coccifera. A subforma- 

 tion, the " phr)'gana," consists of bushes and other xero- 

 phytes. Here grows the Greek thyme. Thymus capitatus. 



