Apric 9, 1874J 



NATURE 



439 



simple, unaffected style. For many centuries China 

 has had the monopoly of supplying the Thibetans with 

 tea, of which they arc most extensive consumers. The 

 Lamas of Thibet have the exclusive privilege of retailing 

 this tea, and both they and the Chinese naturally do all in 

 their power to prevent the possibility of any rivalry in the 

 lucrative trade. It was on this account that 'S\r. Cooper 

 was prevented from completing his intended journey from 

 Shanghai overland to India. In the present work the 

 author describes an attempt which he made to penetrate 

 into Thibet from the Indian side, for the purpo e of dis- 

 covering whether it would not be possible to open up a 

 way for the introduction into that country of the abun'iant 

 produce of the Assam, tea-plantations. He proceeded from 

 Calcutta to -Sudiya, on the north-east frontier of Assam, 

 from which, after making all due preparations, he set out 

 on his adventurous journey in the latter part of 1869. 

 Notwithstanding that Mr. Cooper was accompanied by a 

 Khamtee chief, Chovvsam--a fine manly fellow — who 

 knew the country vvell, and was feared and respected by 

 the people through whose country Mr. Cooper had to pass, 

 the latter, amid great hardships, succeeded in penetrating 

 north-eastward along the Brahmapootra, only about 100 

 miles, when, through the determined opposition of the 

 Thibetan officials, he was compelled to turn back. No 

 doubt Mr. Cooper failed in accomplishing the object on 

 which he had set his heart, but his journey has been the 

 means of giving to the w-orld a book full of interesting 

 information about the peoples and the countries where he 

 sojourned, both in Assam and the districts just beyond its 

 north-eastern frontier. The book contains a great deal of 

 information on the present and past condition of Assam 

 and the Assamese, and much information on the state of 

 the tea-cultivation in that country. Mr. Cooper is par- 

 ticularly observant of men and manners, and most readers 

 will find in his book a great deal that is quite new con- 

 cerning the small tribes that live along the route by which 

 he attempted, in the interest of commerce, to enter 

 Thibet ; his description of the Khamtees is especially 

 interesting. Mr. Cooper does not pretend to give any 

 scientific record of the natural history of the country 

 through which he passed, though he makes occa- 

 sional observations that may interest naturalists. 

 The following description of the land-leeches which pes- 

 tered him during his journey, seems to us particularly 

 interesting : — 



" Of all the hardships and unpleasant sensations expe- 

 rienced in the Assam jungle none have left a more dis- 

 agreeable recollection than the attacks of land-leeches. 

 Often, on sitting down, I could count a dozen of these 

 little animals hurrying from all directions to their prey. 

 In length they arc about an inch, while their thickness 

 does not exceed that of an ordinary sewing needle. Their 

 mode of progression is curious in the extreme. Fixing 

 one extremity by means of its bell-shaped sucker firmly 

 on a leaf or on the ground, the leech curves itself into an 

 arch, the other end is then advanced till the creature 

 resembles a loop, again to expand into an arch, but the 

 movement is quicker than words can describe it ; the 

 rapidity with v hich they thus progress along is quite 

 startling. As they occasionally rear themselves perpen- 

 dicularly and sway about from side to side, taking a sur- 

 vey round them in quest of prey, the obser\-er cannot 

 fail to conceive a dread of the bloodthirsty little creatuies. 

 They exercised quite a fa'cination over me. I could never 

 resist watching them whenever I took a seat. Their power 

 of scent was evidently keen. At first they would hold 

 themselves erect, then suddenly, as though they h.id just 

 discovered my whereabouts, they would throw themselves 

 forward and with quick eager strides make towards my 

 unfortunate body, and it was a long time before I could 

 restrain a shudder at their approach, but use does won- 

 ders, and at last I used to flip them of? my clothes and 

 hands, Khamtee fashion, with great indifference. There 



are several species of leeches in Assam, but I have only 

 come in contact with three kinds : the common brown 

 one, just described ; the red, or hill leech, which is larger 

 than the former and of a light red colour, inflicting a 

 venomous, though not dangerous, bite ; and the hair- 

 leech, so called by the Khamtees from its great length 

 and extreme tenuity. This last description of leech lies 

 in wait in the grass, and as animals feed it enters the 

 nostrils and fixes itself firmly in the interior, where it 

 takes up permanent quarters, causing the poor beasts 

 great irritation. It seems to inflict itself entirely on 

 animals, which is fortunate, or man would suffer greatly 

 from this scourge of the jungle." 



Mr. Cooper has done well in telling the world the story 

 of his travels. 



Transactions of the Albany Institute, vol. vii. (Albany, 

 U.S., 1872.) 



This institution is one of the oldest of its kind in 

 America, having been originally founded upwards of 

 eighty years ago, just after thd conclusion of the American 

 War of Independence. At present it is one of the most 

 comprehensive and active of the American societies, its 

 sphere of work embracing all departments of literature 

 and science. In an eloquent annual address, which is 

 the first paper in this volume, Orlando Meads, one of the 

 oldest members of the Institute, sketches its history, and 

 gives reminiscences of some of the most eminent men 

 who have been connected with the Society, including 

 several who have left their mark on the country. A cha- 

 racteristic feature of this volume is the reports of what 

 has been done during the year, both in America and 

 Europe, in the various divisions of science and literature, 

 the institution being divided into three departments — 

 Physical Sciences and the Arts, Natural History, and 

 History and General Literature, and these again into a 

 number of classes. Thus we have in the present volume, 

 reports on botany, zoology, chemistry, and general litera- 

 ture. Of the papers in this volume we may notice one 

 On Nitro-glycenne, as used in the construction of the 

 Hoosac Tunnel, by Prof. G. M. Mowbray. The author 

 traces the history of the dangerous article, gives an 

 account of his own investigations regarding it, and de- 

 scribes the method in which it was used in boring 

 the Hoosac tunnel. — On certain new Phenomena in 

 Chemistry, by Verplanck Colvin, describes some very re- 

 markable experiments in amalgamation made by the 

 author. From Newton to Kirchoff, by Dr. L. C. Cooley, 

 traces in an interesting way the progress of research 

 on Light during the period indicated ; and in Researches 

 in the Theory and Calculus of Operations, by J. A. Pater- 

 son, we have a most elaborate and intricate investigation 

 on the theory of the actions of various forces of Nature. 

 Mr. C. H. Peck contributes a Synopsis of New York 

 Uncinulae. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 



\Tlie Editor does not Iwld himself responsible for opinions expressed 

 by his correspondents. No notice is taken of anonymoui 

 communications.'^ 



Microscopic Examination of Air 



In support of the conclusions arrived at by Mr. Douglas Cun- 

 ningham, of Calcutta, in his " Microscopic Examinations of Air" 

 (Natl-re, vol. ix. p. 330), and in illustral;on of the method 

 which he employed, perhaps I may be allowed to describe some 

 observations of the same kmd which I made three years ago but 

 have not had leisure to continue or prepare for publication. 



A .sentence in Dr. Parkes' " Manual of Hygiene," alluding to 

 the importance of minute examination of the air, turned my 

 thoughts in that direction. The instrument which I constructed 

 for the purpose was contrived alter the manner of a weathercock, 

 presenting the wide mouth of a funnel to the wind, while the 



