38o 



NATURE 



\Sept. lo, 1874 



that their relationship to the Caracaras is not more inti- 

 mate than to the eagles and the hawks. 



Similarly, the American \'ultures, or Cathaitida, if they 

 are vultures at all, which is extremely improbable, can 

 hardly be included in the same family with their typically 

 accipitrine namesakes, but must be placed independently 

 by themselves. The conformation of the feet alone, and 

 more especially the diflerence in the proportionate length 

 of the phalanges pointed out by Prof. Huxley, is alone 

 sufficient to decide this point. 



Leaving these minor points out of the question, how- 

 ever, as having little or no bearing on the true value of 

 the whole, we look on the volume before us as the pre- 

 cursor of others, which if all completed in the same 

 thorough and able manner that is throughout manifested 

 in the first, will form a standard ornithological work, the 

 importance of which it will be impossible to over- 

 estimate. We wish Mr. Sharpe all success in the further 

 prosecution of his almost herculean task. 



OUR BOOK SHELF 



I. The Principal Timber Trees. 2. Select Plants {ex- 

 clusive of timber trees). 3. Additions to the Lists of 

 the principal TinUter Trees and other Select Plants 

 readily eU^ible for Victorian Industrial Culture. By 

 Baron Ferd. von Mueller. (Melbourne) 



These papers, drawn up by Baron Mueller, and first 

 pubHshed in the Proceedings of the Zoological and Ac- 

 climatisation Society of Victoria, are something more than 

 mere lists, inasmuch as in their separate pamphlet form, 

 in which form they have all since been issued, the first 

 occupies 58 pp. Sv'o, and was issued in iS/r ; the second, 

 428 pp. 8vo, issued in 1872 ; and the third, the "Addi- 

 tions ," 40 pp. Svo, issued only a month or two since, and 

 only just come to hand. 



It IS not on account of any original observation being 

 made into the properties or uses of the trees or plants 

 enumerated that we think these papers worthy of notice, 

 but rather on account of their practical use in imparting 

 to an unscientific colonist a knowledge, not only of such 

 trees and other plants as may grow in the climate, but 

 also of their value in an economic or commercial point of 

 view. By means of a pamphlet like either of the above, 

 we have ready references to plants, natives of nearly every 

 part of the globe, which are, moreover, with some autho- 

 rity considered suitable for acclimatisation in Australia 

 and other countries. Such information as the geographi- 

 cal distribution, habit of the plant, &c., could only be 

 obtained by reference to the numerous Floras and bulky 

 botanical works which are as sealed books to the colo- 

 nists generally, while the economic applications would 

 have to be sought for in numerous other and totallydistinct 

 works, for our Colonial Floras seldom or never even touch 

 on this important part of the subject. P.aron Mueller, 

 indeed, says that these lists are intended not so much to 

 contain records of original research as " to bring together 

 information more condensed and more recent than would 

 be attainable in costly or voluminous works of even 

 several languages." 



The arrangement of the genera is alphabetical instead 

 of being scientific, and the following examples will show 

 the sort of information given : — 



" Buxus sempei vireus L. — The Turkey Box Tree. South 

 Europe, Noith Africa, South-west Asia. This slow- 

 growing tree should be tunely planted to provide the 

 indispensable box-wood for wood-engravers and musical 

 instrum it makers as yei no good substitute lor it lia\ing 

 been discovered. The box tree needs calcareous soil for its 



best development. Among allied species, B. balearica 

 attains a height of eighty feet." 



Then follows a list of other species of Buxus, about 

 which, however, little is known as to the value of 

 the respective woods. Here is another example, taken 

 haphazard : — 



" Guevina a^'cllana Molina.— Extends from Middle 

 Chili to the Chonos Archipelago. Briefly alluded to 

 already in the list of trees desirable for Victorian forest 

 culture. One of the most beautiful trees in existence. The 

 snowy white flower-spikes produced simultaneously with 

 the ripening of the coral-red fruit. In the cooler southera 

 regions the tree attains considerable dimensions. The 

 wood, tough and elastic, used for boat-building. The 

 fruit of the allied Brabejum stellatifolium can only be 

 utilised with caution in a roasted state as an article of 

 diet, because it is noxious, or even absolutely poisonous, 

 in a raw state." 



Guevina avellana is a Proteaceous tree, the fruits of 

 which are very similar in appearance, and the seeds very 

 similar in flavour, to those of the Australian tree I\faca- 

 dainia tcrnijolia. These lists will probably prove useful 

 not only as a guide to the selection of plants for the pur- 

 poses of acclimatisation, but also as a handy reference for 

 economic species generally. J . R. J. 



LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 



[The Editor does not hold himself responsible for opinions expressed 

 by his correspondents. JVo nodce is taken of anonymous 

 communications i\ 



A Remarkable Thunderstorm 

 [The following letter has been forwarded to us for publication 

 by Mr. R. H. Scott, F.R.S.— Ed.] 



" Yorkshire Philosophical Society, 

 York, Sept. 2, 1874. 

 " Dear Sir, — I have lo report to-day one of the most unusu.al 

 thunderstorms that I ever remember. It begin to be dark about 

 12 30 noon, and rain fell ; at 12.40 it was much darker ; at 12 43 

 rain fell in torrents, but was so much driven by the wind that 

 you saw it being driven like snow in packs ; so dense was it now 

 and for ten minutes that I could not see chimney-pots 100 yards 

 di-tant. The thermometer must have fallen tremendously, for 

 windows were so steamed inside as to be opac|ue. I remarked 

 that the clouds went in the direction of N.W., while the wind 

 was S.S.W., and force about 8. Part of the time it went in 

 whirlpools, as it were ; during the climax of ten minutes we had 

 rain with lightning and thunder, then snow, and snow and sleet, 

 and distinct hail afterwards, but not of large size. 



" I should have taken the state of the instruments, but I was 

 about half a mile from the museum.— I am, &c., 



(Sijned) " C. VVakefield 



"R. H. Scott, Esq., F.R.S., 



" Diiector, Meteorological Office. 

 "P.S. — Rain measures •49. There was lightning (a little 

 forked, the rest shee) and thunder during all the storm." 



The Exhibition of Specimens ani Apparatus at the 

 British Association 



If no one else has already done so, will you permit me lo call 

 attention lo tlie valuable tenure of the Beliast meeting ut the 

 British Association presented by the exhioition of specimens, 

 apparatus, and diagrams in the Anatomical Museum, due, it i< 

 understood, to the energy and perseverance ot Mr. Ray I,an- 

 kester. Here were to be seen, for instance, Mr. Symons's series 

 of thermometers ilUistradng variations in sensil)ility, a collection 

 of banes and other remains found in Kent's Hole and the Vic- 

 toria Cave, during 1873-74, Dr. Pye Smith's lar^e undescribed 

 Medusa, the diagrams and plants which illustrated Dr. Hooker's 

 address on Carnivorous Plants, specimens of breech- loading 

 fire-arms, and many other objects of interest, all catalogued in 

 each day's issue of the "Journal." It is to be hoped that a 

 similar collection, rendered still more complete throUi;h the 0- 

 operation of the authors of papers, will be an a dition to the 

 attractions ot all luture meetings of the Association. 



Peumaeumawr, Sept. 4 Alfred W. Bennett 



