TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 107 



whicli is daily rising in importance from her commanding position on tlic direct 

 high road between the western and eastern hemispheres. 



On the Eruption at Santorin, and its Present Condition. 

 By Commander Lendsat Brine, B.N. 



On the Physical Geography and Tribes of Western Equatorial Africa. 

 By P. B. Dtj Chailltj. 

 The author commenced by giving- a general description of the region of Western 

 Equatorial Africa, which he traversed during his last journey in 1864-65. There was 

 a remarkable absence in the forests he explored of the species of animals which are so 

 characteristic of Africa. He found neither lion, rhinoceros, zebra, girafle, ostrich, 

 eland, or gazelle. On the other hand, several peculiar species of apes were found, and 

 it was the central home of the gorilla. The scarcity of birds and of animal life 

 generally was also remarkable. The highest temperatm-e obseiTed in the interior 

 was 98° Fahr., the lowest 6.3°. In July the heat was never gi-eater than 72°. The 

 hottest months were February to April, in which the rains were heaviest : as much 

 as 73 inches were once measm-ed by him as having fallen within twenty-fom- hours. 

 In the interior there was no distinct dry season, as on the coast. The author 

 never, except on two occasions, saw the sky entirely free from cloud ; and the 

 cloudiness of the heavens increased the further he marched towards the east. 

 Whilst making astronomical observations at night the sky would very often 

 become suddenly covered by a coat of gi-ey vapour, always coming from the^ south- 

 east, and lasting an horn- or two, but renewed more than once during the night. 

 The distribution of the native ti'ibes oftered some interesting peculiarities. For 

 instance, two tribes speaking the same language are sometimes separated by a 

 third ti-ibe speaking a totally dift'erent language. The state of political disinte- 

 gi-ation is complete. No tribe is imited imder one chief, but is divided into many 

 clans, each having its own chief ; and in many cases each little -tillage has its 

 independent chief. The chiefs have not the power of life and death over their 

 subjects, as in tlie tribes of Eastern Afi-ica described by Speke, Grant, and Baker. 

 Their ride is mild and patriarchal. The population everywhere was scanty, and 

 the distinctness of the tribes he believed to have been kept up by their not having 

 come iu contact in their migrations, but, owing to the wide extent of rmoccupied 

 temtoiy, settled do■v^^l without knowing of the existence of neighbours. It is only 

 on the river-banks that they have come into contact, as all the tribes press to- 

 wards the rivers. There are no cannibals south of the equator. The curious hairy 

 dwarfs live scattered in small hordes amongst other tribes. He found a few 

 words in the native languages almost identical with words in the East African 

 languages. It was an interesting inquirj', what existed in the thousand miles of 

 imexplored coimtiy lying between the author's furthest point and the shores of tlie 

 Albert Nyanza ? We might conclude, however, that it was a country of con- 

 siderable elevation, and probably wooded, varied, and picturesque ; for Baker saw 

 towards the west a range of momitains, and the country fi-om the west coast 

 becomes gi-adually higher towards the east. Considering also the humidity of 

 the climate, and the small size of the rivers which find their way into the sea it 

 might be concluded that there was a great drainage of waters towards some 

 inland sea, or that there were other great lakes on the equator west of Albert 

 Nyanza. 



On Andorra. By Dr. CHAK^'0CK, 



On Ccesar's Account of Britain and its Inhabitants. By J. Crawfubd^F.R.S. 



On the Migration of Cultivated Plants with reference to Ethnology. 

 By John Crawfued, F.S.S. 



The earliest vegetable food of man, according to the author, must have been 

 wild fruits, seeds, and roots, the species necessarily varying with climate. Some 



