May 14, 1885] 
opinion that this town is the rainiest place in Norway. This 
notion, however, like many other traditional beliefs, has been 
dissipated by the test of carefully-conducted scientific observa" 
tions, for we learn from Maturen that the annual mean of its 
rainfall is exceeded by that of two among the other seventy 
Norwegian meteorological stations. Thus while at Bergen 
1722 mm. are measured annually, the rainfall at Domsten and 
Floré amounts respectively to 1951 mm. and 1873mm. It has 
further been shown that 105 mm. rain were registered at Holme- 
dal on the Séndfjord, on the same day that the rainfall at Bergen 
reached 74 mm., the highest recorded since rain-measurements 
have been made there. There are in fact eighteen instances 
given by the meteorological reports in which the rainfall has 
elsewhere exceeded the latter measure. Among these the most 
remarkable have been supplied by Ullensvang and Flesje, at 
the former of which stations there fell in one day (December 8, 
1884) 113mm. rain, while at the latter 112 mm. were registered 
for the twenty-four hours on March 15, 1882. These downfalls, 
the highest recorded in Norway since the observations were 
begun in 1875, have been exceeded, according to Dr. Hamberg 
of Stockholm, at the Swedish station of Herndsand, where 
118°5 mm. rain fell on August 19, 1878. Facts such as these 
effectually refute the opinion, alike strenuously maintained by 
natives and foreigners, that more rain falls at Bergen both in 
the year and in the course of one day than at any other place in 
Scandinavia. Such, however, is the character of the annual 
distribution of rain in this locality, that the chances are about 
equally in favour of a wet or a dry day. 
IN reporting to the Empress of China the occurrence of a 
violent earthquake at the town of Pu-erh on November 14 last 
year, the Viceroy of Yunnan observes with humility that this 
awful visitation is to be regarded as a penalty of Heaven for his 
own inefficiency and incompetency and that of his staff. They will, 
the memorialist promises, endeavour to take the lesson to heart 
and earnestly amend their ways. Pu-erh will be remembered 
by readers of Mr. Colquhoun’s ‘‘ Across Chrysé” as an important 
town on the borders of the Shan States, with a large trade in 
tea. The earthquake here referred to is also worth notice as 
showing that seismic activity during the past winter was mani- 
fested over a vast area, and indeed seems to have affected the 
greater part of the Old World. At Pu-erh the shock lasted an 
hour, causing the collapse of a large number of houses, temples, 
and public buildings, while many lives were lost, and much injury 
was caused to the inhabitants. 
M. L&o ErRERA calls attention in the Bulletin Scientifique du 
Département du Nord to the value of Indian ink, on account of its 
harmlessness and its intense coloration, for the study of certain 
microscopic organisms. He has succeeded in keeping infusoria, 
&c., alive for several days in the liquid, the carbonic matter not 
appearing to affect them in the slightest degree. For making 
durable preparations ink diluted with water should be gradually 
replaced by that diluted with glycerine. Many organisms which 
are distinguished with difficulty in water, are easily observed in 
water charged with Indian ink ; this is especially the case with 
many 4d/ge. M. Errera thinks that this new method could 
probably be applied with advantage to the study of the digestion 
of the infusoria, and to the movements of ciliated organisms. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Green Monkey (Cercopithecus callitrichus ? ) 
from West Africa, presented by Mrs. Wall; a Rhesus Monkey 
(Macacus rhesus 8) from India, presented by Miss Margaret 
Ellis ; a Getulen Ground-Squirrel (Xerus getulus) from North- 
West Africa, presented by Mr. W. Cook; a Grey Ichneumon 
(Aerpestes griseus °) from India, presented by Mrs. Dundas ; 
two Martinican Doves (Zenaida martinicana) from Bahamas, 
presented by Mrs. Blake; two Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma 
NATURE a 
cornutum) from Texas, presented by Mr. J. G. Witte ; a Dorsal 
Squirrel (Sciurus hypopyrrhus) from Central America, an Indian 
Mynah (Acridotheres ginginianus), four White-backed Pigeons 
(Columba leuconota), a Black Hill-Squirrel (Sczurus macrurus) 
from India, two Chinese Jay-Thrushes (Garridax chinensis) 
from China, a Sun Bittern (Zuryfyga helias) from Brazil, two 
Greek Partridges (Caccadis saxatilis), South European, a Double- 
banded Sand-Grouse (Pverocles bicinctus) from Senegal, a Talapoin 
Monkey (Cercopithecus talapoin) from West Africa, a Negro 
Tamarin (AZidas ursulus), a Humboldt’s Lagothrix (Lagothrix 
humboldti 8), a Rosy-billed Duck (A@etopiana peposaca 3 ) from 
South America, a Viscacha (Lagostomus trichodactylus), a 
Scorpion Mud-Terrapin (Cinosternon scorpioid s) from Buenos 
Ayres, a Gadwell (Chaulelasmus strefera §), nine Spotted 
Salamanders (Sa/amandra maculosa), European, purchased ; a 
Crossoptilon (Crossoptilon mantchuricum 6) from Northern 
China, received in exchange; a Gayal (Bibos frontalis), two 
Long-fronted Gerbilles (Gerbil/us Jongifrons), born in the 
Gardens. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE HARVARD COLLEGE OBSERVATORY, U.S.—The thirty- 
ninth Annual Report of this Institution has been issued, and 
with it Prof. Pickering’s summary of observations of variable 
stars in 1884, made agreeably to the plan suggested by him in a 
communication to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 
(vol. xix. p. 296). Thirteen observers, private and professional, 
have co-operated in these observations, amongst them Mr. 
Knott, of Cuckfield, and Mr. T. W. Backhouse, of Sunderland. 
In the summary referred to, the positions of the stars for 1875, 
the limits of variation and the periods, as far as reliably deter- 
mined, are repeated from the circular of last year, and these 
particulars are followed by a statement of the number of obser- 
vations of each star, made by the various observers in the course 
of 1884, so that it is easy to see which objects most require 
attention. It is certain that in this branch of observational 
astronomy there is ample work for a much larger number of co- 
operators, which if may be hoped that Prof. Pickering will 
succeed in enlisting amongst our amateurs, and eventually it 
may be possible to particularise the objects which each one may 
undertake to watch effectively, so as to secure observations of 
the whole or the majority of the list in each year. 
With regard to the general proceedings of the Harvard Obser- 
vatory, it is stated that photometric observations of the eclipses 
of Jupiter’s satellites have been continued upon the system 
adopted in 1878, and 284 eclipses have now been thus observed, 
forty-seven since the end of October, 1883. The revision of the 
zone-observations of stars between 50! and 60’ north of the 
equator has been completed during the year. Selections of stars 
for standards of stellar magnitude have been made for regions 
extending four minutes (time) in right ascension, and ten minutes 
in declination, and additional photometric methods of measure- 
ment are under consideration for determining such magnitudes 
with satisfactory precision. Observations of comets, of the 
spectra and colours of stars, and a tentative revision of the 
magnitudes of the Durchmusteruns, have also formed a part of 
the year’s work. We do not learn from the report that any 
attempt has been made to repeat the valuable series of observa- 
tions on the rings of Saturn, made by the Bonds, &c., with 
the Harvard 15-inch refractor, when the planet was previously 
situated in the position it occupied in 1884; but the class of 
observations more especially attended to at present may have 
rendered this impracticable. Vol. xiv. parts 1 and 2 of the 
Annals have been published ; the latter part has been circulated 
very recently. 
TeMPEL’s CoMET (1867 II.).—Up to the 7th inst. it does not 
appear that the editor of the Astronomische Nachrichten had 
received any notice of the re-observation of this comet. Doubt- 
less, of the last degree of faintness, it could only have been 
commanded last month by instruments of the highest order. In 
the next period of absence of moonlight the theoretical bright- 
ness will have diminished. The comet will be due in perihelion 
again in the spring of 1892, a more favourable condition for the 
observation of this body than has existed in the present year. 
