528 Miscellaneous — A New Geological Maj) of Scotland. 

 nynisczELLJLisriBOTJS- 



The Divining Rod Again. 

 Every now and again public attention is drawn to remarkable 

 discoveries of water, obtained professedly through the medium of 

 the Divining Rod. We have on former occasions referred to the 

 use of this rod in the search for minerals as well as water, and 

 attention was lately drawn to the subject in " Natural Science " for 

 June, p. 253. More recently there was an announcement in the 

 " Morning Post," of an astonishing discovery of water at Fishborne 

 and Wootton, in the Isle of Wight, "by the successful use of the 

 Divining Rod." Referring to this matter in the "'Isle of Wight 

 County Press " for September 24th, Mr. G. W. Colenutt remarks 

 that previous attempts liad been made to get water by sinking wells 

 in the impervious clays of the Osborne Beds ; the ' Diviner ' went to 

 the top of the hill where there is a capping of plateau gravel some 

 twenty feet in thickness. This gravel forms a first-rate reservoir 

 for the surface soakage, which is partly upheld by the Osborne and 

 Bembridge clays, and partly thrown off" in the form of springs. The 

 'Diviner' advised digging in the land of springs and — water was 

 found ! Mr. Colenutt observes that the usual dramatic incidents 

 took place; but Geology cannot offer any explanation of the grand 

 finale of the workmen " rushing out of the well in order to avoid 

 the water." 



A New Geological Map of Scotland, by Sir Archibald Geikie, 

 D.Sc, LL.D., F.R.S., etc., has just been published by John 

 Bartholomew & Co. The scale is ten miles to an inch, and the 

 topography is based on the latest Ordnance Survey. The geology, 

 embodying the latest work on the Geological Survey, summarizes 

 our knowledge up to date; so that the map, together with the 

 concise Descriptive Memoir that accompanies it, furnish us with an 

 excellent index to Scottish geology. The colours are very clear, 

 and they show many divisions in the old Highland Schists (termed 

 Dalradian), as well as the Lewisian Gneiss, Serpentine, etc. 

 Cambrian, Silurian, and succeeding formations are duly repre- 

 sented, as well as many varieties of Igneous rocks. A number of 

 longitudinal sections illustrate the structure of the country. It 

 should also be mentioned that parts of the N.E. of Ireland, and the 

 adjoining tracts of Cum])erland and Northumberland are likewise 

 coloured geologically. The price of the map, folded in cloth case 

 is only 6s. 



Exploration in British East Africa. — Mr. John Walter 

 Gregory, B.Sc, F.G.S., one of the Assistants in the Geological Depart- 

 ment of the British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, has 

 obtained permission to accompany, as Naturalist, the expedition led by 

 Lieutenant C. H. Villiers (Eoyal Horse Guards) to Lake Rudolph, East 

 Africa. The route taken will be from Kismahu, at the mouth of the 

 Juba River, to Barderah, thence to Lake Rudolph, the shores of which 

 will be explored, and the party will return across Somali-land to Berbera, 

 opposite Aden. The country is new, and valuable results are sure to 

 reward so able a Naturalist as Mr. Gregory. 



