1 t€ Scientific TnteUigence. 



kopi in place of Moenkapi or Rtoencopie. The pronunciation of 

 uncommon Indian names mighl profitably have been added. 



W. T. LEE. 



2. On Cyclical Variations in Eruption at Kilauea; by H. 0. 

 Wood. Pp. 59, 10 pi. and 2 charts. Second Report, Hawaiian 

 Volcano Observatory of 1 he Mass. Institute of Technology, 

 1917. — The molten surfaces nearly always visible in Halemau- 

 inau at Kilauea, on Hawaii, rise and fall through a considerable 

 vertical range, standing high near times of solstices and low near 

 equinoxes. Also, from fortnight to fortnight a similar movement 

 of smaller range is noticed frequently, and a movement, probably 

 of greater vertical range, appears to go on over an interval of 

 several years. 



To explain such cyclical behavior a crude hypothesis is 

 offered; a refined development of it would be very difficult. An 

 effect of the varying declination of the sun is a nutation of the 

 earth's axis produced by fields of gravitational attraction acting 

 obliquely to the earth's equatorial protuberance, and its rotation. 

 This action conflicts with the earth's gyrostatic tendency. Hence, 

 very minute earth-strain, or earth-distortion, is considered to 

 accompany it. This effect ranges from a maximum at solstice 

 and after (lag) to nothing at equinox. A similar effect, but with 

 period of only a fortnight, is produced by changing declination of 

 the moon. Further, a minute change in the configuration of the 

 earth is believed to accompany variation of latitude. 



These minute changes in earth configuration are considered to 

 produce minute changes in the shape and volume of the deep 

 magma reservoir, which are integrated into visible, or pro- 

 nounced, changes in the relatively very small passages which lead 

 up into the crater-pit where the free surfaces rise and fall. 

 These tendencies sometimes reinforce and sometimes oppose each 

 other, and many other complications enter. This hypothesis is 

 developed in considerable detail and an almanac is computed 

 from which a hypothetical strain-curve is drawn, for the inter- 

 val 1911-1915. 



All observations bearing on the volcanic variations are pre- 

 sented in three categories: very sparse early records, 1823-1865, 

 listed chronologically; more frequent sporadic records, 1865- 

 1911, shown from month to month, year by year, on large charts ; 

 and routine observations and measurements, 1911-1915, shown 

 d i a grammatically. 



The reader is asked to compax-e the assembled observations crit- 

 ically. Nevertheless, the hypothesis is considered to shed much 

 light on a confusing aggregate of circumstances, and it appears to 

 find strong support in the development of the study. 



3. The Geology of Part of the Transkei; by A. L. du Toit. 

 Introduction by A. W. Rogers. Geol. Survey Union of South 

 Africa, Dept. Mines and Industries, Cape Sheet 27, 1917. Pp. 

 32 ; 1 fig. ; large, separate map. — A geological map with descrip- 



