


1891.] Scientific News. 773 

SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 
A living illustration of the truth of the evolution theory has been 
dredged in 392 fathoms off one of the Galapagos Islands, in the shape 
of a stalked crinoid, or sea lily, in which are united the characteristics - 
of three distinct fossil genera of the same group of organisms,— 
Apiocrinus of the Bradford clay deposits, Hyocrinus, and Rhizocrinus 
This interesting survival of a very old and complex type will shortly 
be described by Mr. Alexander Agassiz. 
Dr. Schliemann, like Robertson ‘‘ the naturalist of Cumbrae,’’— 
whose life, by the Rev. T. R. R. Stebbing, has just been issued by Messrs. 
Kegan Paul & Co.,—is another striking illustration of the class of men 
who become distinguished in science in spite of adverse circumstances 
in early life and subsequent pressure of business avocations. Mr. 
Robertson in his youth was a farm laborer, but found opportunities, 
nevertheless, to cultivate his mind as well as the soil. He 
through a Glasgow medical course, but selected a business career, and 
retired on a competency thirty years ago. Then he found leisure at 
last to gratify his tastes for natural history, settled on the island of 
Cumbrae, and worked at various branches of marine zoology, observing 
and recording natural phenomena. He is acquainted with many 
distinguished naturalists, and enjoys an honorable and honored old age. 
The ninth annual report of the Geological Survey of the United 
States, for the years 1887—’88, recently issued, is of unus 
general interest, as it contains full accounts of the great earthquakes 
in Charleston and its vicinity, from persons who witnessed the 
shocks,—that of Mr. Carl McKinley, editor of the Charleston News 
and Courier, being a most vivid and realistic description,—and from 
numerous well-equipped scientific observers. The city of Charleston, 
with the exception of Boston, was the oldest and most English-looking 
of any in the United States. It is interesting to note, from the report 
of Dr. C. E. Manigault, that the houses built prior to the revolutionary 
era on the English system of bricklaying, in which shell lime was used, 
sustained the successive shocks with the least injury. After 1838 in- 
ferior lime and methods of building were adopted, and these erections 
suffered severely. Not half a dozen houses escaped altogether. 
Nearly twenty buildings were burnt, and all of these were on fire at 
once on the first eventful night. The actual number of killed was 
