410 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. V., No. 119. 



on the brachiopods of the British islands. 

 During that period, Mr. Davidson has not 

 only prepared the text of his monograph, and 

 numerous collateral and frequently very im- 

 portant papers on the general subject, but has 

 drawn with his own hand more than two thou- 

 sand admirable and artistic plates by which 

 that text has been illustrated and adorned. 

 Seldom has fortune equipped more completely 

 a student for his life-work than in the present 

 case, when more than ordinary artistic talent, 

 a liberal education, independent means, were 

 joined to unsurpassed devotion in the pursuit 

 of knowledge, and impartiality in the recogni- 

 tion of the labors of others in the same field. 



The steady stream of information induced 

 by the publication of successive parts of the 

 monograph has necessitated supplement after 

 supplement. The present and concluding part 

 not only contains such material, but a catalogue 

 of, and index to, the British genera and species, 

 bibliographical and stratigraphical, and, more 

 important than either for the general biologist, 

 a summary of progress in our knowledge of 

 the class up to the present time. This includes 

 notices, under separate heads, of the test, the 

 embryolog}', the affinities, the adult anatomy, 

 habitat, and ranges in depth, of recent species, 

 characters of the fossil genera, and classification 

 discussed by families. Full space is allotted 

 to the advocates of contending theories : Ko- 

 valevski's valuable paper on the embryology 

 is given in full abstract, with excellent figures ; 

 various suggested pedigrees are quoted ; the 

 brilliant rise, and slow but continuous deca- 

 dence, of the ' worm theory,' is related, with 

 generous recognition of the sagacit}' of Morse 

 in the detection of affinities to which the then 

 imperfect knowledge of the molluscan pedigree, 

 and his remarkable researches into the early 

 stages of Terebratulina and Lingula, lent a 

 plausible, but, as it has since proved, a one- 

 sided interpretation. The general conclusion 

 is reached, that, however great the probability 

 of continuous descent, with modification, as an 

 explanation of the various forms of brachiopods 

 now or previously existing, the paleontological 

 record presents man} r facts inexplicable by, or 

 even opposed to, this theory ; while of natural 

 selection there seems to be absolutely no visible 

 trace. The number of British forms which, 

 at the commencement of the work, numbered 

 13 genera, and 454 parti}' invalid species, has 

 now expanded to 74 genera, and 976 species 

 and varieties, to which even now accessions 

 continue to be made. 



In taking leave of his task, so worthily per- 

 formed and to be continued by younger hands, 



the author, in spite of certain infirmities, does 

 not relinquish his studies, but is now engaged 

 on a monograph of the recent species, which it 

 is to be hoped he may be spared to complete 

 to his own satisfaction and the undoubted 

 benefit of science. W. H. Dall. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



— The prize of 500 francs, founded by Augustin- 

 Pyramus de Candolle, has been awarded to Professor 

 Planchon, professor of botany at Montpellier, for his 

 memoir on the Ampelidees. 



— A geographical society has been established at 

 Rio de Janeiro, under the presidency of Viscount de 

 Paranagua, with Baron Teffe and Sefior Henriques, 

 vice-presidents; Carlos Montero and Pereira Coruja, 

 secretaries. 



— According to the Oesterreichische monatsschrift' 

 fur den orient, the preference shown in England and 

 her colonies for Indian teas is causing considerable 

 anxiety among the native and European tea-establish- 

 ments of China. Calcutta alone sent to England, in 

 the past year, 62,773,187 pounds, against 58,830,478 in 

 1883, and 51,579,740 in 1882; while the Australian 

 and New Zealand markets received, in 1884, 1,029,- 

 463 pounds, against 696,479 in 1883. To be sure, this 

 figure shows a great falling-off from 1882 ; yet at 

 present a preference is manifested in Australia for 

 Indian teas, which, like those of Ceylon, whose pro- 

 duction probably has a similar future, far surpass in 

 quality the average teas of China. Also the success 

 of Natal, in the production of tea, warrants the 

 assumption that South Africa will soon enter the 

 market. The total export of Foochow, the greatest 

 tea-depot of China, amounted, in the last season, to 

 77,631,997 pounds, against 81,100,875 for the same 

 time last year. In Hankow, Canton, Shanghai, and 

 Macao the same proportion is seen. The falling-off in 

 the export of all China against the past year amounts 

 to about ten million pounds, and may be ascribed to 

 the reduction in quality of the Chinese teas. How 

 far this decrease may have been due to the French 

 operations cannot be told. 



— Another party for the scientific exploration of 

 Greenland is being organized by the authorities at 

 Copenhagen. It will be commanded by the naval 

 lieutenant, J. A. D. Jensen, assisted by Lieut. C. H. 

 Ryden. 



— In a recent visit to Russian Lapland, Rabot vis- 

 ited the valleys of Pasvig and Talom and Lake Enara. 

 The entire country is an immense forest, dotted with 

 lakes and pools, and cut by rapid streams. The lat- 

 ter, though very difficult of navigation, form the sole 

 roads of the country. The Pasvig, for instance, in 

 its course, forms more than thirty cascades and rap- 

 ids. Lake Enara, from which it flows, is an interior 

 sea, dotted with thousands of islets covered with 

 magnificent pines. The climate is very rigorous; the 

 short summer is, however, quite hot, but in August 

 frosts are not unknown. The country around Lake 



