GENERAL NOTES. I 73 



In our experiments, a current of less than one-fortieth of an 

 ampere was sufficient to produce decomposition, with a certain amount 

 of coagulation at each electrode. A stronger current would produce 

 complete coagulation, with the somewhat curious result that the 

 coagulum was strongly acid at the .'positive pole, and more feebly 

 alkaline at the negative pole. 



Aaron L. Treadwell. 

 Wesleyan University, 



Middletown, Conn., March 20. 



In a paper "On some aspects of Acclimatisation in New Zealand," 

 read before the Australasian Association at its Christchurch meeting 

 by Mr. G-. M. Thomson, the following remarkable case of hereditary 

 transmission of an apparently defective characteristic was described 

 as follows : — " In the district of Strath Taieri, in Otago, some years 

 ago, certain sheep on one of the runs — probably the progeny of a 

 single ram, were found to be evidently short-winded. Apparently the 

 action of the heart was defective, for when these sheep were driven, 

 they would run with the rest of the flock for a short distance and then 

 lie down panting. The result of this peculiar affection was that at 

 nearly every mustering these short-winded sheep used to be left 

 behind, being unable to be driven with the rest. Sometimes they 

 were brought on more slowly afterwards, but if it happened to be 

 shearing time they were simply caught and shorn where they lay. 

 As a result of this peculiar condition a form of artificial selection was 

 set up, the vigorous sheep being constantly drafted away for sale, &c, 

 while this defective strain increased with great rapidity throughout 

 the district, for whenever the mobs were mustered for the market, 

 shearing, or drafting, these 'cranky' sheep (as they came to be called) 

 were left behind. This defective character appeared in every succeed- 

 ing generation, and seemed to increase in force, reminding cne of the 

 Ancon sheep referred to by Darwin. At first, of course, the character 

 was not recognised as ' hereditary,' but as the members of this cranky 

 breed increased to a very serious extent and spread over the district, 

 it came at last to be recognised as a local variety. When the runs, 

 on which these sheep were abundant, were cut up and sold or re- 

 leased in smaller areas a few years ago, the purchasers found it 

 necessary for the protection of their own interests to exterminate the 

 variety, of which hundreds were found straggling over the country. 

 This was easily and effectually done in the following manner : — As 

 soon as a sheep was observed it was pursued, but after running for a 

 couple of hundred yards at a great rate of speed, it would drop down 

 panting behind a big stone or other shelter, and seemed incapable for 

 a time of rising and renewing its flight. It was immediately des- 

 troyed, and in this manner a useless — but to the naturalist a very 

 interesting variety, was eliminated." 



Auckland Institute. — From the annual report of this Society, 

 adopted on 16th February, we learn that the following gentlemen 

 have been elected officers for the present season : — President : Prof. 

 F. D. Brown, F.O.S. ; Vice-Presidents : Messrs. J. Stewart, C.E., and 



