A7i[7/ili;s A.yi) EXCHANGES 
213 
of an old seed germinating,” one of Nelumbium sown by Robert Brown after it 
had been certainly 150 years in a box in Sir Hans Sloane’s collection. Mr. 
Carruthers concludes : “ It would be no greater wonder to see the hardened and 
eviscerated mummy, under favourable treatment, rise up and walk, than to see 
the grains found in its cerements germinate.” In a recently issued part of the 
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, Professor A. J. Ewart tabulates an 
extensive series of experiments on a great number of species of .seeds several years 
old. The results vary, and it may be said in general that, whilst many seeds do 
not retain their germinating power even for a year, other species do so for several 
years; but very few for ten, and hardly any for twenty years. G. S. Boulger. 
NATURAL HISTORY QUERIES. 
156. Scented Fruit of Rose. — I gathered some large branches of wild 
rose covered with fine crimson berries, a few days ago, in a hedgerow near Reigate. 
These I put in water and kept in a very sunny room, when, to my surprise, I 
found they gave out a delightfully fresh scent, like sweet briar, which filled the 
room, even with both windows widely opened. At first I thought it must be 
sweet briar I had, which one sometimes finds growing as an escape in country 
lanes, but it could not have been, as the leaves had no scent on being bruised. 
( 'an anyone offer an explanation ? E. M. Nicholson. 
ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR NOVEMBER, 1908. 
Mercury will be visible as a morning star towards the middle of this month, 
rising on the 12th at 5.18 a.m., nearly two hours before the sun. Ax. greatest 
elongation west of the sun on the 13th, he should be seen to best advantage from 
that date until the 23rd. 
Venus is a brilliant morning star, rising on the 4th at 3.6 a.m. Near Mars on 
the 30th. 
Jupiter is in Leo, not far from Regulus, and souths between 6.30 and 7.30 a.m. 
during the month. In conjunction with the moon on the 17th at 9.42 a.m. 
(Jupiter 4 deg. 20 min. S.). Satellite III. will transit his disc on the 4th at 
1.52 p.m., the llth at 6.4 p.m., the i8th at 10.13 P-ni., and the 26th at 
2. 18 a.m. 
Saturn is in Pisces below the Square of Pegasus, and is now very favourably 
situated for telescopic and naked-eye observation. He is due south between 
8 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., and sets in the early morn. 
The Variable Star Argol in Perseus will be at minimum lustre on the 1st at 
5.34 p.m., l8th at 10.27 p.m., 21st at 7. 16 p.m., and 24th at 4.5 p.m. 
Meteors from the well-known radiant in the Sickle of Leo will be very active 
this month, being at a maximum on the nights of November 13, 14 and 15. Also 
from Andromeda from November 17 to 23. 
The New Comet discovered by Mr. Morehouse is now fairly conspicuous, 
being visible to the naked eye. Its brilliancy will increase until about the middle 
of the month, and it should be seen to advantage from the loth to the 20th, as our 
satellite will not interfere in the early part of the evening. On the 51b the comet 
will be slightly to the north of Zeta Aquilte, and on the 7th will pass between 
Zeta and Epsilon Aquiloe. 
Irene E. T. Warner. 
REVIEWS AND EXCHANGES. 
The Story oj the Sea and Seashore. By. W. Percival Westell. With eight 
coloured plates and 12S other illustrations. 8 in. x 5^ in. Pp. 343. 
Robert Gulley. Price 5s. net. 
Considering the rapid succession of Mr. Westell’s books for juvenile naturalists, 
their general standard of accuracy and excellence is, we think, remarkable. 
The author lives in an inland town, but he writes familiarly of sea cucumbers, 
barnacles, sandhoppers, and other common objects of the seashore, to say nothing 
of whales, fish, birds, and shore plants. Sir E. Pay Lankester’s “ first name ” is 
