406 
THE MEDITERRANEAN NATURALIST 
Very severe strictures have from time 
to time been passed by eminent scientists, 
who have visited these islands, upon the 
unscientific arrangment and the neglected 
condition of the natural history collections 
in the Museum of the Malta University. 
Dr. Murray, Dr. Gregory, Prof. G. Henslow 
and Mr. G. Armitage have each in turn re- 
ferred to the lamentable state in which the 
fossils, the zoological specimens, and the 
plants are kept, and have urged the desira- 
bility of the curator giving more care and 
attention to these valuable relics of Mal- 
tese natural history. Unfortunately, how- 
ever, but little seems to have been done to 
carry out their suggestions, and at the pre- 
sent time the collections are in a condition 
such that reflects but little credit upon the 
professor in whose charge they have been 
placed. 
T or purposes of comparison the greater 
part of the collections have been rendered 
worthless owing to the promiscuous mixing 
of foreign specimens with local forms; 
while of the remainder a no small propor- 
tion are irrecognizable and therefore value- 
less on account of their neglected condition 
and the ill-usage to which many of them 
have been subjected. 
It is much to be regretted that these col- 
lections, upon which such able scientists as 
Zerafa, Delicata, I)e Gregorio, and Gulia 
spent so much time and labour, and which 
comprise specimens such as any institution 
in Eur ope might be proud to possess, should 
be so little appreciated and so little cared 
for. 
I he current issue of Natural Science 
contains several pointed remarks on this 
subject, which were suggested by a recent 
visit paid to Malta by an official of the 
British Museum. 
After alluding to the neglected state of 
the collections the editor very significantly 
remarks “ Fortunately , nearly all the known 
Maltese fossils of Importance are preserved 
in the British Museum.” 
The curious fact that a very weak flavour 
in food or drink may intensify an altogether 
different predominating taste has been in- 
vestigated by Prof. Zuntz, whose results 
have been given to the Berlin Physiological 
Society. Both salt and quinine were added 
in turn to sugared water, in proportions too 
small to impart a saline or a bitter taste, 
and in each case the water was made de- 
cidedly sweeter. The explanation is that 
the sensibilify to taste is increased by the 
slight stimulation of additional nerves. 
What is probably the oldest prescription 
in existence was translated, with other me- 
dical papyri, in the course of a recent 
lecture by Prof. A. Macalisher, F.R.S It 
was for a wash for promoting the growth 
of the hair of the mother of King Chata, 
second king of the first dynasty, who 
reigned about 4000 B.G. This is the tran- 
slation: “Pad of a dog’s foot, 1: fruit of 
date palm, 1; ass’ hoof, 1. Boil together in 
oil in sauce-pan Directions for use. Rub 
thoroughly in.” 
il> sulphuric acid thermometer has been 
patented in Germany. The mercury in the 
ordinary thermometer, as is well known, 
freezes at about 40° below zero, rendering 
