628 Notes. [Odtober, 
1*21 1 grms.; in all, 260-646 grms. of salts. The specific 
gravity, at 15 0 C., is 1-1861. 
J. Brautlecht (“ Virchow’s Archiv. fur Path. Anatomie ”) has 
detected pathogenic Bacilli in the urine of patients suffering from 
typhus, in suspicious waters, and on the surface of putrescent 
Algae. He finds that, in contrast to non-pathogenic Badteriaceae, 
they possess no reducing power, and do not, e.g., convert nitrates 
into nitrites. They were capable of cultivation in water con- 
taining gelatine and ammonium phosphate. If injedted under 
the skin of rabbits they occasioned fatal fever, resembling typhus 
with abdominal complications. 
According to the “ Berichte der Deutsch. Chem. Gesellschaft,” 
alantoine occurs in the vegetable organism. 
Herr Probst (“ Jahreshefte Verein, Naturkunde Wiirtemberg ”) 
seeks to account for the chief phases of geological climate with- 
out the aid of cosmic changes. He explains the uniformly high 
temperature of the Silurian, Devonian, and Carboniferous epochs 
by a predominance of sea, and by the assumption of constant 
cloudiness in high latitudes, with bright skies in the tropical 
regions. A denser atmosphere and a somewhat greater internal 
heat of the earth would be sufficient to account for the occurrence 
of reef-forming corals in Grinnel Land. The gradual increase of 
land accounts for the decreasing uniformity of climate, whilst the 
Glacial epoch is ascribed to the upheaval of lofty mountains in 
continuous masses at the end of the Tertiary period. The adtion 
of erosion gradually reduced the level of the mountains, and 
opened valleys in their compadt masses, thus leading to the 
return of a milder climate. 
H. H. Haworth (“ Geological Magazine ”) contends that the 
mammoth “ was extinguished by a sudden catastrophe involving 
a great diluvial movement over all Northern Asia, accompanied 
by an equally sudden and violent change of climate.” A speci- 
men of Rhinoceros tichorhinus has been obtained in such good 
preservation that the death of the animal can be plainly traced 
to asphyxia. 
Numerically and financially speaking the late “Jubilee 
meeting ” of the British Association at York has been most suc- 
cessful. The proceedings at the “ Economical Sedtion ” would, 
however, have been much more suitable for a Chamber of Com- 
merce. Unless the Committee see their way to the abolition of 
this Sedtion, we fear the Association will gradually degenerate 
into a Political Discussion Society. For debates on “ free trade” 
and “ fair trade ” there is ample scope elsewhere. 
According to Prof. Winchell (“Popular Science Monthly”) the 
copper miners of Lake Superior were the Red Indians, and no 
some distindt and antecedent race. 
