372 
Notes , 
[June, 
It is being now generally admitted that the “ origin of the 
fittest ” is no less important than the “ survival of the fittest.” 
According to Mr. D. Morris the mungus is the most efficient 
rat-catcher yet introduced into the West Indies. Unfortunately 
they do not confine their attention to rats. 
According to Dr. Miklucho Maclay some of the native tribes 
of New Guinea do not even know how to kindle a fire. 
Prof. A. E. Verril, in a paper reproduced by the “ Scientific 
American,” comments on the absence of vertebrate remains on 
the sea-bottom beneath the Gulf-stream. 
We regret to learn, from the “ Medical and Surgical Reporter ” 
and the “ New York Medical Journal ” that an “Anti-Vivisec- 
tion” Society is about to be formed in Philadelphia. Nobodies 
and charlatans will find this an excellent opportunity for gaining 
notoriety. Yet “ Science,” writing but a little earlier, says, 
“ American Science has nothing to fear from the future.” 
Mr. F. W. True, of the U. S. National Museum (“ Science ”), 
calls attention to the swinging of the human arms when walking 
as an inheritance from a semi-quadrupedal state. 
M. Ed. Perrier (“ Comptes Rendus ”) concludes, from the re- 
sults of deep-sea dredgings, that the abysmal fauna is in great 
part descended from that of the littoral regions, and has become 
acclimatised in the depths. The conditions of existence being 
there constant, this fauna exhibits little variation. 
According to the “Indian Forester” Australian acacias, if 
transplanted to the north of India, after many years gradually 
modify their time of flowering to suit the change of climate, and 
blossom in June instead of Qdtober. 
Mr. Jeffries describes, in “ Science,” a hermaphrodite bird, a 
green-tailed towhee (?), from Colorado. The sexual organs were 
male on the right side, and female on the left. The plumage 
was that of a female. 
According to Mr. J. Jamieson (Royal Society of Victoria) a 
diredt adtion of the sun’s rays, as such, upon badteria has not 
been definitely shown. 
M. J. Reiset (“ Comptes Rendus ”) shows that cow’s milk, as 
it issues from the teat, is not alkaline, but rather inclining to 
acidity. 
M. J. A. Fort (“ Comptes Rendus ”) has made an experimental 
study of the physiological adtion of coffee. He finds that its 
immediate effedt is to excite the central nervous system, and that 
it neither increases nor diminishes the proportion of azotised food 
which requires to be consumed. 
