1884/ 
Notes. 
373 
probably also vaccination, were practised in India in very ancient 
times. 
Prof. Virchow, in a speech delivered at the recent Edinburgh 
Tercentenary, remarked that his opinions on Evolution have been 
much misunderstood. “ I never was hostile to Darwin, — never 
have said that Darwinism was a scientific impossibility.” 
A species of rice has been discovered in Mantchuria which 
can be cultivated without irrigation, and consequently without 
risk to the health of the district. Whether it is equally pro- 
ductive with the common species remains an open question. 
Mr. W. M. Flinders Petrie finds proofs that the ancient 
Egyptians cut their hard building-materials, such as diorite, 
granite, basalt, &c., by means of instruments pointed or edged 
with diamonds or sapphires. 
Mr. Mallard Reade, writing in the “ Geological Magazine,” 
calls attention to the faCt that South Georgia, though 1200 miles 
from the nearest continent, and therefore entitled to be called an 
“ oceanic” island, is composed of clay-slate. This faCt, he con- 
siders, “ strikes a vital [? deadly] blow” at the hypothesis of the 
permanency of oceans and continents. The mountains are from 
2000 to 3000 metres high, and no land-mammals were found on 
the island. 
“ Ciel et Terre,” on the authority of Caillie, raises the question 
whether swallows, of the same species as those which visit 
Europe, do not remain in Africa during the breeding-season. 
Some years ago we called attention to the sanitary legislation 
of the Pentateuch, as being in many points in advance of our 
modern practice. We now learn that, according to the law of 
Buddha, should a man or woman unwittingly marry into a family 
afflicted with hereditary disease, such as leprosy, cancer, syphilis, 
madness, &c., he or she may sue out a divorce. According to 
the “ Medical Press ” Buddhists are taught to believe that not 
only will the children of diseased parents inherit a transmissible 
disease, but that the husband or wife will contract the same by 
association. 
The “ American Naturalist” lays down ten commandments 
for scientific men. We quote one of them : — “ Thou shalt not 
fall into the snare of the devil, and believe thou wilt wax great 
by the making of long names to torment thy people.” 
We hear rumours that Prof. Flower finds himself interfered 
with in his management of the Natural History portion of the 
British Museum, by intrigues emanating from a well-known 
quarter. 
It is a curious faCt that whilst Helota Africana is found in 
