61

argues that the phenomena of the drift can only be explained by reverting in a large measure to the diluvial theories of Sedgwick and Murchison, Von Buch and others, and that the purely

mount was at Stonyhurst, where it was only 2 per cent. The outh-west of England enjoyed the brightest weather, as there he sunshine amounted to 33 per cent. of the possible amount. THE current number of the Annalen der Hydrographie contains geological evidence is completely at one with that collected in the

1 short note of a hurricane at Marseilles on October 1, which is aid to have been more severe than any experienced during the last thirty years. From 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. the wind, rain, hail and lightning were incessant, all the lower parts of the town being under water, while several houses and bridges in the neighbourhood were destroyed. The weather charts for the day show that the storm was caused by a small whirl which occurred on the south-eastern side of a large depression, whose centre lay in the south of Scotland. While the centre of the depression scarcely altered its position, the whirl increased in extent, but diminished in intensity, and on October 3 it had crossed Northern Italy and lay over Hungary.

MR. CHARLES CARPMAEL, director of the meteorological service of the Dominion of Canada, urges in his latest report the need for more thorough inspection of the various stations under his control. He points out that the stations in Great

author's previous work on "The Mammoth and the Flood," and
establishes that a great diluvial catastrophe forms in the temperate
zones the dividing line between the mammoth age and our own.
THE Libraries Committee of the Glasgow Town Council, in
the eleventh general report on the Mitchell Library, Glasgow,
make a suggestion which deserves to be kept in mind. It is to
the effect that an admirable way of perpetuating the memory of
a relative or friend would be to present a public library with a
separate collection of books, to be kept together and called by
such name as may seem proper to the donors. "Such a me-
morial collection," say the Committee, "would, with propriety,
be composed of books devoted to any department of literature or
learning in which the person to be commemorated was interested
or which the donors desired to see more fully represented."
A VALUABLE paper on the present state of Morocco
is contributed to the current number of the Revue Scientifique,

Britain and Ireland, connected with the Meteorological Office, by M. A. Le Châtelier. He brings out very strik

London, are constantly inspected, and that in every country = where meteorology is worked out on a large scale inspection is admitted as the only system whereby trustworthy and satisfactory results can be obtained. He recommends therefore that a sufficient appropriation should be placed at his disposal to enable him to have the meteorological stations in the Dominion inspected and the observers thereof thoroughly instructed in the duties required of them. If this is not done the data furnished to the Central Office cannot, he says, be accurate.

Two numbers have now been issued of the new series of the =quarterly cryptogamic journal, Grevillea, under the editorship of Mr. G. Massee. It is conducted very much on the old lines, and contains many articles of interest to cryptogamists. It is -strange that one peculiarity of the journal should still be retained

which detracts very much from its usefulness as a work of reference, the absence of any table of contents or index to each separate number.

THE Cambridge University Press has issued the Sedgwick prize essay for 1886, by the late Thomas Roberts, on the Jurassic rocks of the neighbourhood of Cambridge. The essay has been edited by Mr. Henry Woods, Scholar of St. John's College, and Lecturer on Paleontology in the Woodwardian Museum. In an interesting preface, Prof. T. McKenny Hughes explains the nature of the problem which the author endeavoured to solve, and expresses his belief that the work is indispensable for the student of Cambridge geology, and most valuable for all specialists in the Jurassic rocks.

SIR HENRY H. HOWORTH has completed and will shortly publish a considerable work on which he has been long engaged entitled, "The Glacial Nightmare and the Flood."

It begins with an account of the various theories which have been forthcoming to explain the drift phenomena, in which the very large literature on the subject has been for the first time condensed and tabulated. It then proceeds to criticize the extreme glacial views which have recently prevailed among geologists, and to call in question the theory of uniformity as developed by the followers of Lyell and Ramsay, and especially to attack the notion that ice is capable of distributing materials over hundreds of miles of level country, and of producing many of the effects attributed to it by the glacial school of geologists. The author argues that the evidence points to the former existence of much larger glaciers than exist now, but not to an ice period when the temperate regions were covered with ice. On the contrary, these great glaciers existed side by side of fertile plains. Lastly he

ingly the mixed character of the population of Morocco.
First he notes the fair-haired, blue-eyed type, which is
represented in the sculptures of some tombs of the twelfth
Egyptian dynasty. Then come the various Berber types,
the Arabs, several elements (including the Draoua) which
have come down from remote antiquity, Spanish Moors and
Jews, and the descendants of Christian captives. M. Le

Châtelier thinks we must also take into account descendants of
Phenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, and Vandals.

Mr. C. H. EIGENMANN has contributed to the Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum (vol. xv.) a paper in which he presents a valuable account of the observations made by him on the fishes of San Diego and vicinity from December 11, 1888, to March 4, 1890. Especial attention was paid to the spawning babits and seasons, the embryology, and migration of the fishes of Southern California.

A diary was kept of the occurrence of each species throughout the year 1889 and part of 1890. Mr. Eigenmann's knowledge of the occurrence of each species is largely based on observations of the fish brought into the mar kets, which he visited twice or thrice daily, and of those caught with hook and line by the numerous habitual fishermen found on each of the wharves, and of those caught by the seiners, whom he accompanied on several occasions. During the early part of 1888 each individual fisherman sold his catch as best he could and the data for this part of the year are not as full as for the latter part of 1888, when practically the whole catch was brought to two markets, where Mr. Eigenmann could see the fish as they were unloaded. The knowledge of the ocean fishes is largely brought to the markets, and from a two-weeks' stay on the derived from frequent visits to ocean tide-pools, from the fish

Cortes Banks.

As a matter of course, hundreds of specimens of most species have been observed to every one preserved, and the economic history of the fishes, rather than to the anatomy of present paper is to be looked upon as a contribution to the species discovered, and otherwise interesting specimens, have the various species. With two exceptions, the types of the new been deposited in the U.S. National Museum. A nearly complete series of types has been placed in the British Museum, and minor series in the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the California Academy of Sciences.

THE Committee of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria have hit upon an excellent plan for interesting the more active members in definite lines of investigation. They have arranged that special meetings shall be held once a month for the carrying on of practical work which cannot conveniently be undertaken

at the ordinary monthly meetings. The first of these special meetings assembled on August 22 in the Royal Society's Hall, Melbourne. We learn from the Club's journal that there was a good attendance of members, those interested in microscopic work being principally represented. No fewer than twenty-four microscopes were set up. Mr. J. Shephard undertook to give a slight sketch of some interesting forms amongst the rotifera. A typical form was first described, the chief points in its structure being made clear by good diagrams, and then variations in the

covered, each of which was in a fairly perfect state of presen tion. One of these Mr. A. S. Woodward has determined. belonging to the left side of the mandible of a species of C2 | equalling a wolf in size. Associated with these remains w found several vertebræ and fragments of limb-bones of hipp and vertebræ and portions of horns of stags; but none of the presented any evidences of having been gnawed.

THERE is some difference of opinion as to whether the proce various orders from this type were briefly referred to special Rosenberg recently made some experiments on a small dog w of digestion is promoted or hindered by bodily exertion. Er allusion being made to the modifications in the ciliary wreath reference to this point (Pflüger's Archiv.). The animal was fe and the foot. Mr. Shephard had fortunately met with a large number of the Australian member of the rhizotic group (Lacinurice, and the amount of nitrogen and fat daily absorbed was de once daily with a certain quantity of lean horseflesh, lard, laria pedunculata), and at the conclusion of his remarks a slide termined by an examination of the excreta. There were Sp of mounted individuals was handed to each member for careful series of experiments, each consisting of a rest period of sever examination under the microscope. Half an hour was profitably days, followed by a working period of several days spent in the endeavour to make out all the points of detail the dog being made to work in a kind of treadmill. in the specimens, during which time Mr. Shephard also supplied some cases these efforts were made during stomachic dige full information as to the best methods of mounting and examin. tion, in others during intestinal. In both series of experimen ing these interesting organisms. Some four or five entomologists the differences observed lay within the limits of physiologia had a quiet corner to themselves, where they compared speci- variations, the inference being, accordingly, that in a healthy d mens and talked over some plans for future operations. the utilization of food is quite independent of whether the animal rests during digestion or is energetically at work Whether this applies to man could only be determined direct experiment. Herr Rosenberg thinks it probable, how. ever, as observations on people with heart disease appear show that the absorption of food is to a certain extent indepe dent of the circulation and distribution of the blood.

AT the ordinary monthly meeting of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, on September 12, the feather boots of a native rain-maker from M'Donnell Ranges were exhibited. It is believed among the natives of certain tribes in Central Australia that droughts are caused by the swallowing up of all moisture by a rain-devil. If this personage can be captured and made to disgorge, rain follows at once. The feather boots are worn by the native rain-maker in order that he may steal noiselessly and unawares on the author of the drought and consequent misery. Mr. A. W. Howitt is having drawings made of these boots, which he considers to be one of the most valuable and interesting additions to aboriginal ethnology yet brought to light.

AN interesting paper on the anthropology of Spain, contributed to the "Anales" of the "Soc. española de Historia Natural" by Luis de Hoyos Sáinz and Telesforo de Aranzadi, has now been published separately at Madrid. The paper is accompanied by three excellent maps, in which, by means of various degrees of shading, the authors bring together a number of most interesting conclusions. One of these maps shows the cranial types which prevail in different parts of Spain.

IN the November number of the Mediterranean Naturalist, Mr. John H. Cooke gives an interesting account of his recent discovery of Ursus arctos in the Malta Pleistocene. The late Admiral Spratt and the late Prof. Leith Adams found among the cavern deposits of the Maltese Islands a remarkable land fauna, including elephants, hippopotami, land tortoises, gigantic dormice, and aquatic birds. From the fact that many of the remains of elephants presented the appearance of having been fiercely gnawed, it was concluded that carnivore had lived in the district; but, notwithstanding the most diligent search extending over a period of twenty years, the only tangible evidences in support of the inference were these gnawed bones. Mr. Cooke has now solved the problem. His discovery was made in the spring of the present year, when, with the aid of a money grant from the Royal Society, he carried out some excavations in the Har Dalam cavern, a subterraneous gallery situated in a gorge of the same name in the eastern extremity of After having excavated six large trenches and obtained some hundreds of bones of Hippotamus pentlandi, Elephas mnadraensis, Cervus barbaricus, and numerous other animals, he had the satisfaction of discovering an entire ramus of the lower jaw of a bear, Ursus arctos with its canine and molars in situ, as well as five other canines belonging to other individuals of the same species. Afterwards four other canines were dis

Malta.

THE characteristic mantle of ascidians, consisting of a ground mass with cellulose and embedded cells, has been much studied, especially with regard to the origin of the cells. T2: most favoured view is that it is produced by the ectoderm, thr it is a thickening of the outer epithelium. Recent researches by Kowalevsky, however (described to the St. Petersburg Academy) give reason for believing that the mantle-cells are from the mesoderm. Studying the metamorphosis of Phallata mamillata, he observed certain mesoderm-cells applying them selves to the ectodermal epithelium, penetrating it and entering the mantle, which (secreted from the ectoderm) was before quite transparent. These cells also move freely about in the mantle, and this amoeboid movement is further in favour of their mesodermal nature. A similar process occurs in verte brates, viz., the passage of lymph-cells (leucocytes) through epithelium to the surface of a mucous membrane, or the surface of the body (in fishes); the mucous layer is comparable to the ground mass of the mantle. But in vertebrates the cells length disappear; whereas in ascidians they persist. their share in the growth of the mantle, they have an important In compound ascidians certain indfunction as phagocytes. viduals are every now and again perishing, and these dying parts are known to be absorbed by the mantle-cells. Also, i coming foreign bodies, such as bacteria, the cells attack and seek to destroy. Numerous bacteria are always present in the Moreover, experiments were made by introducing bacteria through fine glass tubes inserted in the mantle; the mesoderm-cells collected round these tubes, entere them, and fought with the bacteria. Kowalevsky attaches great importance to this function, and supposes the above-metioned passage of wandering cells to the surface of epithelia to be explained as a means of protection against the intrusion agents of disease.

mantle of tunicata.

Besides

MR. L. STEJNEGER gives in the fifteenth volume of the Pro ceedings of the U.S. National Museum an interesting preliminary description of a new genus and species of blind cave salamander from North America. The discovery of a blind cave salaman der in America is regarded by Mr. Stejneger as "one of the

$2

NOVEMBER 17, 1892]

NATURE

most important and interesting herpetological events of recent years." The discovery is primarily due to Mr. F. A. Sampson, who, in July last year, found the adult animal as well as a larva in the Rock House Cave, Missouri, and forwarded both to the U.S. National Museum. Mr. George E. Harris afterwards went to great trouble in order to procure additional specimens. Unfortunately, he has only succeeded so far in obtaining larvæ, but Mr. Stejneger hopes to be able to secure more adults. A more detailed anatomical description of this interesting animal is postponed until then, as he has not felt justified in mutilating the type specimen beyond what was necessary in order to ascer btain the character of the vertebræ. The present preliminary description is, therefore, only prepared in order to call attention to the discovery and to supply the diagnosis by which the animal may be identified.

DR. MORRIS GIBBS contributes to Science an interesting paper on the food of humming-birds. He has carefully dissected many humming-birds, both old and young, but has never found anyIt may be thing to convince him that the birds live on insects. that at times when flowers are scarce some species of insects are captured, but Dr. Gibbs is satisfied that in season, when flowers are abundant, the ruby-throat of Michigan lives on honey.

IN a recent investigation of the action of accumulators, Herren Neumann and Streintz have shown (Wied. Ann.) that lead has the power of absorbing hydrogen. In one case the metal was used as an electrode, and charged with electrolytic hydrogen; in another it was melted, and a current of hydrogen passed through it. Care must be taken that the charged metal is not in contact with air, as the oxygen of the latter then unites with the hydrogen; and this, the authors think, is why previous observers have not been able to prove an occlusion of hydrogen by the lead plates of accumulators. The authors examined other metals, and they give the following numbers for the gas absorbed per unit volume of metal:-Lead, o'15; palladium, 502 35; spongy platinum, 29'95; platinum black, 49'30; gold, 46°32; silver, o'00; copper, 481; aluminium, 2'72; iron, 19'17; = nickel, 1685; cobalt, 153.00. When the same pieces of metal were repeatedly used, the occluding power generally fell off; in the case of the noble metals this is thought to be due to increased density; but why the occluding power of iron and cobalt should be reduced to one-half or more was not explained. With regard to the Nickel and copper retained their power. high power of cobalt, the authors tried that metal in a volta meter, but curiously it showed no hydrogen polarization when the charging circuit was opened.

MESSRS. WILLIAMS AND NORGATE'S Natural Science Cata. logue (No. 9) includes classified lists of books and periodicals on mathematics, astronomy, meteorology, physics, electricity, chemistry, microscopy, optics, mechanics, engineering, technology, &c., in French, German, and other foreign languages. THE opening meeting of the one hundred and thirty-ninth session of the Society of Arts was held yesterday (Wednesday) The following arrangements have been made for evening. the ordinary meetings :-November 23, "The Disposal of "The the Dead," by F. Seymour Haden; November 30, Copper Resources of the United States," by James Douglas; December 7, "The Chicago Exhibition, 1893," by James "The Utilization of Niagara," December 14, Dredge; The following papers, by Prof. George Forbes, F.R.S. dates have not yet been fixed, will be read :for which "Transatlantic Steamships," by Prof. Francis Elgir; "The and Estimation of Small Proportions of InflamDetection mable Gas or Vapour in the Air," by Prof. Frank Clowes; "The Purification of the Air Supply to Public Buildings and Dwellings," by William Key; "Pottery Glazes : their Classification and Decorative Value in Ceramic Design,'

by Wilton P. Rix; "The Chemical Technology of Oil Boiling,
with a Description of a New Process for the Preparation of
Drying Oils, and an Oil Varnish," by Prof. W. Noel Hartley,
F.R.S.; "The Mining Industries of South Africa," by Bennett
H. Brough; "Ten Years of Progress in India," by Sir William
Wilson Hunter; "Australasia as a Field for Anglo-Indian Col-
onization," by Sir Edward N. C. Braddon, Agent-General for
Tasmania; "Indian Manufactures," by Sir Juland Danvers,
"Caste and Occupa-
late Public Works Secretary, India Office;
tion at the last Census of India," by Jervoise Athelstane
Baines, Imperial Census Commissioner for India; "Mexico,
Past and Present," by Edward J. Howell; "Newfoundland,"
by Cecil Fane: "New Zealand," by W. B. Percival, Agent-
General for New Zealand. The following courses of Cantor
lectures will be delivered on Monday evenings, at eight o'clock:
Prof. Vivian Lewes, "The Generation of Light from Coal
Gas" (four lectures, November 21, 28, December 5, 12); Dr.
J. A. Fleming, "The Practical Measurement of Alternating
Electric Currents" (four lectures, January 30, February 6, 13,
20); Prof. W. Chandler Roberts-Austen, F.R.S., "Al-
loys" (three lectures, March 6, 13, 20); Lewis Foreman
Day,
"Some Masters of Ornament" (four lectures, April
10, 17, 24; May 1); C. Harrison Townsend, "The History
and Practice of Mosaics" (two lectures, May 8, 15).
special course of six lectures, under the Howard bequest,
will be delivered on the following Friday evenings at eight
o'clock: Prof. W. C. Unwin, F. R. S., "The Development and
Transmission of Power from Central Stations" (January 13, 20,
27; February 3, 10, 17).

A

THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the past week include a Squirrel Monkey (Chrysothrix_sciurea) from Guiana, presented by Mrs. K. Betts; a Brown Capuchin (Cebus fatuellus) from Brazil, presented by Miss L. Blackburn; a Himalayan Bear (Ursus tibetanus Q) from Burmah, presented by Major W. H. Cunliffe ; a Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) British, presented by the Rev. Sidney Vatcher; a Goshawk (Astur palumbarius) captured at sea, presented by Capt. F. Manley; an Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) from Africa, presented by Mr. J. L. Teage; two

Bunt

ings ( -) from North Africa, presented by Lord Lilford,
F.Z.S.; eighteen Filfola Lizards (Lacerta muralis var. filfolen-
sis) from the Island of Filfola, eighteen Wall Lizards (Lacerta
muralis var. tiliguerta), an Ocellated Sand Skink (Sepsocel-
latus), a Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), a Turkish
Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) from Malta, presented by Capt.
Robert A. Threshie; a Common Kite (Milvus ictimus) from
in the Gardens.
Spain, received in exchange; five Dingos (Canis dingo), born

The motion of this comet will be noticed from the above ephemeris to be very rapid in a southerly direction, amounting to about 1° per day.

THE LIGHT OF PLANETS.-The question as to whether the light of planets is capable of casting shadows must have, especially during the last few months, been in the minds of many, and perhaps many observations have already been made, but unfortunately not published. With regard to this question, L'Astronomie for November contains two notes, the first of which, communicated by M. Marcel Moye on August 30, relates to the planet Mars. before the meridian passage and in a room where the light of His observations were made just the planet could enter the open window. In this way white paper invisible in the corners of the room tinguished when placed on the wall opposite the window, while was easily disone could see well the shadows between the fingers of the hand; placing a newspaper in the light of Mars only the place of the table and the number of the words could be recognized, but not read, as was the case with Jupiter. M. Moye concludes then that Mars certainly casts shadows, less strong than those of Jupiter but still appreciable.

In the note on the light of Venus M. Léon Guiot tells us that on August 29, when about to get up to observe Jupiter, he was astonished at the brilliancy of the light that entered his window. Observing his watch, which was hanging on the wall, he was actually able to trace its shadow on the wall, for he says that all was visible as in the light of the moon; one could even read the newspaper. It was about this time that Venus was constantly seen with the naked eye in full daylight.

STELLAR MAGNITUDES IN RELATION TO THE MILKY WAY. -Prof. Kapteyn is the author of an important memoir, which is published in the Bulletin du Comité International Permanent pour l'execution photographique de la carte du ciel, relative to an observed systematic difference between the photographic and visual magnitudes of stars depending on their distance from the Milky Way. Prof. Kapteyn first noticed that a difference existed in 1890, but in the present paper he presents a preliminary account of the results he has obtained. which have been under examination The clichés made at the Cape Observatory for the chart mentioned above. were exclusively those In this discussion he has adopted the two following laws (1) that increasing the time of exposure in the proportion of 1 to 25, the fraction of a magnitude gained is o7, and (2) the atmospheric extinction of actinic rays rises to 2 above the visual rays. Since there is an undoubted difference between the photographic and visual magnitudes, denoting this difference by the symbol Am, the author commences to investigate whether this quantity is ever equal to zero, that is when the photographic and visual magnitudes are equal, and if so to find the locus of these points. Charting the points down on a map and connecting them up by means of curves, the latter are found to follow in a striking manner the path of the Milky Way. Table II. gives the values of Am obtained from several clichés, and the positive values lie without exception between these two curves, while the negative ones are situated without. Taking into consideration both bright and faint stars, that is stars from the 4th to the 10th magnitude, the author finds that there a strong relation depending on their galalactic latitude exists between them, whether they be even very near or distant from the Milky Way, and the same systematic variation of Am apparently holds good, being represented by the formula

Am = a + KB

In seeking for an explanation of the difference, Prof. Kapteyn investigates each possible cause singly. His conclusion, to state briefly, amounts to this, that, if one considers the stellar magnitudes given in the "Uranometrique" and in Gould's Catalogue of Zones" (it is from these two sources that he has obtained the visual magnitudes) to be correct and not subject to systematic errors amounting sometimes to as much as half a magnitude, then it must be concluded that the light of the stars situated in the Milky Way or in its vicinity is much richer in actinic rays than those at considerable galalactic latitudes. We may remark that the publication of this paper has been purposely NO. 1203, VOL. 47]

[NOVEMBER 17, 1892

hurried owing to the importance of the matter therein,
although sufficient observations have not been taken in act.
for a very rigid investigation, Prof. Kapteyn hopes to eli
latitudes, made at equal altitudes, on similar plates, with ep
many of the difficulties and accidental errors by the discus
lengths of exposure.
of clichés of different regions of the sky, differing in galaa

The experiment

the re-observation of the doubling of the canals has r THE CANALS OF MARS.-The late opposition of Mars, forward many theories relative to this very curious phenomena There seems to be no doubt now that this doubling is not to instrumental deficiencies, or even to an optical des caused by the fatigue of the eyes; but that it is a real obser fact and therefore requires a rigid explanation. now well-known hypotheses suggested up till quite lately, i Omitting which is recorded in NATURE, vol. xlvi. p. 448. Mr. Le most recent is that put forward by M. Norman Lockyer markings to the cracks produced in glass broken by tor also (NATURE, vol. xlvi. p. 611) points out the likeness of the adding that the chief characteristic features in the Mars' In are there produced. In Comptes rendus (No. 18) for October) M. Stanislas Meunier relates another possible cause, and il trates the phenomenon experimentally. as follows:-He takes a polished metallic surface and on possible the Martial surface as seen by us, and illuminates it a traces a series of lines and spots, representing as nearly by sunlight. He then stretches at some distance (a few ph metres) from it a fine transparent piece of muslin. Looks at the surface through this medium he finds that all the li and spots are doubled, and, observed by M. Schiaparelli is that the canals when doute tion, à côté de chacune d'elles, de son ombre, dessinée sur se germiner par suite de l'appar mousseline par la lumière que le métal a réfléchie.' A are not always exactly parallel, and that sometimes there is a aspect de nébulosité." These and other peculiarities are according to M. Meunier, reproduced by simply undulatin the muslin. His explanation is that the solar light is reflecte from the planet's surface very unequally, that from the co tinents exceeding that emitted by the deeper parts, seas a includes a transparent veil of fog at a suitable height, a contras canals. Although the atmosphere is a limpid one, we ar would be produced, as was the case with the muslin, by the unable to see its motions; but if, as he says, the ærial envelop production of shadows "qui pour une œil placé ailleurs que su le prolongement des rayons réfléchis, à côté de chacune d explanation of the phenomena of shades by reflection if val should of course hold good for the planet Venus when properly surfaces peu réfléchissantes, une image pareille à elle." T situated, and that it is not observed on the Moon is only another proof that our satellite has no atmosphere.

44

GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES.

THE Revue Française states that a subterranean town, laid Pottery and metal work were found amongst the ruins, and from out with regular streets in a series of great caverns, near Kark, on the right bank of the Amu-daria, has recently been explored the coins and inscriptions seen occupied at least as early as the second century B.C. the town must have been

By the new constitution of the United States of Brazil the seat of government is to be transferred from Rio de Janeiro to a site upon the central plateau where an area is to be marked off as a federal district. A scientific mission under Sencr Cruls has been appointed to examine the region where the three rivers, Sao Francisco, Tocantins, and Parana, take their rise at an elevation of over 3,000 feet, with the view of finding a suitable site for the new capital.

Magazine an account of his journey up the Zambesi in 1890-91. MR. D. J. RANKIN communicates to the Scottish Geographica with a map of the country between the Zambesi and Shire. He found the Zambesi freely navigable for light-draught steamers as far as the Acaba bassa Falls, more than 300 milefrom the sea, the Lupata narrows presenting no difficulty. Between Lupata and Acababassa extensive coal deposits occur. and these are sure to become valuable. Beyond the falls after a portage of about thirty miles, the Zambesi is again navigable