We

Still, we Englishmen express our pharisaical horror of the commercial corruption of New York. thank God that we are not as those wicked people are, and grumble about commercial depression.

The season is now approaching for testing the question of whether or not the tomato possesses the property attributed to it by some of the Cape colonists; that of driving away insects from the land on which it is grown. Its cultivation under fruit trees is accordingly recommended. It may possibly be thus efficacious at the Cape, but not so here. Our greenhouses afford better opportunities of settling the question than any open air plantations can supply; nothing being easier than to carry a few pots of growing tomatoes into an insect-pestered house, leaving open doors and windows and noting the result. If this were done skilfully, we should also learn whether insects generally, or only particular species, manifest the alleged aversion to this plant.

Patagonian geology is not profoundly studied in this country, but is very interesting nevertheless, as shown by the results of the explorations of Señor F. P. Moreno, communicated to the Argentine Scientific Society. Palæontological evidence indicates that Patagonia is not, as usually supposed, of marine origin, but that much of it is terrestrial and lacustrine. Señor Moreno concludes that at the beginning of the Tertiary period a vast continent, of which Patagonia was a part, extended east and west. Oscillation is still proceeding in the southern part of the continent, and the depth of the sea around is so small that an elevation of 150 metres would unite Patagonia with Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands, forming a continent there as wide as Africa at the Orange River. Less than 2000 metres of elevation would further unite all this with South Georgia, South Sandwich Land, and the Antarctic Continent.

I doubt whether the conclusions based merely on this shallowness are sound, I mean those suggesting the former existence of such a continent. The sea all thereabouts must be subject to continual shallowing by the deposits from the icebergs which there abound, and are continually thawing. Señor Moreno describes the visible moraines that form the labyrinth of islets in the Straits of Magellan and their neighbourhood; but besides these, there must be a vast "moraine profonde" ever growing upwards from the sea bottom.

One of the results of the introduction of gelatine dry plate photography, is the supplying of accurate pictures of the heavens. The fixed stars, so called, can thus be easily and accurately represented, both in position and magnitude, and by putting together the different pictures of limited areas thus obtained a complete self-drawn chart of the heavens is obtainable. Mr. A. A. Common recently exhibited at the Royal Astronomical Society pictures of a part of the constellation Orion, and of the Pleiades, in which stars of the ninth and tenth magnitudes were shown.

Such pictures supplementing, correcting, and confirming the star catalogues made in the usual way, supply data upon which may be founded the solution of that great problem of "star drift," representing the greater movements of the universe, compared with which those of our own world in its orbit, or even the wanderings of our sun in space, are but minor creepings. By the spectroscopic method of Dr. Huggins we learn the approach and recession of stars in the line of sight; by the photographic pictures we may be shown their movements across that line; by combining these, the actual direction of travelling. Shall we thus ever learn the position of the universal centre around which all the suns and all their attendant worlds are moving?

The barrenness of the Pampas is explained by Mr. Arthur Nicols in an interesting letter to "Nature" of January 29th last. He tells his experience, in the Pampas of La Plata, of the ravages of the omnipresent leaf-eating ant, which clears away the first leaves of any tree that may be planted either naturally or artificially. The animals prove their prowess by shearing off the hard cuticle of the thumbs and fingers of those who pick them up. Nevertheless it is possible to overcome them. Mr. Nicols describes a splendid grove of Eucalypti of several species that were reared from seed by first painting a circle of gas tar around each. The disappearance of the first leaves was thus prevented, as the ants objected to cross the tar, and then by painting the stems with tar during the first three years the trees made such a start as to grow faster than they could be destroyed. Many of these trees were forty feet high, and measured three feet round at three feet above the ground when eight years old. By lighting fires over the nests of the ants during the winter, when the colony is all at home, these pests may be destroyed. From Mr. Nicols' account it appears that their assimilation and distribution of vegetable matter has richly manured the surface, and thus prepared it for the use of men who are sufficiently intelligent and energetic to avail themselves of the services of these ants, and regulate their destructiveness.

As

The subject of earth tremors is a very interesting one. There are good reasons for supposing that the so-called " 'solid" crust of the earth is uplifted in tidal waves, is agitated by big waves, by wavelets and ripples as the ocean is, but accurate observation of these is difficult, one of the chief obstacles being the confusion of artificial with natural vibrations. everybody knows, the passing of a wagon along an ordinary street, produces earth-waves that can be felt as we sit on our chairs, or lie in bed. These of course are but local and very limited, but beyond these are far reaching natural waves demanding systematic study. Much has already been done in Japan, which is a stormy earth-region continually agitated by earthquakes, great or little. We reside on a less stormy crust, but one that is by no means absolutely calm.

The Government grant committee has wisely supplied Professor Ewing, of Dundee, with £100 for the purpose of instituting observations of earth movements on Ben Nevis. The isolated position of this mountain, distance from railways, factories, or other artificial disturbers, renders it suitable for such observations,

BRITISH PLANTS IN NYMAN'S CONSPECTUS FLORÆ EUROPÆÆ.

already established there.

According to a communication to the French Academy of Sciences (December 29) from M. Sacc, there is cultivated in Bolivia a cotton-tree which yields abundantly a seed which is richer than any of the known grains in nitrogenous food. M. Sacc is convinced that the flour from this seed is destined to take an important place in human food supply, especially in the preparation of all kinds of pastes, as it contains so much vegetable oil as to render the addition of milk and animal fats unnecessary. The vegetarians should look after this and obtain samples. Their chief difficulty hitherto has been in finding a supply of fatty matter sufficient to meet the food demands of our climate, without being dependent on animal products. Most of them would like to be independent of the dairy; the leguminous plants enable them to be so as regards casein, but still their puddings and pastry generally appeal for butter. A seed containing both flour and butter in pastry-cook proportions is exactly what they now want.

Carbon disulphide is growing in importance. I remember buying it at two shillings an ounce in order to make a solution of phosphorus for the precipitation of metallic silver on plaster of Paris casts when the electrotype was a new art. Now it is retailed at sixpence per pound. This difference arises simply from the increased demand which has usually such a cheapening effect upon chemical products. At the time I refer to the best obtainable was most foul in odour, and even now, the ordinary commercial samples are very suggestive of essence of sewage. Ckandi-Bey ("Comptes Rendus," vol. 99, p. 509) tells us that alone and in aqueous solution it arrests all fermentations, kills microbes, and is one of the most energetic of antiseptics. Dr. Dujardin Baumetz administers its aqueous solution as a medicine in cases of typhus. He says that it arrests diarrhoea and disinfects the breath and excretions of the patients. This is curious in connection with its own foulness, even though that foulness be due to impurities. It certainly does not obey the injunction, "Physician heal thyself."

SINGING MICE.-There are several notices of singing mice in SCIENCE-GOSSIP, as follows: p. 274, 1871; pp. 47, 65, and 94, 1872; and p. 187, 1873. As regards the true explanation, that seems to be a difficult task, for I find there are some who attribute it to disease, whilst others consider it a natural peculiarity, and even intelligence.-A. G. Rudd, Lufton.

By ALFRED R. WALLER.

II.

ENCHIA QUATERNELLA, Ehrh., 1788, rightly replaces M. erecta, Fl. Wett., 1800. Stellaria umbrosa, Op., is placed as a sub-species of S. media, Cyr., with S. Boreana, Jord., as a variety. S. palustris, Ehrh., 1795, takes the place of S. glauca, With., 1796, and Sagina Linnæi, Pr., 1835, that of S. saxatilis, Wimm., 1840. Spergularia media, Pers., and S. salina, Presl, are thought to be species. The form of Linum perenne, L., we get is L. anglicum, Mill. (Spr.), which out of England is found only in West Germany and France (?). Tilia platyphyllos, Scp., 1772, rightly replaces T. grandifolia, Ehrh., 1790, as the name of the large-leaved lime. Medicago denticulata, W., is thought to be a sub-species of M. lappacea, Desv., while M. apiculata, W., is raised to specific rank. Scotland might be added to the list of countries for Trigonella ornithopodioides. The following are changes in the right direction :Melilotus officinalis, Desv., 1797, instead of M. arvensis, Wallr., 1822; M. altissima, Th., 1799, instead of M. officinalis, W., 1809; Lotus uliginosus, Schk., instead of L. major, Sm.; Astragalus danicus, Retz, instead of A. hypoglottis, L. Stellaria media, Spergula arvensis, Sagina procumbens, Trifolium repens, and Geranium Robertianum, are found in every country in Europe. Geranium nodosum, L., and Oxalis stricta, L., are erroneously given as natives.

I

TEETH OF FLIES.

THE DUNG-FLY (SCATOPHAGA

STERCORARIA).

By W. H. HARRIS. No. IV.

HAVE selected for illustration on this occasion a

very interesting and robust form taken from the common dung-fly (Scatophaga stercoraria), whose winged eggs are always objects of interest, providing, as they do, in a very remarkable manner, for the welfare of the species. It is necessary for the development of the larvæ that the eggs should be deposited in soft dung, at the same time they must not be immersed entirely. To guard against such a misfortune the eggs are provided with two lateral expansions, or wings as they have been termed, which effectually prevents them sinking by their own weight in the soft dung in which (during the summer months) any quantity may be procured.

The teeth presented to us in this creature are of three distinct forms. Taking the blow-fly as the

be left on the blade of the knife, and also on the fingers, if they come in contact with the section. On microscopical examinations of a transverse section the whole field will be found to be full of a dense mass of bodies which are starch grains. Such a quantity of starch is stored up in the cells that it is difficult to obtain a section giving any clear view of the cell structure. Fig. 51 represents some of the starch grains highly magnified. Fig. 52 is an attempt to show the cells of the corm in some cases empty, and in others densely crowded with starch grains, so densely, in fact, as to become all but black. A is the lowest power with which to observe these points. At the present time the corm of the arum is not, so far as I am aware, in any great request, either medicinally or otherwise. Dr. Taylor mentions that the starch has been "misused" in order to adulterate arrowroot.* In order, however, to learn some of the

wholesome nourishment as well as those sorts which are natives of hot climates. The roots when dried and powdered, are used by the French as a wash for the skin, and sell under the name of Cyprus powder, at a high price, being an excellent and innocent cosmetic. Starch may also be made from them, but the hands are liable to be blistered in using it. They have occasionally been substituted for soap. When newly dried and powdered the root has been given as a stimulant, in doses of a scruple and upwards; but

a

Fig. 53-Cells of the epidermis of petiole. a, raphides; b, nucleus; c, stoma.

valuable, not to say wonderful, properties of this portion of A. maculatum, and some of the uses to which it has been applied, it is necessary to go back a little for information.

In a certain dictionary published in London in the year 1832, and known as "The Universal Herbal or Botanical, Medical and Agricultural Dictionary," by Thomas Green, 2 vols. we learn much. Mr. Green first informs his readers that if they have been rash enough to taste the "root," an antidote will be found either in milk butter, or oil. Writing still of the "roots" he goes on to say: "When dried they become farinaceous and insipid, in which case they might be used for food in case of necessity; and by boiling or baking would probably afford a mild a...

"Half-hours in the Green Lanes," p. 227.

Fig. 54.-Hastate-cordate leaf of Arum maculatum.

in being reduced to powder it loses much of its acrimony; and there is reason to suppose that the compound powder which takes its name from the plant, owes its virtues chiefly to the other ingredients. The pulvis ari compositus, or powder composed of arum, is therefore discarded from the London dispensatory, and, instead of it, a conserve is inserted, made by beating half a pound of fresh root with a pound and a half of fine sugar.

"In the medicine recommended by Sydenham against rheumatisms, the acrid anti-scorbutic herbs are largely joined with it. Dr. Lewis orders the fresh root to be beaten with a little testaceous powder, and mixed with an equal quantity of gum arabic, and three or four times as much conserve, and thus to be made up into an electuary; or else to be rubbed with a thick mucilage of gum arabic and