delay. The exploration on these lines has received the sympathetic support of the county of Somerset, and of those outside the county who are interested in the social state of Britain in the centuries immediately preceding the Roman Conquest.

Pigmentation Survey of the School Children of Scotland.-Report of the Committee, consisting of Mr. E. W. BRABROOK (Chairman), Mr. J. GRAY (Secretary), Dr. A. C. HADDON, Professor A. MACALISTER, Professor D. J. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. J. F. TOCHER, and Dr. W. H. R. RIVERS.

THE progress made by the Scottish Ethnographic Committee with this survey during the past year has not been so great as was anticipated in the last report. The delay has been principally caused by the difficulty experienced in getting lithographed colour cards to be used as colour scales for hair and eyes. It was considered that precise and reliable statistics could not be obtained from a number of different observers, except a standard colour card was sent to each. About twenty different shades of hair were collected and an equal number of glass eyes. These were sent for reproduction to a photo-lithographer, but after repeated attempts he failed to get a satisfactory result by direct photography. The shades have now been copied successfully in oil colours, and it is hoped that these copies can be successfully reproduced by lithography. The proofs are expected to be ready at an early date.

The application for co-operation to the Educational Institute of Scotland has been very successful, this association, whose assistance is so essential to the success of the survey, having passed a resolution recommending the teachers to supply the information desired by the Committee.

The subdivision of Scotland into 110 numbered districts has now been completed. As soon as satisfactory colour cards have been received the schedules will be sent out and the survey carried out as rapidly as possible.

The Psychology and Sociology of the Todas and other Tribes of Southern India.--Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor RIDGEWAY (Chairman), Dr. W. H. R. RIVERS (Secretary), Dr. A. C. HADDON, and Mr. W. CROOKE.

On reaching India Dr. Rivers first visited two hill tribes with Mr. Edgar Thurston, to whom he owes many thanks for help during his visit to India. These tribes the Sholagas and Uralis-live in the jungle in hills in the northern part of the Coimbatore district, and while Mr. Thurston investigated the physical characters and the customs of the people Dr. Rivers devoted his attention to psycho-physical work, of which an account will shortly appear in the 'Bulletin of the Madras Government Museum,' edited by Mr. Thurston.

The remainder of his visit to India was devoted to the Todas of the Nilgiri Hills, though a few observations were made on members of two other tribes inhabiting the hills--the Kotas and Badagas. The psychophysical work was carried out on the same lines as those described in the Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, vol. ii. parts i. and ii. Over 500 Todas were examined and a large number of observations made which have not yet been fully worked out.

Much time was devoted to the study of the sociology and religion of the Todas. It was found that genealogies were preserved, and the pedigrees of over seventy families were collected. Largely by their means a detailed study was made of the social organisation, system of kinship, and regulation of marriage.

Much attention was devoted to the details of the ritual of the Toda dairy, which was found to be of a definitely religious character. Many other ceremonies were recorded, and whenever possible witnessed. These include ceremonies performed during pregnancy and after childbirth ; ceremonies performed when naming and piercing the ears of children; ceremonies performed when men are fined for any offences against the dairy; the well-known prolonged funeral ceremonies; ceremonies of animal sacrifice and of lighting fires on certain hills.

It is intended to publish shortly a full account of the ceremonies and of the general results of the investigation of the sociology and religion.

Botanical Photographs.--Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor L. C. MIALL (Chairman), Professor F. E. WEISS (Secretary), Mr. FRANCIS DARWIN, Mr. G. F. SCOTT-ELLIOT, and Mr. A. K. COOMÁRASWAMY, appointed to consider and report upon a scheme for the Registration of Negatives of Botanical Photographs.

A LEAFLET giving information regarding the collection, preservation, and systematic registration of photographs has been prepared by the committee appointed at Belfast, and has been distributed by the Secretary of the Association to all the Corresponding Societies, together with blank registration forms. The same pamphlet and form were also sent to a number of private individuals interested in botany and photography, and it is hoped that as a result a number of photographs taken during the summer months will be sent in for registration. Up to the present some fifty or sixty have been received, of which a considerable number are suitable for registration. The grant to the Committee has been sufficient to defray the expenses of purchasing cards and printing forms and cards for registration, but insufficient to provide mounts for the photographs. It is hoped that this may be done out of next year's grant.

The Committee desire to be reappointed, with a grant of 51.

LEAFLET ABOVE REFERRED TO.

Botanical Photographs Committee.-Professor L. C. MIALL, F.R.S. (Chairman), Professor F. E. WEISS, D.Sc., F.L.S. (Secretary), FRANCIS DARWIN, F.R.S., A. K. COOMARASWAMY, F.G.S., and G. F. SCOTT-ELLIOTT, B.Sc, F.L.S.

This Committee was appointed by the British Association for the Advancement of Science at its meeting in Belfast in 1902 for the purpose of arranging for the Collection, Preservation, and Systematic Registration of Photographs of Botanical Interest.'

A similar committee was appointed in 1889 to collect and preserve photographs of geological interest, and in 1898 a committee was appointed to collect and preserve photographs of anthropological interest.

The considerations which led to the appointment of these committees were briefly as follows :

1. Many naturalists and travellers find it necessary to make photographic negatives in the course of their work for which they themselves have no further use, but which they would gladly make accessible to other students if any scheme existed by which this could be done with out much trouble.

2. Further, though many professional photographers in various parts of the world have made use of their opportunities of recording various types of vegetation, there has hitherto existed no record of what has been done in this direction; with the result that valuable collections have remained unknown or inaccessible to those in whose interest they have been made.

What appears therefore to be required is, in the first place, a register of the photographic negatives which can be made generally available, illustrated by a permanent print from each, preserved in an accessible centre. It is also essential that properly qualified students may be enabled to obtain duplicate prints, or lantern slides made from them, for their own use at a reasonable price. In any such scheme it would be understood that the copyright, for purposes of publication, would remain with the owner of the negative, and that all duplicate prints or lantern slides distributed under this arrangement would be subject to that qualification.

In establishing such a register the Committee desire the co-operation of all owners of suitable photographic negatives, who are invited to submit for registration one print from each negative, together with full particulars of the subject of the photograph on the enclosed form (Form A), additional copies of which can be obtained from the Secretary of the Committee.

It will be found convenient for the sender of the photograph to number it on the back and to fill in this number on the printed form.

Photographs should be sent unmounted. This is essential in order to secure the proper systematic arrangement of the collection. They will be mounted by the Committee on cards of uniform size.

Copies of photographic prints, and information relative thereto, should be sent under cover to the Secretary of the Committee at the earliest possible date in order to facilitate the work of registration. They should be sent not later than August 1 in each year.

A detailed list of the photographs officially received each year with the names of the donors and information as to where copies may be obtained will be inserted in the report of the Committee, which is presented annually to the British Association. A copy of the report will, if possible, be sent to each donor of a photograph.

The photographs will be deposited in some central institution, where they will be accessible to the public for purposes of reference.

It is important that copies of photographs which have been processed for illustrating articles and papers in journals should be deposited in the collection; they should be accompanied by an exact reference to the publication and, if possible, a copy of the plate.

To avoid duplication of photographs the Committee reserve to themselves the right of returning duplicates or unsuitable photographs to the sender without registering the same.

1903.

E E

Recommendations for the Collection of Botanical Photographs.

A. As to Subject.-The Committee propose to include the following range of subjects:

1. Portraits of any species of plant (more particularly foreign plants growing under natural conditions) illustrating habit, natural surroundings, or points of morphological or physiological interest.

2. Diseases or malformation of plants.

3. Photographs of plants raised for purposes of experiment. 4. Photographs illustrating plant associations.

In most cases two photographs would be desirable, one giving a general view of the plant or vegetation and another giving details of the subject. B. As to Camera.-The Committee recommend the use of a whole or half-plate camera, though quarter-plate photographs will be accepted if well defined and clear.

The camera should admit of long extension, so that work at close distances may be possible.

As it is essential that the prints should be permanent, the platinotype process is recommended where possible. The use of isochromatic plates is strongly recommended.

In many photographs the inclusion of a scale object is advisable.

C. As to Recording.-In order to preserve the scientific value, each photograph should be accompanied by as many of the following details as can be given on the forms which will be supplied for the purpose, and a copy of which is enclosed:

(a) Name of plant and locality, with rainfall of district where known. (b) Special features shown.

(c) Date when photographed.

(d) Name and address of photographer or of society under whose direction the photograph was taken.

(e) Whereabouts of the negative, i.e. whether it is retained by owner, or deposited with a professional photographer or with the Committee. (f) Terms on which prints, enlargements, or lantern slides will be supplied.

Further information and additional forms for registration may be obtained from the Secretary of the Committee, Professor F. E. Weiss, Owens College, Manchester, to whom all communications should be addressed

This form should be filled in and enclosed with the prints or negatives submitted to the Committee for registration. Additional copies may be obtained from the Secretary, Professor F. E. WEISS, Owens College, Manchester, or from the offices of the BRITISH ASSOCIATION, Burlington House, London, W.

Investigation of the Cyanophyceae.-Report of the Committee, consisting of Professor J. B. FARMER (Chairman), Dr. F. F. BLACKMAN (Secretary), Professor MARSHALL WARD, Mr. WALTER GARDINER, and Dr. D. H. SCOTT. (Drawn up by the Secretary.)

THIS investigation has been continued by Mr. Harold Wager, and is now practically completed. A preliminary paper has been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society.' The following is given by Mr. Wager as a brief summary of the principal results arrived at:--

'The cell contents are divided into two distinct regions: (1) an outer peripheral layer in which the colouring matters are contained, and (2) a central portion which is colourless. Both exhibit a reticulate or alveolate structure, and contain granules of varying sizes. Under certain conditions glycogen is present in the cell, often in considerable quantities.

'The colouring matters, chlorophyll, &c., are contained in small granules embedded in the reticulate network of the cytoplasm. They often appear to be arranged in regular rows, which give the impression of coloured granular fibrils. It is probable that these granules are comparable to the "grana" of ordinary chloroplasts, and not actually to the chloroplasts themselves.

'The central body contains chromatin in the form of minute granules, more or less fused together on a network. This network is not sharply marked off from the peripheral cytoplasm, but it appears to be contained in a vacuole, and at certain times the limiting layer of the vacuole is visible. The central body varies much at different times in the amount of chromatin that it contains. It is more abundant in actively growing healthy cells, in which constant cell division is going on; in such cells a very pronounced and distinct reaction for phosphorus is given when treated according to the methods of Macallum.

'There seems to be no reasonable doubt that this central body corresponds to the nucleus of the higher plants. It is not precisely similar in structure and appearance, but the presence of chromatin, the networklike structure, and the fact that it is contained in a vacuole and is sharply differentiated by reagents from the surrounding cytoplasm sufficiently indicate its nuclear character. We are therefore justified in speaking of it as a nucleus. In the process of division the nucleus simulates in a remarkable manner certain features of the mitotic division of higher plants, but a very careful examination of the whole process in various species of Cyanophyceae convinces me that it is rather a case of direct division, and not a true mitotic division. Nevertheless it may be justifiable to regard it as a rudimentary form of indirect division. As the cell grows in length the nuclear network becomes drawn out in a longitudinal direction, whilst the chromatin substance appears to become more abundant. The result is in some cases an appearance as of numerous elongate chromosomes lying side by side. The nucleus then becomes constricted in the middle, and divides transversely into two daughter nuclei. At the same time the new transverse cell wall is formed. The formation of the new cell walls appears, however, not to be dependent entirely upon the