the Channel Tunnel, has been carried on for several years. The following report, by Mr. Francis Brady, C. E., the engineer chief of the South-Eastern and Channel Tunnel Companies, we the value of the land upon the value of the surrounding property. The Commissioners had been pressed year after year to apply their surplus revenues to educational purposes. They had pressed the Government to come to some conclusion on the sub-published in the daily papers on February 20:-" Coal w ject, as it had been going on for from three to ten years. They could not go on waiting continually, and the Government at last came to the conclusion-and, he thought, came to a wise conclusion to accept the offer. He thought the Committee would see that they had been very patient. Mr. W. H. Smith, reply ing to the objection that the vote ought to have been included in the ordinary estimates, pointed out that if the vote were not taken at once, probably it could not be reached before June or July, or even August. It was unreasonable to ask the Commissioners to wait until that time. He had resisted the expenditure at South Kensington as long as he could, and until he was satisfied that in the interests of the country it was necessary. He strongly resisted the expenditure before, but when the Committee they had appointed reported that further accommodation was required, they had no alternative but to carry out their recommendations. The proposal of the Government was accepted by a majority of 77—the number of those in favour of the reduction of the vote being 67, while 144 voted on the other side. WE regret to notice the death, on February 2, of M. Ch. Fievez, the assistant in charge of the spectroscopic department of the Royal Observatory of Brussels, at the comparatively early age of 45. M. Fievez did not enter the Observatory until 1877, having been originally intended for the military profession. M. Houzeau, then the Director of the Observatory, being desirous of creating a spectroscopic department, sent Fievez, to whom he proposed to commit its management, to study under Janssen at Meudon, with whom he remained six months. Fievez's most important work was the construction of a chart of the solar spectrum on a scale considerably greater than that of Ångström; but besides this he was not able to effect much in astronomical spectroscopy, owing to the unfavourable position of the Observatory for such observations. He therefore turned his attention principally to laboratory work, and in this department made a detailed study of the spectrum of carbon, besides numerous experiments on the behaviour of spectral lines under the influences of magnetism and of changes of temperature. M. Fievez was Correspondant of the Royal Academy of Belgium, and Foreign Member of the Society of Italian Spectroscopis ts. STUDENTS of paleontology heard with much regret of the recent death of Prof. von Quenstedt, of Tübingen. He was the most famous of German paleontologists, and did much important work in mineralogy also. He had an especially profound knowledge of the Lias of Würtemberg and its fossils. His work on "Der Jura" is well known, and so recently as 1885 a new edition, greatly modified, of his "Handbuch der Petrefactenkunde" was issued. Dr. von Quenstedt died at an advanced age on December 21, 1889. A WRITER who is contributing to Industries a series of articles on the "Recent Growth of Technical Societies," infers, from a comparison of the balance-sheet for 1878 with that for 1888, that the Proceedings of the Royal Society are "evidently less sought after than they were." An average of four years would have pointed to an opposite conclusion. For the years 1876-79 the average sale was £743 Is. 7d., while that of 1886-89 was £810 35. 3d. The writer leaves out of account, moreover, that in 1878 the Royal Society, according to their published list, presented their Transactions and Proceedings to 276 institutions, while at present they give them to no fewer than 363 institutions. MUCH interest has been excited by the announcement of the discovery of coal in Kent. The search for coal at a point near the South-Eastern Railway, adjoining the experimental heading for reached on Saturday last, the 15th inst., at 1180 feet below the discovery, I may add, with all the important consequen, z THE second meeting of the Australasian Association for e Advancement of Science seems to have been in every way m successful. It was held at Melbourne, and began on January? At the Sydney meeting last year there were 850 members. The year the number rose to 1060. Baron von Müller, F. R.S., Wa the President. Great efforts were made to secure that member from a distance should enjoy their visit to Melbourne, and the serious work of the various Sections was varied by pleasant a cursions. An excellent "Hand-book of Melbourne," edited be Prof. Baldwin Spencer, was issued. THIS year the University of Helsingfors will celebrate two hundred and fiftieth anniversary. It was founded at Albut transferred to Helsingfors in 1820. AT a recent meeting of the French Meteorological Society, Wada, of the Tokio Observatory, gave a résumé of the ser logical observations made in Japan during 1887. The number of earthquake shocks amounted during the year to 483 The hourly and monthly distribution of the shocks at Tokio dara the last 12 years shows a slight excess in favour of the night time, above the day; and also an excess in winter and spring over the other seasons. The area affected during the year 1857 represented five times the superficies of the empire. M. Wad gave details of the shocks, their direction, intensity, and distribution. TIDINGS of another great volcanic eruption have come from Japan. Mount Zoo, near the town of Fukuvama, in the Bi district, began to rumble at 8 o'clock on the evening of Jaunar 16, and the top of the mountain is said to have been s "lifted off." There was a din like a dynamite explosion, 25/ sand and stones were belched forth. Stones and earth also fell at Midsunomimura, a village six miles away. No previous eruption of Mount Zoo is recorded. Only one man lost his life, but some cattle were killed, and 55 houses were destroyed. The total loss entailed by the eruption is estimated at nearly $3,500,000, Two rather strong shocks of earthquake were felt at Rome on Sunday last, February 23, shortly after 11 p.m. They were more distinct in the environs than in the city itself, and especially at the Rocca di Papa in the Campagna. The Rome correondent of the Daily News says it was remarked that flocks of sheep showed great signs of fear some time before the shocks were felt." The correspondent of the Standard notes that in everal public buildings the gas was almost extinguished, that Cetrical apparatus was disturbed, and that electric bells were et ringing. "My own experience," he adds, "was that of ling lifted up from my seat, and then set down again with a light, but sickening, jar, while doors rattled, and furniture was noved so as to produce noise in knocking against walls." ACCORDING to a telegram sent through Reuter's agency from Lisbon, a slight shock of earthquake was felt on February 24 at Leina and places between it and the sea coast. THE Pilot Chart of the North Atlantic Ocean for February tates that the month of January was remarkable for the mpestuous weather that prevailed almost uninterruptedly over The steamship routes. Storms succeeded each other in rapid succession, the majority of them having developed inland and ved east-north-east on very similar paths from Nova Scotia and across southern Newfoundland. The most notable storm of the month was probably one that developed in the St. Lawrence talley, and crossed the Straits of Belle Isle early on the 3rd. It le moved nearly due east, rapidly increasing in intensity until ching the 20th meridian, when it curved to the north-eastward, ani was central on the 5th about lat. 55° N., long. 17° W., and appeared north of Scotland. The barometric pressure in The form was remarkably low, 27'93 inches having been reworded at 4 p.m. on January 4, about lat. 53° N., long. 23° W. There was a slight increase in the amount of fog experienced; was confined for the most part to the regions west of the rand Banks. Much ice has been reported since the 5th; the positions and dates plotted on the chart indicate that the ice esca is one of the earliest on record-nearly a month earlier than usual. This is due in a great nieasure to the prevalence of northerly gales east of Labrador, coincident with the vy westerly gales of December and January along the Transatlantic route. ILE Japanese Government, we observe, is about to establish meteorological observatory in the Loochoo Islands. This is ne of the most important positions in the East for meteorocal purposes, for it fills up the very large gap at present ng between Shanghai and Manilla in one direction, and ng Kong and Tokio in the other. Besides, the Loochoo Archipelago is a specially valuable position for observing the cnomena connected with the course of the typhoons of the bina seas. It meeting of the International Congress of Hygiene Demography, which is to be held in London in 1891, will probably be thoroughly successful. An organizing com fee, with Sir Douglas Galton as President, has been mest, and already delegates have been appointed by the ading scientific societies. On Tuesday, February 18, a depuLon waited upon the Lord Mayor to discuss the arrangements at ought to be made for the meeting. The Lord Mayor, Basing heard what Sir Douglas Galton, Prof. Corfield, and other members of the deputation had to say as to the importance of Congress, undertook that the matter should be brought for ward at a public meeting in the Mansion House. This meeting will take place on Thursday, April 24, and the Lord Mayor will preside. 66 THE ninth annual meeting of the members of the Sanitary Assurance Association was held on Monday, February 17, Sir Joseph Fayrer, F.R.S., in the chair. Mr. Joseph Hadley, Secretary, read the annual report, which concluded as follows:Though the important bearing of the work of the Association on the public health is not yet fully appreciated by the general public, the financial statement for the past year proves that the Association is making progress, and that after nine years' experience its work continues to be appreciated. The income for the year was £398 8s. 10d., and after meeting all liabilities a balance is carried forward." The Chairman, in proposing the adoption of the report, said that the more he saw of the work of the Association, and the need for sanitary improvement, the more was he interested in its progress, and he expressed a hope that not only might this Association prosper, but that others might be formed, so great was the work to be done. Generał Burne and Dr. Danford Thomas were re-elected members of the executive council, and Sir Joseph Fayrer and Prof. T. Roger Smith were re-elected President and Vice-President respectively. SOME time ago we referred to the fact that the Manchester Field Naturalists' and Archæologists' Society had appointed a committee for the purpose of promoting the planting of trees and shrubs in Manchester and its immediate suburbs. The idea has commended itself to the Corporation, and it is expected that evergreen shrubs, planted in boxes or tubs, will soon be placed in some of the principal squares. Meanwhile, the committee are trying to obtain the aid of experienced practical men. They have issued a circular with the following list of questions:"What description of trees would you especially recommend for open spaces?" "What kind of shrubs, especially such as "What suggestions can you would succeed in tubs or boxes ?" offer as to soil, treatment, and upon any important point relating to tree culture in towns?" When the best information that can be obtained has been brought together, it will be embodied in a pamphlet, which may, it is hoped, serve as a general guide for tree planting and culture. AT the meeting of the Royal Botanic Society on Saturday, the Secretary called attention to several plants of hygrometric club moss from Mexico, which had been presented, with other specimens, by Mr. A. Gudgeon. The Secretary stated that these plants had the power, ascribed to the well-known rose of Jericho, of rolling themselves up like a ball when dry, and becoming apparently dead; but that they were able to unfold and grow again when exposed to moisture. The specimens shown had been kept for three months in a dry place, but now were green, and to all appearance flourishing. 66 THE following lectures will be given at the Royal Victoria Hall during March :-March 4, Mr. F. W. Rudler, on Geology in the Streets of London"; 11th, Dr. Dallinger, on "The Infinitely Great and the Infinitely Small"; 18th, Prof. Beare, on "Australia"; 25th, Mr. W. North, on "Rome." "OUR Earth and its Story" (Cassell and Co.) consists of three volumes, not two, as inadvertently stated in our notice of the work on February 13 (p. 341). A SERIES of new compounds of hydroxylamine, NH2OH, with several metallic chlorides, are described by M. Crismer in the current number of the Bulletin de la Société Chimique. The first member of the series obtained was the zinc compound ZnCl, 2NH,OH, whose existence was unexpectedly discovered during the course of experiments upon the action of metallic zinc on aqueous hydroxylamine hydrochloride. A ten per cent. solution of this latter salt was treated with an excess of pure zinc; no evolution of gas was noticed in the cold, but on warming Occur. over a water-bath a slow disengagement of bubbles was found to After allowing the reaction to complete itself during the course of a few days, the liquid, which had become turbid, was filtered, allowed to cool, and again filtered from a little more flocculent material which separated out, and finally concentrated and allowed to crystallize. A large quantity of hemispherical crystal aggregates then separated, which were found on analysis to consist of the new salt, ZnCl2.2NH OH. Several other methods of obtaining it were investigated; it may be obtained by treating an aqueous solution of hydroxylamine hydrochloride, NH2OH. HCl, with zinc oxide or carbonate, or with a mixture of zinc sulphate and barium carbonate, or by treating an alcoholic solution of hydroxylamine with zinc chloride. But the best method, and one which gives 97 per cent. yield, consists in dissolving ten parts of hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 300 c.c. of alcohol in a flask provided with an inverted condenser ; the liquid is then heated to the boiling-point and five parts of zinc oxide added, the boiling being continued for several minutes afterwards. The clear liquid is then decanted and allowed to cool. After the deposition of the first crop of crystals, the mother liquor may be returned to the flask and treated with a further quantity of zinc oxide, four repetitions of this treatment being sufficient to obtain an almost theoretical yield of the salt. The white crystals are then washed with alcohol and dried in the air. They resist the action of most solvents, water only slightly dissolving them, and that with decomposition. Organic solvents are practically without action upon them. When heated in a narrow tube, as in attempting to determine the melting-point, the salt violently explodes. If a quantity is heated to about 120° C., in a flask connected with a couple of U-tubes, the second containing a little water, gas is abundantly liberated, and drops of hydroxylamine condense in the first U-tube together with a little nitrous acid. The water in the second tube is found to contain hydroxylamine, ammonia, and nitrous acid, while fused zinc chloride remains behind in the flask. A similar cadmium salt was also obtained, CdCl. 2NH,OH, in brilliant crystals which separated much more quickly than those of the zinc salt. This cadmium compound is much more stable under the action of heat, gas being only liberated in the neighbourhood of 190°-200°, and only a little hydroxylamine distils over. The barium salt, BaCl. 2NH„OH, is a specially beautiful substance, crystallizing from water in large tabular prisms, which are very much more soluble in water than either of the salts above described. THE additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the past week include an Esquimaux Dog (Canis familiaris ), bred in England, presented by Mr. W. Tournay; two Barbary Turtle-Doves (Turtur risorius) from North Africa, presented by Miss Teil; a Bonnet Monkey (Macacus sinicus), a Macaque Monkey (Macacus cynomolgus 8) from India, a Common Raccoon (Procyon lotor) from North America, deposited; a Green Monkey (Cercopithecus callitrichus) born in the Gardens. Remarks. (1) “Very bright; very large; at first very gradually, very suddenly much brighter in the middle." The spectrin this nebula has not yet, so far as I know, been reconded. (2) Dunér classes this with stars of Group II., but states the spectrum is very feebly developed, and expresses a dom to the type. As I have before remarked, Mr. Lockyer's cussion of the stars of this group seems to indicate that spectra which are described as feebly developed "really re sent stages in the passage from one group to another. It, example, we consider a rather faint star with the handed trum a little more developed than in the case of Aldebaran spectrum would no doubt be described as "feebly develops if classed with Group II. In such a case the star would more condensed than those in which the spectrum is said to well developed, and the flutings would have almost ent given way to lines. Line absorptions would therefore nec that the star belonged to a late stage of the group. other hand, if the star be at a very early stage of condensat the flutings would still only be feebly developed, and migh accompanied by bright lines. In any case, further examin*** is necessary, as the star may belong to an early stage of Gre VI., and not to Group II. at all. (3) A star classed by Vogel with stars of the solar type. T usual differential observations are required. (4) A star of Group IV. (Vogel). The usual observan are required. (5) A superb" example of stars of Group VI Puer The principal bands are very wide and dark, and the seconfer bands 4 and 5 are also well seen. Bands 7 and 8 are douler (6) This variable will reach a maximum about March 7. period is about 360 days, and the magnitudes at maximum minimum are 82 and 13 respectively. The star s included in Dunér's catalogue, but Vogel states that the trum is of the Group II. type. Observations before and maximum, with special references to changes of spec should be made. NOTE ON THE ZODIACAL LIGHT.-In favourable localities e zodiacal light should now be visible in the evening, and as furt spectroscopic observations are desirable, it may be convenien briefly summarize here the results already obtained. Ange first observed the spectrum at Upsala, in March 1887, and re the presence of the chief line of the aurora spectrum, at a T length stated as 5567. Respighi, in 1872, also observe! 1 line, in addition to a faint continuous spectrum, and le this to demonstrate the identity of the aurora and zodiacal' He found, however, that at the same time the bright line w visible in almost every part of the sky, and this led to the gestion that it originated from a concealed aurora. Prof. h Smyth, in Italy, observed nothing but a faint continuous trum, extending from about midway between D and E t A. W. Wright's observations led him to the following 2 clusions :—“(1) The spectrum of the zodiacal light is conting and is sensibly the same as that of faint sunlight or tw (2) No bright line or band can be recognized as belonge this spectrum. (3) There is no evidence of any connectioc between the zodiacal light and the Polar aurora 66 Aurora," p. 69). Mr. Lockyer believes the rodiacal lig be due to meteoritic dust, which is to a certam extem: luminous, as indicated by the bright line in the spectrom, 11 argues in favour of a connection between aurora and the zodi light (Proc. Roy. Soc., vol. 45, p. 247). He says:—* Tit observations of Wright and others, showing that the spec is continuous, are not at variance with Angstrom's observar à for we should expect the spectrum to be somewhat varialde is probable that the observations showing nothing but contr spectrum were made when the temperature was only st to render the meteoritic particles red hot. That the rodi.2 light does consist of solid particles, or, at all events, of pare capable of reflecting light, is shown by the polariscope He also quotes from a letter in which Mr. Sherman, of Yale Ch lege, states that he has reason to believe that the appearance the bright line in the zodiacal light has a regular period. On January 20 I saw the zodiacal light very well at West on-Sea, but was unable to detect anything beyond a continuous spectrum. Mr. Maxwell Hall's observations at Jamaica (see NATURE February 13, p. 351) also record continuous spectra, but remarkable changes in the region of maximum intensity suggests comparative observations with the spectrum of w OBSERVATIONS OF URSE MAJORIS AND B AURIGE.-The periodic duplicity of the K line in the spectra of these stars before noted (January 23, p. 285) led Prof. Pickering to conclude that the time of revolution of the former system was 104 days. In the current number of the Sidereal Messenger, however, Prof. Fickering adds a note, dated January 11, 1890, in which he records that later observations make it probable that the period of Ursa Majoris is 52 days instead of 104, and that its orbit is roticeably elliptical. The velocity of the components of B Aurigæ seems to be 150 miles per second, their period 4 days, Their orbit nearly circular, with a radius of 8,000,000 miles, and their masses o'I or o'2, that of the sun being unity. COMET BROOKS (d 1889).-The following ephemeris is given by Dr. Knopf in Edinburgh Circular No. 5, issued on the 22nd inst. : with the Island of Savo. The lecture was illustrated with photographs of natives of Guadalcanar and other places, as well as specimens of rude architecture, by means of the dissolving-view apparatus. ACCORDING to the Copenhagen correspondent of the Frankfurter Zeitung, an Expedition for the exploration of Greenland will start next summer from Denmark. The plan of work has been arranged by the Naval Lieutenant Ryder. The party will consist of nine persons. They will have three boats, and a steamer will convey them to the eastern coast as soon as the condition of the ice will allow of a landing. It is proposed that the region lying between 66° and 73° north latitude shall be explored in the course of the summer, and that the party shall push as far as possible into the interior. Sledges will be employed during the winter. The Expedition will be provisioned and equipped for two years, at the end of which time the steamer will return to take them away, cruising along the east coast till they get down to the shore. The expenses have been estimated at from 250,000 to 290,000 kroner (equal to from about £13,900 to £16, 100), and the project is so popular, and looked on so favourably by the Government, that it is practically certain that the Diet will grant the money. THE Geographical Society of Vienna issues a circular letter, dated February 1890, announcing the election of officers made last December. The new President is Herr Hofrath Ritter von Hauer, Intendant des naturhistorischen Hofmuseums. The brightness on March 1 = 0'24, and on March 25 017, that at discovery being unity. NEW SHORT-PERIOD VARIABLE IN OPHIUCHUS.-Mr. Edwin F Sawyer announces the discovery that the star 175 (Uranomea Argentina) Ophiuchi, R.A. 17h. 45m. 57s., Decl. -6° 6'7 18750), is a variable of short period (Astronomical Journal, No 210). The range of variation appears to be from 6'2m. to 5m., and the period slightly greater than 17 days. OBSERVATIONS OF THE MAGNITUDE OF IAPETUS.-In the January number of Monthly Notices is found an interesting communication to the Royal Astronomical Society by Mr. Barnard, of the Lick Observatory, on the eclipse of this outermost satel lite in the shadows of the globe, crape ring, and bright ring of Saturn. By frequent comparison of the light of Iapetus with thai of Tethys and Enceladus, the effect of the shadow of the crape ring on the visibility of the satellite was tested, seventyfive comparisons being made. It was found that, after passing rough the sunlight shining between the ball and the rings, laperus entered the shadow of the crape ring. As it passed eeper into this, there was a regular decrease in light until it sappeared in the shadow of the inner bright ring. From the servations it appears that the crape ring is truly transparent, the sunlight sifting through it. The particles composing it cut of an appreciable quantity of sunlight, and cluster more thickly, or the crape ring is denser, as it approaches the bright rings. GEOGRAPHICAL NOTES. AT the ordinary meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, Monday, Mr. C. M. Woodford read a paper on "Further Explorations of the Solomon Islands." He has visited these ends three times, and in the present paper he described what he saw during his third visit, in 1888. He took up his residence n the small island of Gavotu, off the coast of Gola, or Florida Island, a place centrally situated for visiting Ysabel, Guadalanar, and other islands. He stayed with a trader named Lars Nielson, who had since been killed and eaten by the natives, ad also three of his boys. Since last June no fewer than ats white men had been murdered by the natives of the Solomon Group, out of a total white population estimated at about thirty. Mr. Wolford's principal object in his last journey was to dentify the places visited by the Spanish Expedition under Meniana that discovered these islands in the year 1568. In this, e thought he might say, he had been entirely successful. Spaniards related that when they were between Florida and adalcanar they passed an island in the centre of which was a Farming volcano. This island was now conclusively identified The LOCUSTS IN INDIA. IN 1889, parts of Sind, Guzerat, Rajputana, and the Punjab were much troubled by locusts. A report on these destructive creatures is being prepared under the direction of the trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta ; and, in the hope that information about them, with specimens, may be obtained from persons who have had opportunities of observing them, Mr. E. C. Cotes, of the Indian Museum, has issued a preliminary note, summing up some of the principal facts that have already been brought together. This note is very interesting, and has been compiled chiefly from the records of the Revenue and Agricultural Department of the Indian Government. The generally received idea is that the locust which invades India belongs to the species usually spoken of as Acridium peregrinum, and supposed to have been the locust of the Bible. The identity of Indian locusts has not yet, however, been definitely ascertained, and this is one of the points which require elucidation. As far as we at present know, there seems reason to believe that while Acridium peregrinum extends its ravages into the dry plains of the Punjab and Rajputana, the locust which proved injurious in Madras in 1878, and in the Deccan in 1882-83, belongs to a very different species, which is probably Acridium succinctum. In order to settle the question it will be necessary to examine further specimens taken from destructive flights which have appeared in various localities, the material in the Indian Museum being at present insufficient. Dealing with the natural history of locusts generally, Mr. Cotes observes that all the different species which occur in various parts of the world breed permanently in barren elevated tracts where the vegetation is sparse. In years when they increase inordinately they descend in flights from their permanent breeding-grounds upon cultivated districts, where they destroy the crops, lay their eggs, and maintain themselves through one complete generation, but are unable to establish themselves permanently, usually disappearing in the year following the invasion, to be succeeded, after an interval of years, by fresh swarms from the permanent breeding-ground. Generally speaking, the life circle of a locust extends through one year, in which period it passes through its various stages of egg, young wingless larva, active pupa, and winged locust, which dies after laying the eggs that are to produce the next generation. The eggs are laid in little agglutinated masses in holes, which the female bores with her ovipositor in the ground. In temperate climates the eggs are usually deposited in the autumn, but in sub-tropical countries, such as India, where there is but little winter, the winged locusts live on through the cold season, and only die off after depositing their eggs in the following spring. In this case the eggs hatch after lying in the ground for about a month. In both temperate and sub-tropical regions alike, the young wingless locusts, on emerging from the eggs in the spring or summer, feed voraciously and grow rapidly for two or three months, during which period they moult at intervals, finally developing wings and becoming adult. The adult insects fly about in swarms, which settle from time to time and devour the crops. The damage done by locusts is thus occasioned in the first instance by the young wingless insects, and afterwards by the winged individuals into which the young are transformed after a couple of months of steady feeding. In Rajputana and the Punjab in 1869 the flights were said to have come chiefly from the vast tract of sand hills (Tecburs) between the Runn of Kutch and Bhawulpore, and partly from the Suliman Range in Afghanistan. Locusts wer: reported as usually to be found in the autumn in the Teeburs, and it is thought that this tract is probably a permanent breeding-ground. The whole question, however, of the permanent breeding grounds of these locusts is one that requires further investigation. The winged flights appeared throughout Central Rajputana in the latter part of the hot weather, and laid eggs which hatched as the rains set in; the old locusts dying after they had deposited their eggs. From these eggs were hatched young locusts which became full grown and acquired wings in August and September. The eggs laid by the original flights at the end of the hot weather were distributed throughout the whole of Central Rajputana, and a vast amount of injury was done, the crops being damaged, in the first instance, by the young locusts before they acquired wings, and afterwards by the winged swarms which flew about the country and settled at intervals to eat what had escaped the ravages of the young wingless locusts. In the Punjab, flights of locusts, from the Suliman Range, Afghanistan, appeared in the western border, in the end of April and in May. Eggs and young locusts were also found about this time near the hills in the sandy tracts of the same district. The flights seem generally to have moved from west to east, and by July to have spread themselves throughout the Punjab; but the laying of eggs and the hatching out of young went on, at least in the south-east, throughout August and September. In Bombay, locusts were noticed in May and June 1882, in the south-west of the Presidency; but they attracted little attention, such swarms being annual visitors of the Kanarese forests, and neither in Kanara nor in Dharwar did they cause any material injury. With the setting in of the south-west monsoon, however, they spread in flights over the Presidency to the north and north-east, and early in the rains proceeded to lay their eggs and die. These eggs hatched in the end of July and beginning of August, and the young locusts did a large amount of damage, over a wide area, through the months of August and September. In the early part of October, with the setting in of the northeast monsoon, the young locusts, which had by this time acquired wings, took flight, and travelled with the prevailing wind in a south-westerly direction, doing some injury in the Poona Collectorate as they passed. They then struck the Western Ghâts, and spread slowly over the Konkan in November, and thence travelled into the Native States of Sawantvadi and the Kanara district. During the remainder of the cold season and the following hot weather (December 1882, to the end of My 1883), the flights clung to the Ghâts, occasionally venturing inland into Belgaum, Dharwar, the Kolhapur State, and Satara, and devouring the spring crops in the Coast Districts, but ordinarily keeping in the vicinity of the hill ranges. With the commencement of the south-west monsoon, in the latter part of May 1883, the flights began to move in a north-easterly direction, as they had done the preceding year, but in larger numbers. At the commencement of the rains they began to alight in vast numbers over an immense tract of country, comprising six Deccan Collectorates and three Coast Collectorates. They deposited their eggs and died; and early in August the young locusts hatched out in countless numbers, but were apparently more backward, and possessed of less strength and stamina than were those of the previous year. The unusually heavy rainfall killed vast numbers of them in some parts of the country, and elsewhere the insects seemed stunted and feeble, and grew but slowly. They were destroyed in vast numbers by the vigorous measures initiated by Government officers, and were also said to be diseased and attacked by worms and other parasites. As late as November, the mass of the young locusts appeared still unable to fly, and made no general move, as they had done the year before, towards their permanent home in the south-west. The invasion was in fact at an end, and though swarms appeared in Sawantwadi in 1883-84, no further injury of a serious natur seems to have occurred. The injury occasioned to the rain crops by the locusts wassert considerable, over a great portion of the Deccan and Konke both in 1882 and 1883. But it was found, at the end of the invasion, that abundance of the cold weather crops had car pensated to so great an extent for the injury done to the ra crops, that, on the whole, no very widespread suffering t arisen. In 1878, when the Madras Presidency was invaded, the young locusts began to appear in January, and were found in gr numbers in different districts from then on till September 2 October, the earlier swarms being found in the west and sec of the Presidency, and the later ones in the north and e Winged locusts were first observed, in the end of March a d beginning of April, in the hills to the south-west (Wynand en Nilgiri), where they may be supposed to breed permanenție Thence, aided by the south-west monsoon, they gradually work their way over the Presidency to the east and northi, fina disappearing about November and December. The information hitherto obtained hardly justifies an decided conclusion as to the life history of the locust. Pe may be noticed that locusts were observed pairing in the S District, in the latter part of June, and also that the year, locusts, which were found, in the early part of May, in thi Udamalpet Taluk, were supposed to be the offspring of th large flights of winged locusts which had appeared in the pr ceding February in the same taluk. The connection betwe the autumn broods of locusts and those which appeared in ti• early part of the year has not been made out satisfactorily. Mr. Cotes ends his paper with an account of the che measures which have at different times been adopted in la against locusts, pointing out that, the locust of North-West ind being distinct from that of South-West India, measures i and useful in one invasion are not necessarily applicable in another. FIELD EXPERIMENTS ON WHEAT IN ITALY PROF. GIGLIOLI, of the Agricultural College at Portic. graduate of the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester has given to the Association of Proprietors and Farmers a Naples a voluminous and most carefully compiled Report a the results of the first year's experiments on wheat-growing at the experimental field of Suessola, about six kilometres fom Acemi The field is on the estate of Count Francesco Spinelli, wh generously lends it to the Association for experimental purposes. The district was celebrated in olden time for its fertility but was afterwards long neglected on account of its marshy nato, and the land beca ne sour and productive of disease. You again, drainage and improved cultivation have changed the 1 marshes into some of the best land of a fertile district. Tsoil of the experimental field is easily worked, friable, and her a good natural vegetation; no analysis of it, however, furnished. Giglioli points out that it is in too high condition a present for comparative manuring experiments, but admira suited for comparing different varieties of corn and difters methods of sowing and cultivation, as by dibbling and the las Weedon system. There are in all 102 plots devoted to trying the effects different manures, each plot being about 43 square metres, unmanured plots of a similar size devoted to different vanee of wheat; and 3 plots, each about twice the above-ment Del size, used for different methods of seeding and cultivat Paths were made round each plot, the paths being at rather lower level than the plots themselves The author disco the question of large and small plots, but concluded that most the conditions obtaining, small plots were the best for ass here On the 102 manured plots, Scholey squarehead wheat sown, with a great variety of manures-organic, nitrogen an phosphatic, and potassic; but it was afterwards found the variety of wheat was, unfortunately, not well suited to * climate and to the general purpose of these experiments. The 18 varieties experimented with, on the second series cluded several well-known English varieties, such as Halles pedigree white and red wheats, Chiddam, golden drop, Hanters "Resultati del Primo Anno di Esperimentu sulle Varietà e vu C del Frumento al Campo Sperimentale di Suessola nell' Anu A 1887-88." By Italo Giglioli. Pp. 508. (Naples, 1889.) |