The eggs were brought from Japan by Dr. Ishikawa, who attended a meeting in Honolulu, under the auspices of the Pan-Pacific Union, pertaining to fish conservation.

It is interesting to note that the ayu is a fish belonging to the salmon family (Salmonidae) which is abundant in Japanese and Formosan waters, occurring also in certain regions in North-eastern China and South Manchuria. Its scientific name is Plecoglossus altivelis , Schlegel, while Dr. David Starr Jordan, the well known authority on fish, has given it the popular name of the Japanese samlet. It bears an outward resemblance to the British char, especially in its colouring, but differs from all other members of the Salmonidae," in the formation of its teeth, which are arranged on serrated plates on the sides of the jaws and on the tongue. That it is an excellent and valuable food fish cannot be denied, but its value as a game fish has yet to be proved. We have secured specimens of this species in the streams that enter the sea at Shan-hai-kwan, North-east Chihli. Its habitat is the sea, but, like many other salmonids, it ascends rivers and streams to spawn.

NEW JERBOAS FROM MONGOLIA: In the American Museum Novitates, No.161, March 31, 1925, Dr. Glover M. Allen describes one new genus and two new species of jerboas, often called kangaroo rats, from Mongolia, collected on the Asiatic Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History.

These are (1) Allactaga bullata (new species), which resembles Radde's A. mongolica of the Gobi Desert in external characters, but is slightly smaller and has a smaller skull and very much larger bull,", which nearly meet at their anterior ends; and (2) Stylodipus andrewsi (new genus and species), which resembles Dipus in external characters, except that the hind foot is proportionately shorter, the tail tuft continues much further up towards the base, and the bull," of the skull are much larger. A. bullata was collected at Tsagan Nor, and 8. andrewsi at Ussuk, both in Mongolia.

The complete list of jerboas from Eastern Asia is as follows

1.Allactaga mongolica (Radde). Central Gobi.
2.Allactaga mongolica annulata (Milne-Edwards). South-western Mongolia.
3.Allactaga mongolica longior Miller. Kansu, China.
4.Allactaga bullata Allen. Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
5.Dipus sowerbyi Thomas. Ordos Desert, Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
6.Dipus halli Sowerby. North Chihli on the Mongolian Border, China.
7.StyLodipus andrewsi Allen. Gobi Desert, Mongolia.
Of these the first four 'are characterized by their greater size, longer ears, and the presence of five toes on the hind foot, while the last three are characterized by their size and the presence of but three toes on the hind foot. All are desert loving rodents remarkable for their long hind legs and extraordinary jumping powers.

ANEW HAZEL GROUSE FROM CHINA: Mr. J. H. Riley of the United States National Museum has recently described a new subspecies of hazel grouse from near Tatsienlu, Szechuen, China, which was taken by Mr. D. C. Graham. The form is named Tetrastes sewerzowi secunda, being a subspecies of Przewalski's T. sewerzowi; which probably came from the Labrang district on the Kansu-Tibetan border. The new form differs somewhat in colour and markings, having "the brown bars above and on the chest near hazel instead of huffy brown …" Below the black bars are thought to be broader, especially on the upper chest, and the flanks more tawny. This new form is described in The Auk VoL XLII, No.3' pp.422-3, July, 1925.

ANEW LIZARD FROM WEST CHINA: From near Luting Kiao, Western Szechuan, where the road to Tatsienlu crosses the Tung River, the Rev. D.C. Graham has sent to the United States National Museum specimens of a species of skink which Dr. L. Stejueger has described as new under the name Eumeces tunganus in the Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences, Vol. 14, No.16, pp. 3S3-4. The new form is said to be more nearly related to E. latiscutatus of Hallowell than to any other of the Chinese skinks.

A.D C. S. METEOROLOGY

THE NEWLY-DISCOVERED LUNAR-SOLAR CYCLE: With reference to our note in the January issue of this Journal upon the above subject, we have received the following comment from Dr. H. Chatley It is perhaps somewhat premature to criticize this alleged discovery before further particulars are available but it may be pointed out that the following objections appear difficult to get over
(1) The period of 744 years is rather too long to be derived accurately from the sun-spot period in our present state of knowledge as to the latter.
(2) The lunar aspect of the period seems devoid of meaning. The effects of the moon on the Sun are imperceptibly small and the moon's effects on the Earth's climate are so minute that their very existence is highly questionable.
(3) The subdivision of the period into halves and quarters is unprecedented. Simplicity such as this is quite unknown in astronomical and meteorological phenomena. Does it really mean that the basic period is 186 years ?
(4) The alleged regular recurrence of extreme winters at certain dates is very doubtfuL Solar variations could act on a whole hemisphere. Is there sufficient historic evidence that very cold or very hot spells occurred simultaneously over the northern half of the globe or were the records in question those of comparatively local crises? The main cause of extraordinary weather is unusual air circulation and this is usnally localized. On the whole I consider the greatest caution should be observed before admitting the general truth of this hypothesis.

H.C. MEDICINE

ANTI-LEPROSY CAMPAIGN IN CHINA: The presence of Dr. Danner of the International Mission to Lepers in China, and the interest he has aroused has resulted in the formation of a committee of Chinese and foreign medical men in Shanghai to further as regards China the movement to "rid the world of leprosy." Dr. Danner has been busy speaking and lecturing in Shanghai upon the work done in this line in other parts of the world and has roused considerable enthisiasm. It has not been decided yet whether the Shanghai organization to combat leprosy shall ho independent or an auxiliary branch of the International Mission to Lepers. The students of McTyeire School made the first donation of $60.00 towards the funds of the new organization. The officers and committee consist of the following:

Chairman:                          Dr. FONG F. SEc.
Honorary Secretary:          Mr. W. YIN50N LEE.
Honorary Treasurer:          Mr. J. C. LIND.
Committee                        Dr. MARY STONE, Dr. E. S. TYAU,
                                        Mrs. W. S. NEW, Mr. ANSON T. WONG,
                                        Mr. PERCY CEU and Mr. P. K. CEU.
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE AS AN ANTHELMINTIC: After prolonged experiment with carbon tetrachloride as an anthelmintic, Ass C. Chandler, PH.D, and A. K. Mukerji, X.B. (Indian Medical Gazette) arrive at the following conclusions.

As regards safety to the patient, carbon tetrachloride in a dose of from 3 to 5 cc. can be regarded as being as safe as any anthelmintic and distinctly safer than oil of chenopodium, provided certain precautions be taken. The drag must come up to a certain standard of purity it should be accompanied or followed by a saline purge; it is contra-indicated in badly under-nourished or very weak conditions; fats and alcohol shonid be avoidn when it is used; cirrhosis or other hepatic derangement is a contra-indication; and a diet rich in carbehydrates and poor in fats is indicated. It can be given with confidonce to kain-azar and malaria patients during remissions of fever, is well tolerated by young children and is sale in pregnancy. In these latter respects, chenopodium is distinctly inferior. Carben tetrachioride is distinctly saperior in eliminating Necators, whcroas it is slightly inferior to chenopodium in removing ankylostomes.

The remedy has been administered in capsules, or in water, castor oil, magnesium sulphate, or milk as a vehicle, with or without a subsequent saline purge. A 70- minim dose, followed by saline purge, has been found particularly effective. Com. bined with chenopodinm, the drag is especially valuable in ascaris infections. Promising results have been obtained in a few cases from rectal injections of carbon tetrachloride in warm milk. It has little or no action against Strongyloides or tapeworms.

H. H. L. F.

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