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physical conditions are the same. The measurements given in the paper show that between the limits λ=483 μ and λ=547μ this is very approximately true.

We have received from Messrs. W. and A. K. Johnston, Ltd., a convenient pad of sectional paper ruled in inches and tenths. The size of the sheets is 8 inches by 10 inches, and the price of the pad 1s. 6d. net.

MR. JOHN MURRAY has published a fourth edition of Mr. W. C. Clinton's "Electric Wiring." The first issue of the primer was reviewed in NATURE for October 23, 1902 (vol. lxvi., p. 629). Of the present edition it will suffice to say that in its revision an effort has been made to bring it up to date without increasing its size unduly.

THE current issue of The Central-the magazine of the Old Students' Association of the Central Technical College -commences the third year of publication of what has become an enterprising periodical. Some impressions of South Africa, by Prof. O. Henrici, F.R.S.; with the British Association in South Africa, by Dr. E. F. Armstrong; Mr. Freeman's account of the Witwatersrand, and Mr. Ashcroft's description of a lecture-table testing machine are all interesting contributions; and there are numerous first-rate illustrations.

A SECOND edition of Dr. W. D'Este Emery's "Handbook of Bacteriological Diagnosis for Practitioners" has been published by Mr. H. K. Lewis under the new title "Clinical Bacteriology and Hæmatology for Practitioners." Though the general scope of the book remains unaltered, several additions have been made. The additions to the bacteriological portion are mostly concerned with the examination of materials from special parts of the body. The hæmatological portion is almost all new, and provides a practical guide to blood examinations, especially their application to the diagnosis of disease. The price of the new edition is 7s. 6d. net.

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Illuminated portion of disc=0'760; of Mars 1'000.

Ceres in conjunction with Moon. Ceres 0° 38' S.

14h. 10m. to 15h. 2m. Moon occults γ Tauri
(mag. 3'9).
oh. 40m.

II).

Moon approaches near to a Tauri (mag.

14h. om. Jupiter in conjunction with Moon. Jupiter 3° 21' N.

19. 14h. om. to 16h. 40m. Transit of Jupiter's Satellite III. (Ganymede).

21.

Ih. 14m.

24. 7h.

29.

Partial eclipse of the Sun invisible at

Greenwich.
Venus in conjunction with Moon. Venus
1° 23' S.
Ioh. 33m.
Minimum of Algol (8 Persei).

THE FIGURE OF THE SUN.-In his discussion concerning the variable figure of the sun, which was referred to in these columns on January 18, Dr. Poor included the heliomeasures of the polar and equatorial diameters

meter

made by Messrs. Ambronn and Schur at Göttingen during the period 1890 to 1902, and found from them a confirmation of his previous conclusions.

The validity of the conclusions thus obtained is now questioned by Dr. Ambronn in No. 4, vol. xxiii., of the Astrophysical Journal. He points out that the variation, if it exists, cannot, according to the heliometer measures, exceed o" by any appreciable amount, and suggests that the measurement of the earlier photographic plates could not produce results accurate to this figure. Further, the measurements for 1894 furnish, for the more recent photographs, a proof that the oscillations adduced by Dr. Poor are not present.

After several other explanations Dr. Ambronn states that the most thorough investigation of the large amount of data collected at Göttingen has convinced him that this furnishes no justification for the suggested periodicity.

DISCOVERY OF ALGOL VARIABLES.-Circular No. 117 from the Harvard College Observatory announces the discovery that the star H1236 (-30°.16169 C.DM.) is an Algol variable having a range of about one magnitude and a period slightly exceeding two days.

This variable was discovered by Mrs. Fleming on a plate taken in accordance with the multiple-image method described in a previous Circular, and by which it is hoped to discover all the short-period variables of magnitude 10-0 and brighter. In this method a dozen or more exposures, each of thirty minutes' duration, are made on the same plate moved by a small amount between each exposure.

Plates covering nearly the whole of the sky have now been obtained under these conditions, but only a few have so far been examined; nevertheless, this is the second Algol variable thus discovered by Mrs. Fleming.

AN INTERESTING MINOR PLANET.-A recently-discovered minor planet (T.G.) proves to be of exceptional interest owing to its great mean distance.

Elliptical elements recently deduced by Dr. Berberich indicate that the mean distance of this asteroid is slightly greater than that of Jupiter, whilst its aphelion distance is nearly one unit beyond Jupiter's orbit. This discovery

so that they now extends the limits of the asteroids include a distance of 1-1, the perihelion distance of Eros, and one of 6-0 units, the aphelion distance of the newlydiscovered T.G. (the Observatory, No. 371).

OBSERVATIONS OF JUPITER IN 1903 AND 1905-6.-In continuation of his record of the observations of Jupiter made during the years 1898-1902 inclusive, which was published in vol. xiii. of the Monthly Notices, Mr. Denning now publishes (in vol. lxvi., No. 7) his results for the oppositions of 1903 and 1905-6.

During 1903, 1388 transits were observed, and of these 1188 were utilised in determining the rotation periods of the different zones as given in the present paper. The periods determined vary from 9h. 55m. 54 35. for the N. temperate markings to 9h. 50m. 27.9s. for the equatorial; value however, gives a less than only the latter, In the 1905-6 apparition the mean period 9h. 55m. 6.os. of rotation of the equatorial spots had increased 9h. 50m. 32.78., a value which is a few seconds in excess of that exhibited during the previous eight years. Mr. Denning also gives a number of notes on the apparition of 1905-6, dealing with the appearance and the variations of the different markings in detail. He also states that the best time for examining details on Jupiter is near the time of sunset.

to

The results of a number of micrometer measures of Jupiter's diameter and of the various belts, made at the Copenhagen Observatory during the recent opposition, are published in No. 4098 of the Astronomische Nachrichten by Dr. H. E. Lau.

PHOTOMETRIC OBSERVATIONS OF SATURN'S SATELLITES. In No. 4098 of the Astronomische Nachrichten Dr. P. Guthnick publishes the results of a series of photometric observations of Saturn's six brightest satellites. The observations were made during the summer and autumn of 1905 at the Bothkamp Observatory, and the results for Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Titan, and Japetus are set out in tabular form so as to show the anomaly of the satellite

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still be in French. This change concedes practically little;
for while it may be easy to prepare and read a paper in a
foreign language, it is extremely difficult to express on the
spur of the moment, in a language with which one is not
very familiar, exactly what one wishes to convey. The
chief privilege of members is the right to express their
views on questions before the congress, but this rule prac-
tically disfranchises all those unable to speak French.
Considerable dissatisfaction was felt at the severity with
which
was
the regulation
enforced. Indeed, many
foreigners thus compelled to speak in French were less
intelligible even to those acquainted with that language
than if they had been permitted to use their own tongue!
It is sincerely to be hoped that at the next session, which
has been fixed to meet in Dublin in 1909, this harsh bye-
law will be entirely abrogated, and that members of all
countries may be allowed, equally with their French col-
leagues, to address the congress in their own language.

66

The dominant subject of the second seance was the genuineness of the implements known as "eoliths." A series of mill-modelled flint nodules was exhibited, among which there was certainly a number closely resembling many Prestwichian types, but conspicuous by their absence were the decidedly purposeful and rationally usable Kentian forms. A small collection exhibited by Prof. Girod, obtained near Aurilliac, affirmed to be out of a bed of Tortonian (Miocene) gravels containing Hipparion, underlying a massive stratum of basalt, contained at least one eolith unquestionably of human manufacture. The occurrence was vouched for, by M. Rutot, of implements of a particular silex identical in form with those from Kent in pre-Glacial beds in Belgium in which no other silex pebbles of the same character and composition were present, and the manufacture and introduction of which could be due only to man. Prof. Ray Lankester submitted that he had recently placed on exhibition in the British Museum a considerable series of specimens selected from Prestwich's collection, all borer-like in form, too identical in shape and so obviously of rational utility for any possibility of their being the result of fortuitous natural collisions. The congress was, however, divided in opinion on the subject. At a later meeting a telegram from Prof. Schweinfurth, in Egypt, was read announcing full confirmatory evidence of the occurrence of eoliths in the Nile Valley. The most important part of the day's programme was the visit paid to the Grimaldi caves at the Red Rocks, between Mentone and Ventimiglia, the inspection commencing with the most easterly-the Grotte du Prince. This cave has been most systematically and scientifically explored by a trio of distinguished archæologists, Prof. Marcellin Boule, the Abbé de Villeneuve (director of the Archæo

THE International Congress of Anthropology and Prehistoric Archæology held its thirteenth session at Monaco, on the generous invitation of H.S.H. Prince Albert, Protecteur" of the congress, on April 16-21. The place of meeting was the Grande Salle of the beautiful and now nearly completed Museum of Oceanography in course of erection by this Royal savant. More than 400 members, of whom upwards of thirty were British, assembled under the distinguished presidency of Prof. Hamy, of the Institute of France. To the sincere regret of all the members, the Prince was prevented by illness from opening the proceedings as he had intended, and, indeed, from being present at any of its meetings. He was, however, represented by his son, the Crown Prince, who, accompanied by the high officers of the Principality, attended at the opening seance and read the address which his father was unable to deliver, and from which we quote the following sentences:-"Je me félicite de ce que mes efforts pour le développement de l'anthropologie m'aient permis de réunir, sur ce point de l'Europe où les vestiges de l'Humanité remplissent la terre, une assemblée comme la votre choisie entre les savants de plusieurs pays avancés. Je suis certain, d'ailleurs, que votre Congrès laissera au domaine scientifique, des notions importantes sur l'histoire de notre espèce, car les travaux tout récents de MM. Boule, Verneau, de Cartailhac, de Villeneuve suffisent à lui constituer un monument. . . . C'est dans le Palais de la mer que l'Anthropologie trouve accueil aujourd'hui ; et l'union de toutes les sciences alliées contre l'ignorance. l'Océanographie peut déjà relier certaines conquêtes de la Science. Car l'étude des lois physiques et chimiques de la mer conduit a l'explication des remaniements géologiques de notre planète et des luttes successives entre les continents et les mers. Les progrès de la Biologie et de la Zoologie marines permettent d'utiliser les révélations de la Paléontologie pour constituer l'échelle des transform-logical Museum of Monaco), and Prof. Verneau. With ations infiniment nombreuses par lesquelles une force que nous appellons la vie a fait passer la matière organique. Et la Météorologie, si intimement liée avec l'Océanographie par des rapports incessants, nous aide à comprendre les fluctuations, les migrations, et la distribution géographique des êtres, y compris celle de l'homme. Parmi les Congrès précédemment réunis ici même, il en est un, celui de la Paix, dont j'évoquerai le souvenir aujourd'hui, parce que la Science et la Paix sont inséparables et que l'Anthropologie, comme tous les Sciences, doit contribuer au bienêtre des hommes. The congress was formally welcomed also by H.E. M. Ritt, the Governor-General of the Principality, in a most courteous speech, which was acknowledged by representatives of the foreign delegates, Sir John Evans replying on behalf of Great Britain. The inaugural address of the president on the objects of the congress, the importance of its work, and the present position of prehistoric archæology concluded the first day's proceedings.

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By an ordinance of the congress, French is the only language permitted in verbal or written communications, a restrictive regulation, we believe, enforced at no other international convention. A proposition was, however, early submitted to the council at Monaco that other languages should be admissible, but it met with favour only so far as regards written communications, which, it was resolved, may now be presented also in English, Italian, or German. All verbal communications, however, must

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much trouble and no little risk to limb, the grotto-walls had been marked by labels and lines of paint to indicate the limits of the various horizons in correspondence with those on a diagram of a longitudinal section of the cave distributed to members. From an elevated crag the Abbé de Villeneuve gave an account of the method of excavation and of the discoveries made at the various levels, while Prof. Boule detailed the sequence of events from the geological and palæontological point of view. So lucid were both these demonstrations that no one could fail to carry away a perfectly clear comprehension of the original contents of the cave, and form their own opinion on the evidence for man's antiquity in this region afforded by its exploration. No human osseous remains were met with in this grotto, but worked implements occurred in abundance from the lowest to the highest layers. Those from the lowest beds, which were roughly worked and chiefly Mousterian in type, occurred in association with bones of Rhinoceros merckii, Elephas antiquus and hippopotamus, and with specimens of Cassis rufa, an Indian Ocean mollusc which may perhaps have been acquired by barter. The contents of this cave have been transported to the Archæological Museum in Monaco, and arranged with such care by the Abbé de Villeneuve in the order of succession of the various strata, and so accurately labelled, that it is impossible to overestimate the importance to anthropological science of this comparatively small collection.

The Barma (=Grotte) Grande next claimed attention

under the special guidance of Prof. Verneau, by whom the greater part of its exploration had been carried out. As is well known, this cave yielded several human skeletons, all of the Cro-Magnon type, the most deeply interred lying in association with bones of the reindeer. Several of these have been left in situ preserved under glass; while in a small museum erected, close by the mouth of the grotto, at the expense of Sir Thomas Hanbury, are arranged the bones and other objects discovered in it. After a hasty visit to the Grotte du Cavillon the congressionists proceeded to inspect the famous Grotte des Enfants under the same excellent guidance. The two celebrated skeletons from the lowest foyer of this cave, the types of Verneau's negroid Race Grimaldi, are safely preserved in the Monaco Museum. These discourses sub divo were necessarily succinct, but they were supplemented by fuller addresses of extreme interest during the following forenoon by the Abbé de Villeneuve, Profs. Boule and Verneau, and M. Cartailhac, under whose joint authorship a beautifully illustrated volume on the results of their exploration of these caves will shortly be published by the generous provision of the Prince of Monaco.

The

The next day's programme was reserved specially for papers on the engravings and frescoes on the walls of prehistoric caverns. The Abbé Breuil presented a communication on the process of the evolution of art during the Reindeer age, a résumé of a large work on which he is engaged, resulting from his laborious copying of the wall pictures of many caverns in collaboration with his colleagues Cartailhac, Capitan, Peyrony, and Bourrinet. The most important as well as most attractive item, however, was the exhibition by Dr. Capitan of a long series of lantern-slides of mural, engraved, and polychrome picturesthe latter in colour-most carefully copied by himself, the Abbé Breuil, and their associates named above, under the most trying and difficult conditions in the grottoes-more frequently than not far in their dark, damp, and cramped recesses of Mas-d'Azil, Combarelles, Marsoulas, Bernifal, Les Eyzes, de Freye (Dordogne), la Mouthe, Altamira, Font de Gaume, de Teyjat, La Greze, and others. number and variety of subjects depicted indicates powers of accurate observation and a mastery of hand in the arts of sculpture and drawing at that early age which are really astonishing, and it is evident that this wonderful capacity for art was the common heritage of Palaeolithic man in all parts of Europe. Rhinoceros merckii and some dozen other extinct quadrupeds appear to have been his favourite studies. Bison priscus, however, was the species most frequently and most characteristically represented, being perhaps the commonest or the most dreaded member of his fauna. The human figure was less frequently, and always rudely, portrayed, and usually with monstrous or grotesque faces, suggesting that actors in some ceremonial were intended to be depicted in masks, recalling the dance-masks of the Chiriqui and Arizona Indians. Further papers on the same theme occupied also a great part of the following morning's sitting, at which the most interesting exhibition was a series of burins and scrapers of flint from the Grotto of Eyzes, exquisitely manufactured of every degree of fineness-some of them worked at both ends-to serve the manifold purposes of the artist. They were unquestionably the very tools by which the wall pictures beside them had been executed. With the exception of a short note by Dr. Arthur Evans (who on rising was very warmly greeted by the congress), on the gean, Minoan, and Mycenæan epochs, the remainder of the communications on the day's programme dealt with the Bronze and Iron age in Europe.

The sitting of the forenoon of Saturday, April 21, was given up chiefly to the archæology of northern Africa. The most important communication was M. Flammaud's, on his discovery in the Sahara of megalithic monuments of new shapes and of peculiar sculpture, and on the numerous evidences he had obtained of contact between the interior of Lybia and Egypt in the Neolithic age. The afternoon was spent on an excursion through beautiful scenery via the well-known Tropaea Augusti at La Turbie to the mysterious prehistoric entrenchments occupying the summit of Mont Bastide, as that of many of the other foot-hills of the Maritime Alps. The congress assembled on Sunday afternoon for the formal closing ceremonies usual on such

occasions, the Prince of Monaco being again represented by his son, who, at the palace previous to the meeting. had, on his father's behalf, conferred the decoration of St. Charles on the presidents, the secretaries, and several of its more distinguished members, of whom Sir John Evans received the cross and ribbon of the Order.

Several social entertainments were given during the week en l'honneur des congressistes," including, besides a reception at the palace, an evening performance of Mephistofèles and a matinée concert, both in the beautiful Casino Theatre.

For those and they proved a goodly company-who could spare the time, a whole-day excursion, under the able leadership of M. Paul Goby, to the prehistoric monuments-dolmens, tumuli, and entrenchments-in the neighbourhood of Grasse was arranged by the excellent committee of organisation as a pleasant termination to a very successful and profitable session of the congress.

SUMMER TEMPERATURES OF THE NORTH

SEA.

THE " Bulletin Trimestriel" of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, for the period July to September, 1905, has just been issued. As the observations are for the summer months, they are naturally more numerous than in other seasons of the year, and an immense amount of material is dealt with. The increase in the number of surface observations, and the extension of the area from which they have been obtained, are specially noteworthy; a plate of nine charts showing the variations of mean temperature in the North Sea for tenday periods, from July 1 to September 30, 1905, is added to the usual quarterly maps. These charts have been prepared by dividing the area into squares of 1°, and 1° close to the coast, and the results checked by mean values from Dutch observations, worked up by a different method.

The sections drawn from the observations of the special steamers sent out by the different countries are very numerous in the narrower seas, forming a close network in the Baltic and the North Sea. A line north-eastward from Scotland defines the conditions across the northern entrance to the North Sea, but it is unfortunate that, except for some very useful lines running seaward from the coast of Ireland, and one section from Iceland to Færöe, information from the western section of the area is somewhat deficient, notably in the Færöe-Shetland Channel. It would be a great matter if observations in the depth could be carried further seaward to the southwest of the British Isles with the view of ascertaining the precise limit to which waters of Mediterranean origin penetrate northward, and in this connection an increase in the number of gas samples analysed would be of value.

UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL
INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD.-The following is the text of the speech delivered by Prof. Love in presenting Prof. J. Milne for the degree of D.Sc. honoris causa at the Encaenia on June 20:

In terrae motibus cognoscendis nemini profecto cedit Ioannes Milne. Hic ille est qui nova eademque plurima quaerendi instrumenta commentatus, quibus vim terrae motuum longinquis in locis redundantem emetiretur, ostendit tribus quibusdam momentis rem agi: duobus enim tremoribus medium terrae globum concutientibus succedere tertium latius patentem et in summo volitantem, sicut undam mare supereminentem. His repertis illud etiam consecutus est ut interioris terrae naturam et compagem certius cognosceret. Nullas profecto regiones non peragravit vir acerrimus, dum telluris superficiei studet, praecipuam vero laudem adeptus est quod rei publicae Iaponicae viginti annos inservit, Geologiae doctor insignis, fodinarum publicarum curator peritissimus. Ibi etiam sexcentas stationes disposuit omnia quae ad terrae motus pertinent et observantium et litteris mandantium. His etiam diebus patriae redditus in insula Vecti tale labor

aerium constituit vir strenuus,
hanc sectam secuti id agunt ut omnibus in terris eandem
eorum antesignanus qui
ipsi diligentiam praestent. Tantis tot strenuorum virorum
laboribus nonne id aliquando fieri potest ut de caecis horum
motuum causis paullo certiores fiamus?

CAMBRIDGE.-The Quick professorship of biology is
vacant. The professor is to devote himself to the study of
the Protozoa, especially such as cause disease. The stipend
is 1oool, a year.
The election will take place on July 26.
Candidates are to send their names and references to the
Vice-Chancellor by July 19.

Mr. R. A. Herman and Mr. H. W. Richmond have been appointed university lecturers in mathematics.

The Raymond Horton-Smith prize, for an M.D. thesis On Changes in Sensation Associated with Gross Lesions of the Spinal Cord," has been awarded to Mr. H. Theodore Thompson, of Christ's.

The Gordon-Wigan prize of 5ol. for chemistry has been awarded to F. E. E. Lamplough, a research in Trinity.

EARL CARRINGTON, President of the Board of Agriculture, will open the new buildings at the South-Eastern Agricultural College, Wye, and distribute the diplomas and prizes, on Wednesday, July 18, at 3.15.

THE Court of the University of Manchester has decided to confer the following honorary degrees :-D.Sc. on Prof. Emil Fischer, professor of organic chemistry in the University of Berlin, and on Prof. Adolf von Baeyer, professor of organic chemistry in the University of Munich; M.Sc.Tech. on Mr. Ivan Levinstein, and M.Sc. on Mr. James Grier, lecturer in pharmacognosis.

PROF. A. MELVILLE SCOTT, late 1851 Exhibition scholar from the University of Toronto, has resigned his position as professor of physics and electrical engineering at the University of New Brunswick to accept the office of superintendent of schools for the city of Calgary, Alberta. His successor will be Prof. W. H. Salmon, a graduate of Cambridge, now of King's College, Windsor, N.S.

NEW science buildings, built and equipped at a cost of 7000l, were opened at Repton School on the occasion of the speech day, June 21, by Sir Oliver Lodge, F.R.S. The buildings are largely the result of the munificence of Lord Burton, until recently the chairman of the governing body. In the course of his address, Sir Oliver Lodge spoke of the importance of the study of science, and particularly of astronomy, in order that a better conception of the universe, of its magnitude, and man's place in it might be obtained.

It is announced in Science that the Woman's College of Baltimore has now received gifts amounting to 116,000l. Of this amount 100,000l. was needed to clear the college of debt, and 16,000l. will be added to the endowment fund. Mr. Andrew Carnegie gave 10,000l., the Massey estate 10,000l. other gifts range from small amounts to 6000l. We learn from the same source that Governor Higgins has approved a Bill appropriating 16,000l. for a school of agriculture at St. Lawrence University, with an additional 1400l. for maintenance. This school, it is understood, will be managed in cooperation with the authorities of the State College of Agriculture at Cornell University. By the will of Catherine L. R. Catlin, of New York, 2000l. is left to New York University.

In the House of Lords on Monday Lord Barnard asked the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he has been able to consider the representations made to the secretary of the Board, on December 5, 1905, by a deputation from universities, colleges, and agricultural institutions, and whether there is any prospect of an increased grant to such institutions. In the course of his reply, Earl Carrington said no money could be better spent than that which is applied to helping farmers to meet the fierce and growing competition which they have to encounter from all sides. Some time ago 4500l. was voted towards this object, and in 1906 the vote has risen to 11,500l. The sum is small, it is true, when compared with the amounts voted in other countries, but the country has NO. 1913, VOL. 74]

213

no

received the full value of the grant owing to the cordial cooperation and good work of the different county councils. He suggested that some inquiry should be held into the system of agricultural education. There has been inquiry since 1888-nearly twenty years ago. If it should appear that there is good ground for an increase of grant, those who advocated such an increase would find their hands strengthened very considerably.

A MEETING of university extension students and others is to be held at Cambridge on August 2-28. subject of study will be the eighteenth century, especially The principal the period 1714-1789. Among the lectures arranged, the following, dealing with subjects of science, may be Clayden; a total eclipse of the sun, by the Rev. T. E. R. mentioned :-Cloud problems in astronomy, by Mr. A. W. Phillips; great astronomers of the eighteenth century, by Mr. Arthur Berry; the Milky Way and the clouds of Magellan, by Mr. A. R. Hinks; the dawn and progress of modern geology, by Dr. R. D. Roberts; great botanists of the eighteenth century, by Prof. W. B. Bottomley; great zoologists of the eighteenth century, by Mr. L. A. Borradaile; and the beginnings of the steam engine, by others of interest to students of the methods of science Mr. E. K. Hanson. Besides these purely scientific lectures, occur in the programme, such as those by Mr. H. Yule Oldham on the teaching of geography, and by Mr. E. A. Parkin on hygiene in schools. Practical courses in chemistry and botany, primarily for teachers, will also be held. Forms of entry and further information will be supplied by the Rev. D. H. S. Cranage, Syndicate Buildings, Cambridge.

IN the May issue of the Transactions of the Oxford University Junior Scientific Club is a thoughtful paper by education. The spirit of the paper provides an encouraging Mr. M. H. Godby on the place of natural science in sign of appreciation of the value of scientific studies, and serves to show that a generous recognition of the importance of a training in the methods of science is producing a beneficial effect upon the present generation of Oxford students. Mr. Godby first indicates the influence on British speculative thinkers to the importance of founding theories education exerted by Bacon in directing the attention of on knowledge gained from the senses, and subsequently refers approvingly to Herbert Spencer's insistence upon the necessity of training the body and the value of a scientific education. As indicative of modern tendencies at Oxford one or two of the writer's remarks may be cited :-" The man of science perhaps alone of all men understands and appreciates the value of working hypotheses, even when they are wrong. authorities to Nature herself, and so there is produced a "A great charm, too, of science is that one can always appeal against the decisions of tutors and develop self-respect and to encourage independence and freedom from the awe of authority which must tend to originality. "Science is more capable of arousing the interest of its students than other subjects. There is a sort of spirit of antagonism, a feeling that you are pitting yourself against Nature and trying to unravel her secrets, sporting instincts of English boys." It is satisfactory to and this feeling is just what will always appeal to the find that young Oxford is alive to the responsibility of the University for the growth of scientific knowledge.

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REPLYING to a question in the House of Commons on Tuesday as to the action which the President of the Board of Education proposes to take on the report of the Departmental Committee on the Royal College of Science, &c.; and as to whether any reorganisation of the University of London is contemplated, with a view to the association with it of the proposed Technological College, Mr. Lough said:-The Board is at present engaged in the preparation of a scheme for the establishment of a new institution on lines corresponding as closely as possible to those recommended by the departmental committee. The Board agrees with that committee in regarding it as of first importance that there should be no delay in the organisation of the institution, and with the recommendation of the mittee that its relation to the University of Londen the first instance, be that of a in "school of the I -a recommendation in which the senate

has informed the Board that it concurs. In considering the constitution of the new institution the Board has had under consideration the suggestion of the departmental committee (No. 94, p. 27) that, without delaying the commencement of the new institution's work, a Royal Commission should be appointed to consider whether changes could advisedly be made in the character and constitution of the University which may make it desirable and possible to amalgamate the two institutions. It has also had before it the resolution of the senate of the University deprecating the appointment of such a Royal Commission within so short a period after the reorganisation of the University, and expressing the desire that opportunity should be afforded for conference between the Board and the Senate as to any changes of the kind suggested. In the course of the conference, which took place on March 9, between the Board of Education and a deputation from the University senate upon these matters, the suggestions thrown out by the University deputation seemed to be contingent, practically, upon the incorporation of the new institution within the University. As this would necessitate a prolonged delay in the starting of the institution, which the committee specially recommended should be avoided, the Board has found it impracticable to proceed on those lines, but is hastening as much as possible the preparation of a draft charter on the lines of the report of the departmental committee.

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Magnetic detectors for wireless telegraph purposes have proved satisfactory for telephonic reception, but have not hitherto been capable of furnishing continuous currents suitable for use with recording instruments. The author has devised a new form of magnetic detector which is capable of furnishing both continuous and alternating currents, the former for recording purposes and the latter for telephonic reception. The apparatus consists of a form of differential dynamo, having two similar armatures on the same shaft. The armature cores are of iron or steel wires. The electromotive forces generated by the

two armatures are opposed to each other and normally balance, so that no potential difference is detectable at the commutator brushes. Oscillations set up in the receiver aërial as a result of signals are led through the magnetic wire forming one armature core, causing it to take up a higher induction, and thus disturbing the balance, a continuous current being obtainable from the brushes so long as the oscillations persist. This current is utilised for actuating the recording instrument or relay. For simultaneous reception of the signals on the telephone, the alternating current generated as a result of the action of oscillations is taken off, by means of slip-rings and brushes, before it is commuted into unidirectional current. May 17." Some Stars with Peculiar Spectra.' By Sir Norman Lockyer, K.C.B., F.R.S., and F. E. Baxandall.

This paper relates to a few stars the spectra of which show certain peculiarities that make them not altogether conformable to any common type. The most notable of these stars are α Andromeda, Auriga, a Canum Venaticorum, and e Ursa Majoris. They are all on the descending side of the Kensington curve of stellar temperature, the first three being of the Markabian type and the last of the Sirian type. A short account is given of the spectrum of each of these stars.

a Andromeda has recently been found by Slipher, of the Lowell Observatory, to be a spectroscopic binary with a period of about 100 days. Prior to this, an investigation of the various Kensington spectra of a Andromeda, taken in the years 1900-4, appeared to indicate slight changes in the relative intensity, position, and definition of some of the lines in the various photographs. There

does not, however, seem to be any regularity in these changes, either in the lines themselves or in the manner in which they are affected, so that it has not been possible to come to any conclusion as to their real significance. Additional photographs will be necessary to test whether the changes in the spectrum bear any relation to the period established by Slipher. The spectrum of a Andromedæ also shows a set of well-marked strange lines which do not occur in any other celestial spectrum, and for which records of terrestrial spectra afford no satisfactory clue as to origin.

Auriga and a Canum Venaticorum show several strange lines nearly identical in the two spectra, but entirely different from the strange lines of a Andromeda. No terrestrial equivalents have been found for these stellar lines.

In Ursa Majoris, the chief deviations from the Sirian type are the weakening of the silicium (group ii.) lines and the strengthening of the enhanced lines of chromium.

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Entomological society, June 6.-Mr. F. Merrifield, president, in the chair.-Exhibits.-Specimens of Lomechusa strumosa, F., taken with Formica sanguinea at Woking on May 26 and 29: H. St. J. Donisthorpe. Only two other British examples are known, one taken by Sir Hans Sloane on Hampstead Heath in 1710, the other found by Dr. Leach, in the early part of the last century, while travelling in the mail-coach between Gloucester and Cheltenham. -A case to illustrate a large number of the life-histories of Coleophorids, notes on which have appeared in the society's Proceedings or in the Entomological Record: H. J. Turner.-A few butterflies from Majorca, captured between April 8 and April 20: H. Lupton. A specimen of Crambus ericellus, Hb., taken at Loughton, Essex, August 8, 1899, not previously recorded from further south than Cumberland; two specimens of Nola confusalis. H.S. ab. columbina, Image, taken in Epping Forest, May 5 S. Image. The first examples of this aberration were taken by the exhibitor at the same locality, May 22, 1905, and a specimen of Peronea cristana, F., the ground colour of upper-wings abnormally black, even in Epping Forest, August 19, 1905.-The type of Spathortensely black than in the ab. nigrana, Clark, also taken rhamphus corsicus, Marshall, from Vizzavona, Corsica : J. H. Keys. This fine Anthribid was supposed by some coleopterists to have been an accidental importation into the mountainous regions of the island, but was no doubt taken Platyrrhinus latirostris, in numbers, at the same endemic. Mr. G. C. Champion remarked that he had locality, in the beech and pine forests (Pinus laricio) along the line of railway, above the tunnel.-Specimens of African Pierinæ found by Mr. C. A. Wiggins on February 2 settled on damp soil near the Ripon Falls, single sweep of the net: Dr. F. A. Dixey. Eight species Victoria Nyanza, and caught, to the number of 153, at a were represented; the examples were all males, and, with one exception, belonged to the dry-season form of their respective species.-Notes on Natal butterflies, received from Mr. G. H. Burn, of Weenen, and the four individuals of Euralia wahlberghi, Wallgr., and E. mima, Trim., captured by Mr. G. A. K. Marshall, near Malvern, Natal: Prof. E. B. Poulton. Prof. Poulton then exhibited Mr. Marshall's latest demonstration of seasonal phases in South African species of the genus Precis, the proof by actual breeding that P. tukuoa, Wallgr., is the dry-season phase of P. ceryne, Boisd. Prof. Poulton further showed 325 butterflies captured in one day by Mr. C. B. Roberts, between the eighth and tenth mile from the Potaro River, British Guiana, and directed attention to the preponderance of males.-Papers.-Some bionomic notes on butterflies from the Victoria Nyanza region, with exhibits from the Oxford University Museum: S. A. Neave. The habits of a species of Ptyelus in British East Africa: S. L. Hinde, illustrated by drawings by Mrs. Hinde.-(1) Mimetic forms of Papilio dardanus (merope) and Acraea johnstoni; (2) Predaceous insects and their prey: Prof. E. B. Poulton. Studies on the Orthoptera in the Hope Department, Oxford University Museum, i., Blattida; and a note on a feeding experiment on the spider Nephila maculata: R. Shelford.

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