HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



39 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



At the last meeting of the Cryptogamic Society of 

 Scotland, Mr. J. King gave an account of the mould 

 producing the potato disease, and expressed his belief 

 that the constitution of the potato plant had become 

 enfeebled through the methods of cultivation it had 

 experienced, so that it could not withstand the attacks 

 of the parasitic fungus so well. The disease is un- 

 known among the potatoes cultivated in Chili, but 

 some grown in this country by Mr. King were not 

 quite proof against it. 



The [pastor and members of the Free Christian 

 Church, Shrewsbury, have just put up a mural tablet 

 with the following inscription : — " To the memory 

 of Charles Robert Darwin, author of ' The Origin of 

 Species,' born in Shrewsbury, February I2th, 1S09. 

 In early life a member of, and a constant worshipper 

 in this church. Died April 19th, 18S2." 



Professor J. W. H. Trail describes in the last 

 number of " The Scottish Naturalist " several species 

 of leaf-parasites which are new or rare in Britain. 

 They include Doassansia alismates, Entyloina calen- 

 dula:, Entylo7na canesccns, and Protomyces rhizohius. 



Mr. C. B. Plowright, from actual observation, 

 records the fact that the squirrel is a fungus-eating 

 animal. 



All the five older planets were visible during 

 some part of the evening, in the first week of 

 January. 



A NEW book is announced by the editor of 

 Science-Gossip, under the] title of "The Sagacity 

 and Morality of Plants " (illustrated), to be published 

 by Messrs. Chatto & Windus shortly. 



A MEETING and conversazione of the National 

 Association of Science and Art teachers was held in 

 Manchester on December 22nd. All kinds of books, 

 models, diagrams, and other apparatus connected 

 with science teaching were exhibited. Professor 

 Roscoe was in the chair. Such an association is 

 much required among science teachers, who are just 

 now rather too much under the imperious command 

 of the South Kensington Bureaucracy. 



Among the lectures to be delivered at the Royal 

 Institution before Easter, are the following : — "The 

 Origin of the Scenery of the British Isles," by 

 Professor Geikie ; "Animal Heat; its Origin, Dis- 

 tribution, and Regulation," by Professor McKendrick ; 

 " The older Electricity ; its Phenomena and Investi- 

 gation," and on " Rainbows," by Professor Tyndall ; 

 " The Building of the Alps," by Professor Bonney ; 

 "The Darwinian Theory of Instinct," by Dr. G. J. 

 Romanes; "Theory of Magnetism," by Professor 

 Hughes ; "The two Manners of Motion of Water," 

 by Professor Osborne Reynolds. 



The population of China has recently been 

 estimated at 250,000,000. 



We are sorry to have to record the death of the 

 well-known American microscopist, Mr. Robert B. 

 Tolles, of Boston. In the United States he was 

 distinguished as the maker of the highest power 

 microscopes. His telescopes were almost equally 

 famous for their perfection. 



We are pleased to observe that an old and valued 

 contributor to our columns, Professor Sollas, late 

 of the Bristol Museum, has been appointed to the 

 Professorship of Geology in Trinity College, Dublin. 



Attention has been recently drawn to the fact 

 that in the Japanese seas numerous fish are very 

 poisonous if eaten, and it has been suggested that all 

 the ships going there should be provided with de- 

 scriptive representations of the poisonous kinds. 



" A WHITE ELEPHANT " has long done duty as a 

 figure of speech. Now we may have the opportunity 

 of seeing a real one in the flesh, for one has been 

 purchased in British Burmah for Mr. Barnum, and is 

 now on view in London. 



We are sorry to find that Mr. R. A. Proctor, the 

 energetic editor of our contemporary, "Knowledge," 

 is obliged to take two months' mental rest, by medical 

 advice. Mr. Proctor did not give himself time to get 

 over the shock he received in the railway accident 

 last July. 



The planting of our waste grounds with suitable 

 trees for timber is advocated in "Woods and Forests." 

 The writer states there is hardly a vacant corner or 

 heathy waste which will not produce valuable crops 

 of timber, of one kind or another 



The " Report of the Local Scientific Societies' 

 Committee," consisting of Mr. Francis Galton (chair- 

 man), the Rev. Dr. Crosskey, Mr. C. E. De Ranee, 

 Mr. H. G. Fordham (secretary), Mr. John Hopkin- 

 son, Mr. R. Meldola, Mr. A. Ramsay, Professor 

 Sollas, Mr. G. J. Symons, and Mr. W. Whitaker, 

 has been published. It gives a list of all the local 

 scientific societies which publish "Proceedings," &c., 

 their headquarters, number of members, name of 

 secretary, &c. 



Under the title of "The Medical Annual," a 

 year-book for the study table of the medical prac- 

 titioner, has just appeared, edited by Mr. Percy R. 

 Wilde, M.B. There can be no doubt this book 

 meets a long-felt want. Its contents are exceedingly 

 well planned, and include a concise summary of the 

 principal hints and facts in medicine, surgery, and 

 therapeutics, which have appeared within the last 

 twelve months in no fewer than one hundred and fifty 

 British and foreign medical journals. Dr. Wilde has 

 done his work well, and we have no doubt will reap 

 his reward. The book is published by Henry 

 Kimpton, 82 High Holborn. 



