HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



187 



large glaciers in Switzerland and especially in Green- 

 land. This leads to the hypothesis of a vast 

 development of glaciation on the surface of Mars, 

 where, the seasons being relatively longer and the 

 temperature much lower, the conditions must also 

 ■be more favourable than on the earth for these 

 manifestations." 



The " Liverpool Mercury," speaking of Mr. Isaac 

 Roberts' Pantograver, says : — " This is a simple 

 •engraving instrument, by Mr. Isaac Roberts, of 

 Maghull, well known in the world of astronomy for 

 his work in stellar photography. This machine is 

 intended to transfer the star pictures on the glass 

 negative direct to a copper plate, from which they 

 can be printed without being retouched by hand. At 

 •first glance the instrument appears very complicated, 

 but in operation it is really quite simple, and the 

 results are astonishing. The engraving tool is a 

 diamond, and the star circles can be either enlarged 

 or reduced at will. By the aid of this pantograver, as 

 Mr. Roberts calls it, a negative containing five 

 hundred stars can be copied upon a metal plate by 

 an average operator in one day, and the plate thus 

 produced will be scientifically as accurate as the 

 negative, and any number of copies can be produced 

 by the printer for observations and measurements. 

 The full significance of this invention will probably 

 be realised only by those engaged in the work ; but 

 it is evident to all that reproducing stellar photo- 

 graphs by any means hitherto known to us introduces 

 •elements of uncertainty which render accurate work 

 from copies almost impossible. By the application 

 of the pantograver, it will be possible to produce at a 

 very small cost an accurate star map of the heavens, 

 and so the indefinite delay of an expensive catalogue 

 scheme will now go to the wall." 



The opening of the Marine Biological Station, at 

 Plymouth, on the 30th of June, was an event in the 

 history both of our fisheries and of practical biology. 

 We have never yet had in England or Wales any 

 place where the scientific study of our fish fauna could 

 be carried on, and having regard to the work that 

 has been done in the United States, in Germany, 

 and at Naples, we have fallen sadly behindhand. 

 Scientific fish culture, properly so called, is quite 

 unknown in this country. We have not even any 

 reliable scientific observations on our fisheries and 

 the migration of fish that can be relied upon. The 

 success of the undertaking is greatly, if not chiefly, 

 due to the unabated efforts of Prof. Ray Lankester. 



The British Association meets this year at Bath, 

 on the 5th of September, under the genial presidency 

 of Sir F. Bramwell, the great engineer. 



The Editor of Science-Gossip has now only a 

 few nights open for lecture-engagements next winter. 

 His list of engagements is limited, on account of 



other work, and this year it has b;en filled unusually 

 early. 



In the "American Naturalist " for May appears an 

 interesting paragraph, entitled " The Monkey as a 

 Scientific Investigator." 



Those who can, should read Dr. B. W. Richard- 

 son's lecture delivered before the Sanitary Institute 

 on July 12th, upon " The Storage of Life." 



Among the big things to be discussed at the forth- 

 coming meeting of the British Association will be 

 the Formation of Coral Reefs. Perhaps the Duke of 

 Argyll will take part in it ! 



MICROSCOPY. 



New Slides. — We notice with pleasure No. 22 

 of Mr. Fred Enoch's slides and the accompanying 

 "sketch." Both are devoted to that extraordinary 

 insect Nycteribia Hopei — the parasite of the Indian 

 flying fox. The slide is an unusually good mount. 

 The insect is more like a spider than a fly, and if it 

 had only two legs more, would be mistaken for one. 



Quekett Microscopical Club. — The last 

 number of the journal of the above club contains 

 the following papers: "Notes on Marine Aquaria," 

 by H. J. Waddington ; " On Arachnoidiscus as a 

 Test for High-power Objectives," by T. F. Smith ; 

 " On some Remarkable Spicules from the Carnaru 

 Deposit," by B. W. Priest ; " On the Reproductive 

 Organs, especially the Antheridia of some of the 

 Floridece," by T. H. Buffham ; " On true and false 

 Images in Microscopy," by T. F. Smith; "On the 

 Interpretation of a Photo-micrographic Phe- 

 nomenon," by the Abbe Diffraction Theory," by E. 

 M. Nelson. 



Scales on Red Currants. — I do not know 

 whether it is generally known (for I have not been 

 able to find any mention of it in works on the micro- 

 scope) that the red currant contains a very beautiful 

 object for the polariscope. Most people have no 

 doubt experienced the discomfort, after eating this 

 fruit, of numerous flat scales adhering to the tongue 

 or mouth , if these are scraped off the tongue and 

 examined with the polariscope I think they will 

 please. The colours are subdued and very beautiful ; 

 they will bear a |-inch objective. I believe these 

 scales are situated in the crown of the fruit, but have 

 not been able to discover their use or exact form, as 

 they are very easily broken. I shall be glad of any 

 information on the subject any of your numerous 

 readers may be able to offer. — Sidney y. Tindall. 



The Royal Microscopical Society. — The 

 June number of the journal of the above society, 

 besides the usual copious summary of current re- 



