440 NATURAL SCIENCE. Dec. 1895. 



(vice-president), and Mr. David Draper (secretary), the three principal o'^cers and 

 founders of the Geological Society of South Africa. 



The third French Congress of Medicine will be held in i8g6 at Nancy, under 

 the presidency of Dr. Pitres, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Bordeaux. 



Professor E. D. Cope has been elected President of the American Associa- 

 tion for 1896. The meeting will be held at Buffalo in August. B. K. Emerson will 

 preside over geology ; Theodore N. Gill over zoology; N. L. Britton over botany; 

 and a woman, Alice C. Fletcher, over anthropology. 



A TELEGRAM from Aden, dated November 3, announces the safety of the 

 Donaldson-Smith expedition. Letters have been received from Dr. Forsyth Major, 

 dated August 27, from Central Madagascar, announcing the welfare of himself and 

 his companion, Mr. Robert. 



The German Committee for the exploration of the South Polar regions has 

 decided to send two vessels southwards from Kerguelen Island, and to leave full 

 liberty of action to the leaders. The total sum to be allotted for the expedition, which 

 is to last three years, is fixed at 950,000 marks. 



Dr. W. J. McGee, of the Bureau of American Ethnology, has started, says 

 Science, to explore the hitherto unknown portion of Sonora county in Mexico, and 

 Tiburon Island on the coast of Mexico, inhabited by the treacherous and blood- 

 thirsty Seri Indians. 



Payment by results has long been the bugbear of those trying to do good 

 educational work under an official system. We are therefore glad to hear that the 

 Science and Art schools and classes throughout the country have been informed of a 

 minute of the Committee of Council on Education sanctioning attendance grants, 

 at least as an experiment for a limited time. According to this plan, the grant will 

 depend partly on attendance and partly on examination results. The adoption of 

 the scheme by any local committee is optional, but only those schools or classes 

 whose teaching and equipment are reported to be thoroughly satisfactory can elect 

 to come under it. 



ERRATA. 

 We regret that on the wrappers of recent numbers two gentlemen have been 

 assigned to posts which they do not occupy. Mr. H. N. Dickson, one of the 

 assistant secretaries during the meeting of the Geographical Congress, was described 

 as its Secretary ; and Mr. H. A. Miers, the editor to the Mineralogical Society, was 

 called its Secretary. We apologise to the rightful holders of the titles in question. 



NOTICE. 



To Contributors, — All communications to he addressed to the Editor 

 of Natural Science, at 22, St. Andrew Street, Holborn Circus, 

 London, E.C. Correspondence and notes intended fov any particular month 

 should be sent in not later than the 10th of the preceding month. 



To THE Trade. — Natural Science is published on the 25//! of each 

 month ; all advertisements should be in the Publishers' hands not later than the 

 20th. 



The " Challenger " Number. — In reply to enquiries, we remind our 

 readers that, although the First edition of this ran out of print immediately, 

 there are still some copies of the Second edition to be obtained at the usual price — 

 One Shilling. No more will now be printed, so orders should be sent at once. 



