214 NATURAL SCIENCE [September 1898 



The expedition of Mr C. E. Borchgrewink to the Antarctic is to sail early 

 in October on board the ' Southern Cross,' built by Mr Colin Archer, architect 

 of the Tram.' The scientific staff includes Sub-Lieutenant AVilliam Colbeck, 

 R.N.R., and Mr Louis Bernacchi of the Melbourne Observatory, as magnetic 

 officers ; Dr Herlof Klovstad of Christiauia Observatory, as medical officer ; 

 Messrs Nicolai Hansen and Hugh Evans, as zoologists and collectors. 



The Egyptian Geological Survey proposes to attack the Peninsula of Sinai 

 during the coming winter. From Dr W. F. Hume, who, with Mr Skill as 

 topographer, will survey regions as yet little explored, we look for some in- 

 teresting results. 



The Congo Independent State intends to make a thorough scientific survey of 

 Tanganyika. Twenty observation and experiment stations have already been 

 built, and collections will be made of the flora, fauna, and geological specimens. 

 The results have to be published at Brussels in a new periodical, the Scientific 

 Annals, which will appear every six weeks. 



An expedition is being fitted out in Amsterdam for the zoological, botanical, 

 and oceanographic exploration of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The 

 leader will be Dr Max Weber, professor of zoology at Amsterdam University. He 

 will be accompanied by Mrs Weber, who will have charge of the botanical section 

 of the researches, and by Dr J. Versluys and Mr H. F. Nierstrasz, who will 

 assist in zoology. 



The German deep-sea expedition, on the s.s. ' Valdivia,' of the Hamburg- 

 American Line, Captain Krech, left Cuxhaven at 8 p.m. on August 1st, and crossed 

 to Granton. Some successful trials of the apparatus were made on the way. The 

 scientific staff consists of Prof. Chun of Leipzig, director ; Prof. Schimper of Bonn 

 as botanist, Drs Apstein and Vanhoffen of Kiel, and Dr Braem of Breslau, as 

 zoologists ; Dr G. Schott of Hamburg as oceanographer ; Dr P. Schmidt of Leip- 

 zig as chemist. Navigating officer Sachae, Dr Bachmann of Breslau as bacteriolo- 

 gist and medical officer. Non-official members are the zoologists, Dr Brauer of 

 Marburg a/L., and Dr zur Strassen of Leipzig ; and Mr F. Winter of Frankfort, 

 as draughtsman and photographer. The laboratories and cabins are spacious and 

 admirably fitted up, and the ship is sujiplied with a fine scientific library. On 

 the evening of August 4 the ' Valdivia ' again sailed for the Faroe Channel ; she will 

 pass round the north of Scotland, and then go clown to Cape Town, where she is 

 due towards the end of November. 



