II A RD WICKE ' S S CIENCE- G O SSI P. 



"5 



Rising, Southing, atid Setting of the Principal 

 Planets at intervals of Seven Days. 



the average in the corresponding weeks of the 20 

 years ending 1868. The general direction of the 

 wind was N.E., and the horizontal movement of the 

 air averaged 9.3 miles per hour, which was 3.9 below 

 the average in the corresponding weeks of 16 years. 

 Rain or melted snow was measured on two days of 

 the week, to the aggregate amount of 0.50 of an inch. 



For the week ending 26th March, the mean reading 

 of the barometer was 29.55 m « The mean tempera- 

 ture of the air was 40.7 deg. and 1.2 below the 

 average in the corresponding weeks of the 20 years 

 ending 1868. The direction of the wind was variable, 

 and the horizontal movement of the air averaged 18.2 

 miles per hour, which was 5.5 above the average in 

 the corresponding weeks of 16 years. Rain fell on 

 four days of the week, to the aggregate amount of 

 O.36 of an inch. 



For the week ending 2nd April, the mean reading 

 of the barometer was 29.86 in. The mean tempera- 

 ture of the air was 44.0 deg., and 0.4 below the 

 average in the corresponding weeks of the 20 years 

 ending 1868. The direction of the wind was variable, 

 and the horizontal movement of the air averaged 14.9 

 miles per hour, which was 2.4 above the average in 

 the corresponding weeks of 16 years. Rain fell on 

 three days of the week, to the aggregate amount of 

 0.40 of an inch. 



For the week ending 9th April, the mean reading 

 of the barometer was 29.73 i n - The mean tempera- 

 ture of the air was 42.3 deg., and 4.3 below the 

 average in the corresponding weeks of the 20 years 

 ending 1868. The direction of the wind was variable, 

 and the horizontal movement of the air averaged 19.8 



miles per hour, which was 6.7 above the average in 

 the corresponding weeks of 16 years. Rain fell on 

 two days in the week, to the aggregate amount of 

 0.12 of an inch. 



It is specially noteworthy that in the week ending 

 March 19th, the mean temperature was ten degrees 

 below the average for the 20 years ending 1868. 



In May the mean temperature for London, Derby, 

 and Swansea is 53 , for Yarmouth, York, and 

 Liverpool, it is 52 , and from Berwick to Carlisle it 

 is about 50 . 



The average rainfall for May is about one inch on 

 the east and south coasts, and two inches on the west 

 coast of England. 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



We have received from Mr. E. G. Wood a copy 

 of the new and enlarged edition of his useful pamphlet, 

 "A Photograph, and How to take it." Also, from 

 Messrs. Dulau, 37 Soho Square, their last catalogue 

 of botanical books in various languages. 



The Birmingham Microscopists' and Naturalists' 

 Union have removed from 20 Paradise Street, to 

 I Broad Street Corner, Easy Row, Birmingham. 



Mr. J. W. Ellis is continuing in the " Naturalist " 

 his valuable notes on the Lancashire and Cheshire 

 Geometridae. 



Parts 2 and 3 of the " Essex Naturalist " are to 

 hand, and both fully sustain the high opinion we 

 formed of the first. 



After nearly forty years' public service at the Royal 

 Institution as Professor — lecturing to the English- 

 speaking world thence like a scientific missionary 

 — Professor Tyndall resigns, and refuses pension or 

 any other reward. That is fitting for such a scien- 

 tific chieftain, only — all can't afford to do it. Lord 

 Rayleigh is likely to be Professor TyndalPs successor. 

 One unpublished act of governmental kindness ought 

 to be noticed. Professor Tyndall has neither been 

 offered a knighthood nor a baronetcy. That is 

 something to be thankful for, particularly in 1887. 



We have received a reprint of Dr. A. B. Griffiths's 

 valuable paper in the "Journal of the Chemical 

 Society" for March last, on "Agricultural Experi- 

 ments with Iron Sulphate as a Manure." 



The Geologists' Association made a two days' 

 excursion on Easter Monday and Tuesday to Brighton 

 and Newhaven, under the directorship of Messrs. 

 H. Willett, W. Topley, and W. Whittaker. 



The Report of the Botanical Exchange Club for 

 1S86 has just appeared, published by James Collins, 

 King Street, Manchester. Eighty-nine new records 



