i8 93 . NEWS OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC. 313 



The recent meeting of the British Association at Nottingham (Sept. 13 to 20), 

 though receiving scarcely any communications of absolute novelty, was full of 

 interest ; and the arrangements of the local committee were all that could be desired. 

 The attendance, also, though not remarkably large, was at least equal to that of 

 most recent meetings. In addition to the Presidential Addresses, which we notice 

 elsewhere, there were several interesting discussions to attract widespread attention, 

 notably the debates on the nature of life (opened by Dr. J. S. Haldane), on coral 

 reefs (opened by Professor Sollas), and on the place of geology in education (led by 

 Professors Cole and Lebour). A more futile discussion than the attempt to settle 

 the limits of Geology and Geography, we do not remember to have heard. 



The section for Geology seems to have been favoured with the greatest 

 number of papers, and the Penologists, as might have been expected, mustered 

 in considerable force. There were several contributions to local geology, Mr. 

 A. T. Metcalfe's description of the gypsum deposits being the most elaborate. 

 Professor Brogger (of Christiania) discussed some eruptive rocks in Norway, and 

 Professor Iddings (of Chicago) described a dissected old volcano in Wyoming. 

 Professor Johnston Lavis presented his usual report on Vesuvius, and Professor 

 Sollas explained the origin of intermediate varieties of igneous rocks by intrusion 

 and admixture. Mr. Walcot Gibson gave a general sketch of the geology of 

 Central East Africa, and Mr. R. D. Oldham exhibited two new geological maps 

 of India. Dr. H. Hicks reiterated his views on the base of the Cambrian For- 

 mation ; and Mr. Goodchild showed how the "eyes" in gneiss give a clue to its 

 origin. In Glacial Geology, Prince Kropotkin attempted the widest theme in 

 contributing a paper on the glaciation of Asia ; Professor Sollas exhibited a map of 

 the eskers of Ireland ; Mr. De Ranee traced the pre-Glacial form of the ground in 

 Lancashire and Cheshire ; and Messrs. Abbott and Kendall had some more 

 remarks on the "heretics" who believe that North Wales was submerged to a 

 great extent in the Glacial Period. Professor Bonney and Mr. Lindvall also spoke 

 on theoretical matters in Glacial Geology. In Palaeontology, Mr. E. T. Newton 

 gave the latest information about his Triassic reptiles from Elgin ; and Dr. 

 Traquair recorded a cephalaspidian fish from Caithness. In addition to the 

 papers, the usual reports on Underground Waters, Erratic Blocks, Photographs, 

 Palaeontology, etc., were presented. 



The Biological Section had to lament the absence of the President on account of 

 ill-health. Among the more fundamental questions, Professor J. B. Farmer treated 

 of some new features in the division of the nucleus in plant-cells, and Messrs. 

 Hartog and Dixon discussed the digestive ferments of a large protozoon. Messrs. 

 Cattle and Millar read a paper on Gregarines and the possible connection of allied 

 forms with tissue-changes in man, notably with the production of cancer. Mr. 

 W. E. Hoyle described the luminous organs of Cephalopoda, and Mr. F. T. Mott 

 discussed the origin of organic colour. Mr. F. Enock spoke on insect parasites, and 

 Mr. G. B. Rothera on vegetal galls. Mr. W. S. Bruce gave an account of the seals 

 and whales seen during his recent voyage to the Antarctic regions, and Dr. C. H. 

 Hurst made the observations on birds' wings which we print elsewhere. The most 

 generally interesting botanical paper was Miss N. Layard's description of the root 

 of the duckweed (Lemim). Mr. J. Clark treated of lime in its relation to some 

 physiological processes in the plant, and Mr. H. Brown had a paper on starch. 

 There were numerous interesting reports of committees, that dealing with the 

 legislative protection of the nests of wild birds leading to the warmest discussion. 



The Geographers were treated to some entertaining exhibitions of lantern siides, 

 Mr. W. M. Conway bringing his views of the Karakoram Mts., and Professor John 

 Milne showing some pictures of Japan with especial reference to earthquakes. Mr. 

 Murdock also exhibited his paintings lately made in the Antarctic legions. Besides 



