1899] NEWS 9 1 



The Council of the Marine Biological Association reports that the equip- 

 ment of the laboratory and boats is now sufficiently complete to allow of a very 

 much larger amount of scientific work being done, if the services of more 

 naturalists could be retained for lengthened periods ; but such development 

 demands increased income. Twenty-one naturalists carried on research work 

 at the laboratory during the year 1897-98. From the Director's report we 

 gather that an Anglo-French Committee has been formed to investigate the 

 physical and biological conditions of the English Channel during 1899, that 

 £100 has been granted towards this by the British Association, and that Mr. 

 H. N. Dickson will help in the physical part of the work. Dr. Allen gives a 

 list of twenty naturalists who have worked at the laboratory ; eight of these 

 are not mentioned in the Council's report, owing, we suppose, to the difference 

 of date. More attractions have been introduced in the aquarium, and an iron 

 shed for storage has been added at the back of the laboratory. 



On 10th December, Sir John Gorst addressed a large meeting of agri- 

 culturists at Cambridge, on the necessity of reform in the educational system of 

 our agricultural districts. He referred to the evidence gathered by the Dublin 

 Recess Committee as to what was being done in France, Belgium, Holland, 

 Switzerland, and Denmark. The reports of the Commissioners showed that the 

 chief reason of the agricultural prosperity of those countries, which so success- 

 fully competed with Great Britain, was the education of all classes, both adults 

 and children, in the technical knowledge appertaining to their industry. He 

 then sketched a system to effect the necessary reforms essential to the establish- 

 ing of sound agricultural education in this country. 



Attempts have been made more than once to utilise the thread of the 

 spider in the same way as that of the silkworm, and about a century ago 

 stockings were woven from it. The latest application is to balloon ropes for use 

 by the military aeronauts of France, and a factory is in successful operation at 

 Chalais-Meudon, near Paris. According to the Board of Trade Journal, the 

 spiders are arranged by dozens above a reel, upon which the threads are wound. 

 Each spider has to furnish 30 to 40 yards. The reddish and sticky outer cover 

 is washed from the threads, which are then twisted by eights into yarn. This 

 is both stronger and lighter than silk cords of the same thickness ; but it is also 

 much more expensive. The chief difficulty in these experiments has always 

 been the feeding of the spiders. 



The Government of New Zealand has issued an order protecting the eggs as 

 well as the young of the interesting Tuatara lizard. 



Caen Museum thought it was going to buy a fine meteorite weighing 750 

 kilos, and said to have fallen at Vierville (Manche) in April 1897. Alas ! the 

 meteorite never fell. It was the brilliant invention of a newspaper man. 



The Feuille de& Jeunes Naturalistes (35 Rue Pierre-Charron, Paris) proposes 

 (from November 1, 1898) to lend the books of its scientific library to those 

 subscribers who live in neighbouring countries. 



A catalogue of these works is being issued, and up to this date twenty-four 

 parts, comprising 33,000 numbers, have been published. 



It is intended to add to the General Catalogue special catalogues on definite 

 branches of Natural History, completing these by the acquisition of the various 

 works issued on the subject. That on Collembola and Thysanura (anatomy, 

 biology, systematic) was published on November 30. Those on the Tertiaries ot 

 Europe (1st part) and Cecidiology (study of galls from a botanical and an 

 entomological standpoint) will be issued shortly. Other subjects are being 

 worked out. The annual subscription to the Library, including the Magazine 

 and the Library Catalogues, has been fixed at 16s. for English subscribers. 

 Pamphlets can be borrowed for their postage (English stamps taken), and kept 



