286 NATURAL SCIENCE. April, 1S95. 



engineer to the Swedish Patent Office, proposes, in July, to start for the North Pole 

 in a balloon from Cape Thorsden. The balloon will be inflated with compressed 

 hydrogen. A balloon has been sighted as travelling in a south-westerly direction 

 over the mountains near Labesby, Norway. This is thought to have contained 

 messages from Nansen, but is more likely to have been despatched by the Jackson 

 party. 



Mr. Rowland Ward kindly informs us that another specimen of the so-called 

 White Rhinoceros (R. sinuts) has just arrived in London from South-East Africa, 

 where it was shot by Mr. Charles R. Varndell. It is now being modelled at Mr. 

 Ward's establishment in Piccadilly. It is so short a time since we gave an account 

 of this animal that we need not remind our readers of its importance and rarity. 

 We may, however, correct the impression still prevailing in certain quarters, that 

 till recently there was no specimen in England. A young specimen has been for 

 years in the British Museum, although its presence there seems, somewhat 

 curiously, to have escaped observation. 



In the March number of the Irish Naturalist Dr. R. F. Scharff takes up Mr. 

 G. H. Carpenter's parable with a short paper on Irish Caves, illustrated by a map, 

 together with a bibliography of the subject. Dr. Scharff appeals for a thorough 

 exploration of these caves as a means for the better understanding of the extinct 

 Irish fauna. 



The Museum at Ipswich has during the past year been open to the public on 

 Sundays ; the results achieved have not, however, seemed to its authorities to 

 warrant a continuance of this enlightened practice. 



The Archaeological Museum at Colchester has now been closed for some time, 

 but hopes are entertained that its present directors, the Council of the Essex Field 

 Club, will shortly open it again with the added attraction of a Natural History 

 collection arranged according to approved modern ideas. 



The American Museum of Natural History at New York has recently obtained 

 some valuable collections of Mammalia. The Price collection from south-eastern 

 Arizona and the Granger collection from South Dakota include a number of new 

 forms which have been described by Dr. J. A. Allen in the Bulletin of the Museum. 

 The same collectors have added to our knowledge of the range of many species. 

 Another collection of about 250 specimens from New Brunswick includes many 

 noteworthy forms, especially two specimens of Synaptomys coopcri. This genus has 

 not previously been known from that locality. 



Not long ago we advocated a closer union between the Laboratory of the 

 Marine Biological Association and educational centres, and suggested that greater 

 facilities might be permitted to scientific workers It is therefore with peculiar 

 pleasure that we make the following extract from the recently-issued report of the 

 Director : — 



" A general scheme will be set on foot to map out the fauna and flora of the 

 neighbourhood, and to arrange types for the Museum ; and the Council has directed 

 that tables be placed at the disposal of naturalists who will be willing to assist in 

 this work. I shall be glad to hear from any workers, either zoologists or botanists, 

 who would render help in such faunistic work. An exceptionally good opportunity is 

 thus offered to young men who have recently finished their University course, and 

 are anxious to gain experience in the outdoor work of Marine Natural History. At 

 the same time increased advantages in the supply of material will be afforded to all 

 naturalists who visit the Laboratory, and it is hoped that an exceptional effort will 

 be made to do so by all who are interested in the prosperity of Marine Biology in 

 this country." 



