April 3, 1890] 



NATURE 



519 



■expressed that, for many reasons, Ben Nevis Observatory was 

 the place where such observations could be most sati>factorily 

 conducted. From the Report presented on Monday, we learn 

 that a grant of ^50 has been obtained from the Government 

 Research Fund for commencing this novel and important in- 

 vestigation. Two instruments, constructed by Mr. White, of 

 Glasgow, under the direction of Mr. Aitken, have been obtained 

 — one to be placed permanently within the Observatory itself, 

 and the other, a portable instrument, for outdoor observation. 

 Both instruments are now at the Observatory, and the regular 

 work of observation has begun. The Report also states that 

 the delay in completing the buildings of the low-level Ob- 

 servatory at F"ort William turned out to be more serious than 

 was contemplated. This has arisen from various causes, chiefly 

 from the great drought in the West Highlands last summer 

 rendering it necessary that the ships conveying the stones for 

 the building from Elgin be sent round the north and west coast 

 instead of through the Caledonian Canal, which for the time 

 was closed for through traffic ; and also from the wet, broken 

 weather of the past winter. In about three weeks the Observa- 

 tory will be completed, and immediately thereafter the Meteoro- 

 logical Council will erect the self-registering instruments which 

 were originally at Armaijh, and otherwise supply a complete 

 outfit of instruments for a first-class Meteorological Observatory. 

 An additional observer has been engaged, and the staff of the 

 two Observatories now consists of Mr. Omond, superintendent, 

 and three assistants. By arrangement with the Post Office, direct 

 •communication will be opened between the two Obssrvatories. 

 The regular work of recording the continuous observations will 

 be begun in May. The Directors of the Ben Nevis Observatory 

 will thus so;)n be in a position to put scientific men in possession 

 of two sets of hourly observations of the completest description, 

 one at the tup and the other at the foot of the mountain. With 

 these observations, the changes of the conditions of the weather 

 may be followed hour by hour ; particularly those great changes, 

 so vital and essential to the advancement of our knowledge of 

 storms, which take place in the lowermost stratum of the atmo- 

 sphere between the two Observatories. It is within this aerial 

 Stratum, of a vertical height of 4406 feet, that the gradual 

 development of many weather changes from hour to hour may 

 be satisfactorily investigated. 



The Chemical Society held its first anniversary dinner at the 

 Hotel Metropole on Thursday evening last. Among those 

 present were the Presidents of the Royal Society, the Institute 

 of Civil Engineers, the Society of Chemical Industry, the 

 Institute of Chemistry, the Pharmaceutical and the Physical 

 Societies, Sir F. Abr], Sir Henry Roscoe, Sir F. Bramwell, 

 Mr, Tnisehon-Dyer, Prof. J. Dewar, Dr. J. H, Gladstone, and 

 Mr. W, Crookes Dr. W. J, Russell, the President, in pro- 

 posing posperity to the Chemical Society, sketched briefly the 

 history of its rise and development. Sir Frederick Abel gave 

 the toast of "Kindred Societies and Institutions,"' referring to 

 the far-reaching character of the science of chemistry. There 

 was not, he said, a single society or institution which was not 

 dependent up m chemists for, at any rate, some amount of the 

 usefulness which it exercised. The Royal Society vas the great 

 parent of thein all ; and the Royal Institution demanded special 

 homage on account of the splendid discoveries made under its 

 auspices, so many of which were specially interesting to chemists. 

 Sir G. Stokes, in response, said that though specialism had been 

 gaining ground very widely of late years, and though each 

 branch of science had its own particular exponents enrolled in 

 their own association, yet the old society, with which he had the 

 honour to be closely connected, was not altogether effete. He 

 thought that chemistry had as much need of cognate societies as 

 any other branch of scientific research. Sir Lowthian Bell also 

 replied. Prof. M. Foster, secretary to the Royal Society, 



proposed " The Visitors," and the toast was responded to by 

 Sir F, Bramwell and by Mr. Thiselton Dyer, The health of 

 the chairman was proposed by Sir H. Roscoe. 



On Friday evening last the learned societies of Newcastle 

 held their second annual gathering at the Durham College of 

 Science, Among the societies represented were the following : 

 the Durham College of Science, Engineering Students' Club, 

 Foremen Engineers and Draughtsmen, Geographical Society, 

 Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Literary and 

 Philosophical Society, Medical Society, Microscopical Society, 

 Natural History Society, N.E.C, Institution of Engineers and 

 Shipbuilders, Pharmaceutical Association, Photographic Associa- 

 tion, Society of Antiquaries, and Society of Chemical Industry. 

 The Newcaitle D.iily Journal says that the professors of the 

 Durham College of Science " worked hard for the success of 

 the gathering," and that "the exhibits which they explained in 

 the chemical, physical, geographical, botanical, and other 

 departments in the building, afforded a vast amount of pleasure." 



By permission of the trustee? of the British Museum, the 

 conversazione of the Society of Arts will be held this year at 

 the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, 



Mr, Wragge, Government Meteorologist, Queensland, hag 

 been dangerously ill with fever caught some time since in his 

 tours of inspection. He has now gone to the Darling Downs 

 to recruit his heath, which has been seriously undermined. 



The following lectures on scientific subjects will probably be 

 delivered at the Friday evening meetings at the Royal Institu- 

 tion after Easier : — Friday, April 18, Sir Frederick Bramwell, 

 F, R.S., welding by electricity; Friday, April 25, Sir John 

 Lubbock, Bart., M.P,, F.R.S., the shapes of leaves and 

 cotyledons ; Friday, May 9, Mr. R. Brudenell Carter, colour- 

 vision and colour-blindness ; Friday, May 16, Prof. Raphael 

 Meldola, F. R. S. , the photographic image; Friday, May 23, 

 Prof. A. C. Iladdon, manners and customs of the Torres 

 Straits islanders; Friday, May 30, A. A. Common, F.R.S., 

 astronomical telescopes ; Friday, June 6, Prof. W. Boyd 

 Dawkins, F. R.S., the search for coal in the South of England. 



At the twenty-first annual meeting of the Norfolk and 

 Norwich Naturalists' Society, held at the Norwich Museum on 

 March 25, Mr. Henry Seebohm was elected president for the 

 ensuing year. The treasurer's report showed that the financial 

 condition of the Society was very satisfactory, and that during 

 the past year there had been an increase of several members. 

 The retiring president, Dr. Taylor, after briefly reviewing the 

 work of the Society during the past year, delivered an address 

 on " Microbes." 



The London Geological Field Class, under the direction of 

 Prof. H. G. Seeley, F. R. S., has made arrangements for a num- 

 ber of excursions, in which many students might find it pleasant 

 and profitable to take part. One set of excursions is specially 

 arranged for the practical study of geography. Others are 

 planned for the illustration of the geological structure of the 

 London district. 



A VIOLENT earthquake shock was felt at Trieste on March 26 

 at 20 minutes past 9 p.m. 



At the last meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, Mr. Morris alluded to the peculiar 

 vegetation of Si. Helena, now confined, for the most part, to a 

 small area in the central ani higher part of the island. Many 

 of the trees forjaerly native to the island are now all but, or 

 quite, extinct. Among them is a species of Trochetia, or 

 Melhaiiia. The trunks of this tree are embedded in the clifTs 

 of the island, and are dug out by the inhabitants for the sake of 

 manufactuiing ornaments. The following quotation from Melliss's 



