46 



NATURE 



{Nov. 14, 1878 



at the apex, anl reached the he:;^ht of 3' 50 m. ; its surface 

 was smooth, of a green colour, with numerous small, nearly 

 orbicular dots, of a white colour. The three branches into 

 which it was divided at the top were each as large as a man's 

 thigh, and were divided several times, forming altogether a frond 

 not less than 3'io m, long. The whole leaf covered an area 

 of 15 m. in circumference. The spadix of a plant that I 

 found in fruit had the dimensions of the stalk already described ; 

 the fruit-bearing portion was cylindrical, 75 ctm. in girth, 50 

 ctm. long, and was densely covered with olive-shaped fruits 35- 

 40 mm. long and 35 rmn, in diameter, of a bright red colour, 

 each containing two seeds." This letter was addressed to the 

 Marquis B, Corsi-Salviati, who received at the same time a 

 number of seeds of this gigantic novelty. Many of them have 

 germinated, so that the species is secured to European 

 collections. 



The Giffard great captive balloon was disinflated last week 

 without accident. The following statistics in connection with 

 the enterprise may be interesting. The Tuileries grounds were 

 opened to the public during 100 days, but the balloon was 

 unable to work owing to the state of the atmosphere during 30 

 days. The number of ascents was 1,023, the number of pas- 

 sengers 34,000. The number of pioneer balloons sent up 25. 

 During this period the sum of 840,000 francs was collected. 

 The expenses of building the balloons, of machinery, and 

 working, reached about 500,000 francs, so that the enterprise 

 was a financial success. 



The Daily News Quebec correspondent telegraphs as fol- 

 lows : — "After long study and many experiments Prof. Bell has 

 made an important discovery in connection with the telephone. 

 It is well known that the telephone has been a compai-ative 

 failure in England on account of the fatal induction generated 

 by the contiguity of other wires. Prof. Bell has discovered 

 simple and efficacious means whereby not only is induction 

 prevented, but the clearness and force of the telephonic vocali- 

 sation greatly increased. Prof. Bell tells me that practical 

 demonstration of the importance of the discovery will be given 

 in London as soon as the necessary preliminaries are complete." 

 We give this statement as published in the Daily News, though 

 it must be received with some caution. 



A NATIVE Japanese paper states that besides the two docks 

 already existing at Yokoska, a third is to be built which will 

 accommodate the largest ships on the Pacific. It is expected 

 that it will be completed within three years, and the probable 

 cost will be about 55,000/. 



From Stuttgart (E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung) 

 is announced a second collected edition of Mr. Darwin's works 

 in twelve volumes, with 326 woodcuts, seven photographs, twelve 

 charts and tables, and a portrait of the author on copper-plate. 



The publishing house of Hartleben, in Vienna, to mark the 

 seventy-fifth year of its existence, have issued a neatly- printed 

 catalogue of all the works issued by them from 1803 to the 

 present year. A very large proportion of these belong to the 

 various departments of science. The catalogue contains a 

 portrait of the founder of the house, and a sketch of its history. 



From Mr. Murton's annual report on the Botanical and 

 Zoological Gardens at Singapore we learn that, both 

 botanically and zoologically, the Gardens ai-e in a flourishing 

 state. One of the most important sections of the gai-den, namely, 

 that devoted to the cultivation of economic plants, continues to 

 receive a large share of attention, patches of Liberian, Cape 

 Coast, and Arabian coffee have been planted, as well as cocoa, 

 China and Assam tea, and ipecacuanha. Castilloa elastica and 

 Manihol Glaziovii, both valuable rubber, or caoutchouc yielding 

 plants, natives of S?uth America, a3 well as the Sarsaparilla, 



Alligator pear {Perse x gratissinta). New Zealand Flax (Phoh 

 miuvi ienax), Cubeb {Piper Cuhba), Camphor {Caniphora 

 officinarum), Allspice {Eugenia Pimenia), and many others, 

 have been introduced. The Liberian coffee plants, sent to 

 Larut in 1875, are reported to be making good growth with 

 large healthy foliage, forming a great contrast to the Arabian 

 2offee growing beside it. The Salt Bush, which is referred to 

 two species of Rhagodia, namely, R. haslata and R. parabolicd, 

 has been introduced into Singapore. Both species are described 

 as possessing wholesome and nutritious qualities, and are much \ 

 relished by stock. The cultivation of the plants is said to be 

 very easy, and in consequence of the rapidity with which, when 

 protected from stock, they grow into large and handsome shrubs, 

 together with their capability of resisting both heat and drought, 

 are strongly recommended for cultivation. Besides the use as 

 fodder, in a fresh state, the plants might also be advantageously 

 given to sheep and cattle after being cut and dried, or in con-i 

 junction with other foods. In Singapore the plants seem better! 

 able to resist heat and drought than prolonged wet weather, but 

 it is anticipated that, when they become well established, they 

 will survive the effects of wet weather better. Mr. Murton 

 states that the object that will be kept steadily in view in the 

 working of the new economic garden is the introduction of new] 

 plants of economic value, andthoroughly testing their capabilities] 

 of production in Singapore before I'ecommending them for general] 

 cultivation, while it will also afford an opportunity to intending I 

 planters in the Malay Peninsula of seeing the various plants! 

 adapted for their cultivation, and the amount of success, or! 

 otherwise, attending each operation. In the Zoological de-j 

 partment little change has been affected to call for note. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the , 

 past week include two Arabian Baboons {Cynocephalus hama- 

 dryas), from Arabia, presented by Mr. C. Wood ; two Squirrel- 

 like Phalangers {Belideus sciureus) from Australia, presented by 

 Mr. E. S. Waller ; two Hooded Crows {Corvus comix), Euro- 

 pean, presented by Capt. F. II. Salvin ; a Burchell's Zebra 

 {Equus burchelli) from South Africa, a Yellow- Shouldered 

 Amazon {Chrysotes ochrojitera), a Blue and Yellow Macaw {Ara 

 macaco) from South America, a Dalmatian V>og{Canis familiar ii\, 

 a Passerine Owl ( Glaucidium passerinum) ; two Variegate 

 Sheldrakes {Tadorna variegata) from New Zealand, six Sum^ 

 mer Ducks {Aix sponsa) from North America, two Scarlef 

 Tanagers {Ratnphaccelus brasiliensis) from Brazil, two Grena^ 

 dier Weaver Birds {Euplectes onyx) from West Africa, twcj 

 Java Sparrows {Padda orjzivora) from Java, two Domeiticl 

 Fowls {Callus domesticus) from Japan, deposited; a Nisna 

 Monkey {Cercopithecus pyrrkonotus) from Nubia, a Red-Fronte 

 Lemur {Lemur rufifrons) from Madagascar, a Mantchuriai 

 Deer {Cervtts mantchuricus) from Japan, an American Tantalum 

 ( Tantalus loculator) from South America, purchased. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



An influential meeting was held last week in Liverpool tc 

 consider the report of a committee appointed at a previous meet 

 ing to draw up a scheme for the establishment of a college foi^ 

 higher education in Liverpool. The committee have arrived a| 

 the following conclusion : that the most appropriate name wiF 

 be "University College, Liverpool," unless the name of 

 founder or large benefactor be adopted. The smallest staf 

 consistent with the objects should be composed of at least seveaj 

 professors and two lecturers, allotted as foUows : — Professor- 

 ships — Mathematics and experimental physics ; classical litera- 

 ture and history ; engineering, practical mechanics, and steam J;1 

 logic, mental and moral philosophy, and political economy H 

 modern literature and history ; chemistry, natural history (in^f 

 eluding botany, zoology, and geology). Lectureships— Jurisj 

 prudence and law ; physiology. The stipend of each professof 

 ihould be reckoned at 3C0/. per annum (exclu?ive of a ihare " 



