50 



NATURE 



[May 9, 1878 



Estudios superiores cientificos ; 3. Conferencias y cursos breve*^ 

 de caracter, ya cientifico, ya popular; 4. Una biblioteca y 

 los Gabinetes dotados del material correspondiente ; 5. Un 

 boletin para publicar sus documeutos oficiales y trabajos cienti- 

 ficos ; 6. Concnrsos y premios, y cuanto contribuya a promover 

 la cultura general y sus propios fines." These extracts from the 

 statutes, ratified May 31, 1876, will sufficiently show the aims 

 of the Institution, and show also what is being done for the 

 cultivation of science in Madrid. Running through Nos. 10-15, 

 18-21, is a list of 728 shells, in the natural history cabinet, 

 arranged on the method of Dr. Woodward's "Manual of Con- 

 ■chology," and in Nos. 22, 23 are catalogues of plants in her- 

 baria from the Province of Avila and from the Philippine 

 Islands. In Nos. 24, 25, a classification of rock specimens. 

 The contents of the several numbers are of the same general 

 character as we indicated in our former notice. The papers on 

 Haeckel's morphology are continued, and the same professor 

 (A. G. de Linares) has papers on the classification of geometri- 

 cal figiu-es, and on some recent publications on crystallography 

 andmineralogy. The syllabuses are given of courses of lectures on 

 two or three languages, on mathematics (arithmetic and synthetic 

 •geometry) and other subjects. We can only wish success to 

 this the first (we believe) society, of the kind that has been 

 formed in Spain. 



No plant perhaps has a more varied adaptation than the 

 bamboo. In every country where these gigantic grasses grow 

 they are put to a multitude of uses. It is not then because the 

 ■bamboo is incapable of being converted to any other use that so 

 much attention has been given to it of late with the view of 

 turning it into a source of supply for paper material. It is more 

 on accotmt of its rapid growth, the ease with which it can be 

 propagated and its abundant yield, together with its wide 

 geographical range, that such interest has been roused in it, for 

 the several species of bamboo are found in most tropical parts of 

 the world. If, however, it should become a regularly recognised 

 paper material there is no doubt that our supplies would be 

 obtained chiefly from the East and West Indies. With regard 

 to its growth in the latter country there seems to be a prospect 

 that it may prove successful for cultivation in plantations specially 

 formed for growing the plants for paper stock. There are, of 

 course, extensive natural resources of bamboo, but it is thought 

 that by cultivation and a system of irrigation the yield would be 

 greatly increased and the cost of keeping up such a plantation 

 would, after the first two years, be almost nil. It is by no 

 means improbable that the bamboo will in the course of time 

 become an important paper-making commodity. 



A STRANGE meteorological phenomenon was recently observed 

 at Logelbach, in Upper Alsatia. The rising sun seemed to be 

 surrounded by a vast column of fire. An eye-witness describes 

 the occurrence in La Nature. When he began his obser- 

 vations, the column had already reached a height of 25 or 

 28 degrees. Its breadth remained constant, and amounted 

 to 2 or z\ degrees. Its colour was greyish red, and at 

 its upper end orange ; the dull and cloudy sky formed a fine 

 contrast with the brilliant phenomenon. From 6.30 a.m. tiU 

 7 o'clock its brilliancy remained much the same, while its extent 

 towards the west increased by about 4 or 5 degrees. At 7 

 o'clock the sun's disc appeared above the horizon, and its tint 

 was an intense red. The whole sky now seemed to be a gigantic 

 rainbow, all the shades of which appeared in horizontal layers, 

 forming a splendid background to the bright red and orange 

 vertical column. A minute later the sun lost its red tint and the 

 column gi-adually decreased ; for five minutes it formed a band 

 of 5 degrees in height, and then disappeared altogether. 



Decade V. of the "Prodromus of the Palaeontology of 

 Victoria," by Mr. Frederick McCoy, of the Geological Survey 



of Victoria, deals, by means of well-executed lithographic 

 illustrations and text, with numerous fossils of the tertiary and 

 Upper and Lower Silurian formations. 



The recent numbers (26-31) of Bentley and Trimen's "Medi- 

 cinal Plants " fully maintain the excellence of the earlier ones. 

 Among the admirable plates of well-known plants in these 

 numbers may be mentioHed those of Aconitum ferox ; the opium- 

 poppy, Pajiaver somniferum ; the liquorice, Glycyi-rhiza glabra ; 

 the indigo. Indigo/era tindoria ; the camphor, Cinnamonum 

 camphora ; and the sabine, ytiniperus sabina. The only one in 

 these numbers which does not strike us as so happy, is that 

 of the common marjoram. Origanum vulgare. 



We regret that the name of M. Milne-Edwards somehow got 

 among the catalogue of the eminent men whom we named last 

 week as having gone over to the majority during the existence of 

 Nature. We are glad to say that M. Milne-Edwards, though 

 as old as the century, is as active as ever. 



The addition to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Lion {Fells led) from Africa, presented 

 by Mr. J. D. Massey ; a Vervet Monkey {Cercopithecus lalandit) 

 from South Africa, presented by Mr. G. W. Twining; a Ma- 

 cacque Monkey (Macacus cyttomologus) from India, presented by 

 Mr. J. M. Neil ; a Black-eared Marmoset (Hapale penicillata) 

 from South-East Brazil, presented by Mr. Walter M. St. 

 Aubyn; a Common Cormorant {Phalacrocorax carbo), Euro- 

 pean, presented by Lord Braybrooke ; four Green Lizards 

 {Lacerta viridis) from the Isle of Jersey, presented by Mr. F. 

 E. Lawder; a Black Ape {Cynopilhecus niger) from the Celebes, 

 a Brazilian Tree Porcupine {Sphingurus prehensilis) from South 

 America, deposited ; two Lesser Birds of Paradise {Paradisea 

 papuana) from New Guinea, two Black Storks (Ciconia niger) 

 European, purchased ; two Black -faced Spider Monkeys (Ateles 

 ater) from East Peru ; a Common Cassowary {Casuarius galeatus) 

 from Ceram, a Golden-winged Woodpecker (Colaptes auratus) 

 from North America, received in exchange ; a Great Kangaroo 

 (Maeropus giganteus), an Eland {Oreas eanna) born in the 

 Gardens. 



ACADEMIC LIBERTY IN GERMAN UNI- 

 VERSITIES '>■ 

 T N taking possession of the high functions to which the vote 

 of my colleagues has raised me, my first duty is to renew 

 here, publicly, the expression of my thanks towards those who 

 have given me this proof of their confidence. Its value is all the 

 greater in my eyes because it has been given to me notwith- 

 standing the few years I have passed among you and notwithstand- 

 ing my function of professor in the natural sciences which form, in 

 the curriculum of university education, a foreign element, the 

 introduction of which has caused the modification of several 

 points in the ancient organisation of the faculties, and will yet 

 induce others in the future. The department of physics to 

 which I have devoted myself is exactly that which contains the 

 theoretical foundations of all the other branches of the natural 

 sciences, and which presents in the most striking form the 

 characteristic features of their methods. Thus I have several 

 times already been compelled to propose to the University 

 modifications in the rules previously followed, and I have had- 

 the pleasure of being always backed by the hearty support of 

 my colleagues and the University Senate. Since you have 

 chosen me to direct the University during the course of the next 

 year, it is a proof, in my eyes, that you do not regard me as a 

 rash innovator. 



The object, the method, the immediate aim of the natural 

 sciences may at first sight appear altogether distinct from those 

 of the moral sciences; it seems to men accustomed to occupy 

 themselves exclusively with the immediate expression and the 

 proofs of the intellectual life, that they have nothing to learn 

 from the results of these sciences, and that they have for them 

 only a remote interest. But, in reality, as I have already 



' Rectorial Address cf Prof. Helmholtz, F.R.S., at the University o 

 Berlin. 



