Oct 3. 1878] 



NATURE 



601 



Prof. Karl Arendts, of Munich, has been nominated 

 corresponding member of the Lisbon Geographical Society, in 

 acknowledgment of his merits in geography. Prof. Arendts is 

 the editor of a new geogi-aphical serial, entitled "Deutsche 

 Rundschau fiir Geographic imd Statistik," published in monthly 

 parts by Hartleben, of Vienna, 



" ViH CHE SIN LOO " (magazine for tlie propagation of know- 

 ledge) is the title of a new monthly publication in the Chinese 

 language, edited by Dr. Edkins, of Pekin. 



Secchi's " Meteorologica Romana" has just been published 

 by the Italian government. The last revision of proofs was 

 made by Secchi's friend, Sig. Ferrari, death having prevented 

 the great astronomer himself from finishing this last part of his 

 work on the meteorology and climatology of the Eternal City. 



The twenty-third meeting of German and Austrian apicul- 

 turists took place at Greifswald on September 1 1 -13, and was 

 attended by over 700 persons. 



The International Agreement regarding the steps to be taken 

 for protecting the wine-growing districts against phylloxera, was 

 signed at Berne on September 17. 



Recent borings made in different parts of North Germany 

 have proved beyond denial that the assertion made by several 

 eminent geologists, that a mighty deposit of salt stretches 

 from the Liineburger Heide to the coast of the Baltic, is per- 

 fectly correct. The deposit begins near Liineburg, passes 

 underneath the Elbe, and extends right across the Grand Duchy 

 of Mecklenbiu-g. Another branch goes in the direction of the 

 Duchy of Holstein, via Legeberg to Elmshorn and Heide, 

 Borings made at Liibtheen, near Hagenow, by order of the 

 Mecklenburg government, have now reached a depth of 456 

 metres, and the thickness of the deposit of salt now reaches 130 

 metres ; the basis, however, is not yet reached. 



The FalcBontologist is the name of a new journal of small size 

 published in Cincinnati, devoted to the subject indicated by its 

 title. It will be published from time to time as matter accu- 

 mulates. 



Among the many rare shells lately belonging to Dr. Marie, 

 of New Caledonia, is a new Murex, which will be described by 

 Mr. Bryce Wright in the next number of the Proceedings of the 

 Malacological Society of Belgium, under the name of Murex 

 JiMlona:. 



Students of physics will be glad to learn that Gauthier- 

 Villars has just issued a complete collection of the papers of the 

 lamented Leon Foucault. They are preceded by a notice from 

 the pen of M. Lissajous. 



Recent numbers of Globus contains an account, by Dr. 

 Schroder, of his second visit to Cyprus in 1873. 



Herr Gerhard Rohlfs will start for a new exploring tour 

 to Africa in the first week of October. He will be absent some 

 eighteen months, and he begins his journey via Tripolis and 

 Wadai. 



' In the Barmsee, a small lake situated in the Bavarian moun- 

 tains, near the villages of Mittenwald and Kriin, not far from 

 the Austrian frontier, numerous piles, dating from pre-historic 

 lake-dwellings, have just been discovered by Herr Zapf. The 

 massive piles are standing upright in the lake ; some of them 

 still show incisions and spikes on their surface, indicating the 

 spots where they were united, or where planks rested upon 

 them. They stand in rows parallel to the southern shore of the 

 lake. Other rows run in a northerly direction, bxtt in the 

 latter the piles are smaller and stand close side by side, form- 

 ing a sort of palisade. None of the piles now reach the surface 

 of the water. The total length of these pile-dwellings is about 

 200 metres. 



The Precurseur d''Anvers publishes a letter from Zanzibar 

 stating that the Belgian expedition had reached a place situated 

 some distance in the interior. Owing to a misunderstanding, 

 they were compelled to engage in conflict with the natives, and 

 eventually had to seek refuge in flight. It is not yet known 

 whether they succeeded in escaping or were murdered. 



An American Microscopical Congress met at Indianapolis on 

 August 14-17, under the presidency of Dr. R, H. Ward. 

 Nineteen papers in various departments of microscopical re- 

 search were read. The congress resolved itself into a per- 

 manent organisation under the name of the American S ociety 

 of Microscopists. 



The Christchurch (N.Z.) Press contains a description of a 

 very complete physical, chemical, and metallurgical laboratory 

 which has been established in coimection with Canterbury Col- 

 lege. It is well provided with the best apparatus, and is well 

 fitted both for original research and for student work. 



We have received a neat and attractive little "Guide to the 

 Upper Engadine," by Dr. J. Pernesch, published by Orell 

 Fiissli and Co., of Zinich. It contains useful and well-arranged 

 information, with a small jmap and twenty-one well-executed 

 illustrations. 



We have received the July number of the Ancdes of the 

 Argentine Scientific Society, which, besides an account of the 

 proceedings of the society, contains a narrative of journeys in 

 Patagonia, by Ramon Lista, papers on the composition of the 

 water of the Uruguay, by Mr. J. J. Kyle, on the Hemiptera 

 Argentina, by Carlos Bery, and on the flora of Paraguay, by 

 Domingo Parodi. 



We are asked to publish the following statement : — 

 During the recent opening of the Grosvenor Gallery on Sun- 

 day, nearly 6,000 persons availed themselves of the privilege 

 of visiting the exhibition. This success has encouraged the 

 committee of the Sunday Society to arrange for the exhibition 

 of a series of water colour drawings of Swiss life and scenery> 

 sketched in Switzerland by Mr. William L. Thomas. The 

 exhibition %\ ill be opened on the first three Sundays in October, 

 from 2 to 5 P.M., at 33, New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, E.C. 

 (the late offices of the London School Board), and the public 

 will have free access to it by means of tickets, which will only 

 be issued to those applying by letter, and sending stamped and 

 addressed envelope to the Honorary Secretary, 19, Charing 

 Cross, S.W. The Committee of the Sunday Society intend to 

 continue these Sunday Art Exhibitions from time to time, until 

 the Society's object is accomplished, and the public Museums, 

 Art Galleries, and Libraries, are all opened on the people's 

 weekly leisure day. The Society will be glad to receive pecu- 

 niary and other assistance to enable the Committee effectively to 

 carry on these exhibitions. 



The separation of the Central Bureau of Meteorology of the 

 French Government is an accomplished fact, and the officers 

 will be located in an hotel in the Rue de Crenelle, St. Germain, 

 where no readings can be taken, the inspection of the sky being as 

 difficult as from the British Office in Victoria Street. These pecu- 

 liarities have raised much sharp criticism, and it is not certain 

 that this solution will be accepted by the French Legislative 

 Assembly. It has been suggested that the Bureau should be 

 located at the Trocadero, or on the top of the Arc de Triomphe, 

 where there are magnificent rooms in which offices could be 

 established. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a Bonnet Monkey {Macacus radiatus) from 

 India, pi'esented by Mr. Frederick Carter; two White- crested 

 Touracous [Corythaix albocristata) from South Africa, presented 

 by Mr. W. Wormald ; a Green Turtle {Chelone viridis) from the 

 Island of Ascension, presented by Capt. J. Smith ; a Tabuan 



