Oct. 31, 1878] 



NATURE 



705 



the tertiary beds around Fort Bridger and in Central Colorado, 

 especially with a view of securing specimens of some of the 

 interesting fossil vertebrates of which Prof. Cope and Prof. 

 Marsh have described so many species. Six persons connected 

 with Princeton College either as professors or students consti- 

 tuted the party, and the results of their labours were rich and 

 varied beyond their expectation. The objects obtained since 

 the return of the expedition have been subjected to a critical 

 investigation by experts, and No. i of the report has just made 

 its appearance in the form of a pamphlet of about 1 50 pages, 

 with numerous illustrations. As might have been expected, the 

 greater part of the collection consisted of species already col- 

 lected and for the most part described. But in addition to these 

 a considerable number of novelties rewarded the zeal of the 

 explorers. These are described and many of them figured in 

 the pamphlet referred to. Not the least valuable part of the 

 report, Harper's Weekly states, consists of a systematic catalogue 

 of the eocene vertebrates of Wyoming, as compiled from all 

 accessible sources. Of the genera mentioned there are 70 

 belonging to the mammals, 3 to the birds, 27 to the reptiles 

 and amphibians, and 17 to the fishes. Of species there are 

 1 14 of mammals, 7 of birds, 79 of reptiles and amphibian?, and 

 51 of fishes, making a total of 251 species — certainly a very 

 satisfactory showing for a portion of the extinct vertebrate fauna 

 of the west. 



As has been reported in the papers, M. Giffard's captive 

 balloon has been sold to Mr. Gooch, of the Princess's Theatre, 

 to be exhibited in London. The sale does not include the 

 winding-up apparatus and machinery, which will remain in the 

 Tuileries grounds, and be utilised for a second captive balloon, 

 which will be built by M. Giffard, during the winter, for next 

 season. The new captive balloon is to be enlarged and improved 

 in details, so that its working capacities may be increased. The 

 increased interest in ballooning has been manifested by the 

 acceptance by the public authorities of the services of the 

 Ecole des Aeronautes Francais for executing scientific ascents at 

 Versailles on the day of the great y?/^, and at Paris on the occa- 

 sion of the inauguration of the Mansion-house of the 19th 

 arrondissement. This Ecole des Aeronautes was established 

 tbree years ago by a number of persons who escaped from Paris 

 in a balloon during the siege, for the purpose of promoting 

 practice in aeronautics. 



Nothing has occurred at the meeting of the Social Science 

 Congress calling for special notice on our part . Lord Norton, 

 tbe president, on the basis of doubtful statistics, seemed to think 

 lliat the teaching of a "jumble of botany, physiology, &c.," in 

 our elementary schools, is the cause of a supposed imperfection 

 in the teaching of other branches in these schools. Certainly, if 

 these subjects are jumbled they will do more harm than good, 

 but as Lord Norton thinks our existing old universities are pretty 

 near perfection, and are sufficient for the wants of the countr}', 

 it may be doubted whether he has anything like an adequate 

 knowledge of our educational needs. The Hon. G. C. 

 Broderick seems to be pretty much of Lord Norton's opinion 

 with regard to our universities, and virtually admitted that their 

 highest purpose was to be "finishing schools for young gentle- 

 men." On the question of increasing the number of our univer- 

 sities, there were various shades of opinion ; all whose opinions 

 are of any weight, however, agreed that increase is necessary, 

 differing only as to the particular form which it should take. 



The following statement with regard to Mr. Edison's recent 

 invention appears in the Times : — It appears, from the New 

 York papers, that a company has been started in New York 

 called " The Edison Electric Light Company," with a capital 

 of 300,000 dollars. The object of the company is stated gene- 

 rally to be '• the production of heat, light, and power by elec- 



tricity." The present object, however, is to supply a fund which 

 is to assist Mr. Edison in carrying forward his experiments to a 

 point where he shall give a positive demonstration of the powers 

 of his new inventions. Precisely what these inventions are in 

 all their details of transmission of force and the multiplication 

 of the light derived from electricity, Mr. Edison has not yet told 

 to anybody, fearing that the devices may be patented abroad. 

 The invention, as to the use of electric lights, it is said, will not 

 include the use of carbon points, as ordinarily known in electric 

 lights, but instead the incandescence of a metal simpler and 

 cheaper in every way. Mr. Edison has determined upon the 

 general features of his light, its manner of production, &c. ; 

 but in many minor points connected with the distribution of the 

 light for ordinary domestic and business purposes much work 

 has yet to be done. It was at first supposed that 100,000 dollars 

 would be a sufficient experimental fund,;_but the larger amount 

 was finally determined upon. 



The following is the title of the essay to which the Howard 

 medal of the Statistical Society will be awarded in November, 

 1879 ; the essays to be sent in on or before June 30, 1879 : — 

 " On the Improvements that have taken place in the Education 

 of Children and Young Persons during the Eighteenth and 

 Nineteenth Centuries." The council have decided to grant the 

 sum of 20/. to the writer who may gain the " Howard Medal " 

 in November, 1879. 



In his just published report on the trade, &c., of Kiel, 

 her Majesty's Vice-Consul states that the existence of a large 

 bed of pure salt in the neighbourhood of Segeburg, about thirty- 

 five miles distant, is certain. The bed lies about 144 metres 

 from the surface. Two shafts were sunk, one of which 

 reached 116 metres and the other 85 metres, when underground 

 water filled both up to within 28 metres of the surface. Power- 

 ful pumps have been erected, which have emptied the water 

 down to 40 metres, and, although constant pumping shows only 

 a slight decrease, the chief engineer has no doubt of eventual 

 success. In five days the largest pump brought up about 

 50,000 cubic metres of water, representing a weight of 

 50,000,000 kilos. The water contains from sixteen to twenty 

 per cent, of salt. The report further states that, in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Elmshorn, the German authorities are boring for 

 coal. They have reached about 4,000 feet from the surface, 

 but at present have found only red clay, intermixed with par- 

 ticles of salt. 



According to a Japan contemporary, an attempt, on a more 

 extended scale than that of last year, has been made this season 

 to introduce Japanese black teas into the European market. 

 The samples sent in 1877 were favourably reported on, and it 

 was hoped that an outlet had been found for the continually- 

 increasing quantity of tea produced. These hopes, however, 

 appear to be fading, and even if the existing prejudice against 

 the article can be overcome, our contemporary finds it difficult 

 to see how, with a yeariy-increasing export from China and 

 India, leaving Ceylon entirely out of the question, it can ever 

 be made a paying speculation. Much is still hoped from the 

 United States, but the verdict of the American trade upon it has 

 yet to be received. From the same source we learn that the four 

 Japanese gentlemen who were recently in Sydney have gone to 

 Melbourne with the object of furthering an extension of trade 

 with Australia, more especially in the direction of wool and 

 sheep. 



The publication is announced (Ch. Stahl's Veriag in Neu- 

 Ulm) of a "Grosses illustrirtes Kriiuterbuch," containing a 

 complete description of all plants and herbs in reference to their 

 uses, their effects and application, their culture, collection, 

 and preservation. It contains, instructions for the preparation 

 of all kinds of medicines, juices, syrups, conserves, essences, 



