November 24, 192 1] 



NATURE 



413 



was at Toulouse Observatory for twelve years 

 under M. Baillaud, and carried out a successful 

 prog-ramme of stellar photography with the large 

 reflector. He also continued his mathematical re- 

 searches, obtaining the doctor's degree for a 

 thesis on hyperabelian groups, and helping in the 

 editing of the works of Hermite. He took a large 

 share in the photography of the Toulouse zone of 

 the astrographic catalogue, in the Eros pro- 

 gramme of 1900, and obser\'ed the total solar 

 eclipses of 1900 and 1905 from Elche and Guelma. 

 In 1907 M. Bourget became director of the 

 Marseilles Observatory, when he introduced the 

 seismograph, the prism-astrolabe for time deter- 

 mination, and the reception of wireless signals 

 from the Eiffel Tower. He also studied with 

 MM. Fabr\- and Buisson the internal movements 

 in the Orion nebula. He later introduced the Mar- 

 seilles Circulars and the Journal des Ohservateurs , 

 which have proved very serviceable for the dis- 

 tribution of information concerning comets and 

 minor planets. A. C: D. C. 



seventy years, is recorded in Engineering of 

 November 11. He obtained a commission in the 

 Royal Engineers in 1871, and in 1899 ^"^'^^ 

 appointed Inspecting Officer of Railways under 

 the Board of Trade. His name was well known 

 in connection with inquiries into railway accidents. 



The death of Prof. Carltox Johx Lambert on 

 November 6 is announced in Engineering of 

 November 11. Prof. Lambert was seventy-seven 

 years of age, and for several years was professor 

 of mathematics, physics, and mechanics at the 

 Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He was elected 

 an associate member of the Institution of Naval 

 Architects in 1896. 



We regret to see the announcement of the death 

 on November 16 of Prof. P. Thompson', professor 

 of anatomy at Birmingham University, at the age 

 of fiftv vears. 



The death of Lieut. -Col. P. G. vox Doxop. 

 which occurred on November 7, at the age of 



It is with much regret that we see the an- 

 nouncement of the death, on November 22, at 

 seventy-six years of agf;, of the distinguished 

 philosopher, M. Emile Boutroux, member of the 

 Institute of France. 



Notes. 



The new skull from Rhodesia described by Dr. 

 A. Smith Woodward in last week's Nature was ex- 

 hibited by him at a meeting of the Zoological Society 

 on November 22. The skull, which was found in the 

 Broken Hill Mine at a depth of 60 ft. below water- 

 level and 90 ft. below ground-level, is in a remarkably 

 fresh state of preserA'ation. It is much broken on 

 the right side and the lower jaw is missing. The 

 brain-case is of modern human type, and the bone 

 not thicker than that of the ordinary European ; the 

 capacity, though not yet accurately determined, is 

 clearly above the lower human limit. The orbits are 

 large and square, with pronounced overhanging ridges 

 much extended laterally. The forward position of the 

 foramen magnum indicates that the skull was poised 

 on an upright trunk. The palate is large, but typically 

 human, and adapted to perfect speech. It is remark- 

 able that the teeth are much affected by caries. The 

 lower jaw must have been massive and larger than 

 the Heidelberg jaw. The appearance of flatness of 

 the frontal area suggests a comparison with Pithecan- 

 thropus erecttis. Dr. Smith Woodward was inclined 

 to find the nearest approach to the Rhodesian skull 

 in the Neanderthal type from La Chapelle aux Saints 

 in France. Though markedly modern In regard to 

 the brain-case, in its facial characters, while It Is 

 essentially human, It appears to hold a position 

 between the gorilla and Neanderthal man. Fragments 

 of the long bones, both femur and tibia, which have 

 been found Indicate that, unlike Neanderthal man, 

 Rhodesian man walked In a perfectly upright posture. 

 Dr. Smith Woodward regarded Rhodesian man as 

 possibly a later development than Neanderthal man, 

 but Prof. Elliot Smith suggested that he might repre- 

 sent a primitive type of which Neanderthal man might 

 be a highly specialised form. 

 NO. 2717, VOL. I08I 



The Council of the Institution of Electrical 

 Engineers has elected Lord Southborough to be an 

 honorary member of the institution. Lord South- 

 borough, who is probably better known to men of 

 science as Sir Francis Hopwood, has long been asso- 

 ciated with electrical progress in this country, and 

 rendered valuable services to the Institution of Elec- 

 trical Engineers In connection with the obtaining of 

 a Royal Charter and Royal Patronage, by his enthu- 

 siastic help and counsel, and by active co-operation 

 with the charter committee. He Is a member of the 

 Board of Control of the National Physical Laboratory, 

 and has been for many years closely associated with 

 the problem of railway electrification. 



The Inaugural meeting of the Empire Forestry 

 Association was held In the Guildhall, London, on 

 November 16. The object of the association is to 

 federate in one central organisation societies and 

 individuals interested in the growth, marketing, and 

 utilisation of timber throughout the Empire, The 

 association will publish a Journal, advocating a con- 

 structive policy of conservation and development in 

 the various Dominions, Colonies, and India. It will 

 collect and publish facts as to existing forestry condi- 

 tions and timber requirements of the Empire. A 

 room In the Imperial Institute will be at the disposal 

 of the association for the display of the commercial 

 timbers which are produced in countries under British 

 rule. A Royal charter has been granted to the asso- 

 ciation. The secretary is Mr. T. S. Corbett, 17 Vic- 

 toria Street. London, S.W. 



Through an advertisement in the Times, Prof. F. 

 Soddy Issues a warning "against the fraudulent use 

 of a letter written by him referring to tests made bv 

 him of a process alleged to make gold." 



