442 



NATURE 



[December i, 192 i 



of anatomy were numerous and valuable. His 

 first, a monograph on the myology of the pelvic 

 floor (1899), was in one sense his greatest. Not 

 only does it give evidence of most painstaking, 

 laborious, and exact work, but it sheds much light 

 on one of the most complex myological problems 

 to be found in the human body. At the instiga- 

 tion of Prof, (now Sir George) Thane, he spent 

 the summer of iqo6 in Prof. Wiedersheim's 

 laboratory at the Anatomical Institute of the Uni- 

 versity of Freiburg, where he studied wax plate 

 reconstruction under Prof. Keibel. Peter Thomp- 

 son must be regarded as one of the pioneers in 

 this country of wax plate reconstruction as applied 

 to the human embryo, and his description of a 

 2-5 mm. human embryo of twenty-three paired 

 somites, published in 1907, is now a classic. His 

 whole-hearted enthusiasm and devotion to the new 

 method of investigation infected not only his 

 pupils, but also many colleagues and friends, much 

 subsequent embryological work in this country 

 being due primarily to his example and investiga- 

 tion. He was a most valued and assiduous 

 member of the Anatomical Society of Great Britain 



and Ireland, serving in turn as secretary, 

 treasurer, and vice-president, and contributing 

 largely to its communications and discussions. 



Prof. Thompson had the great gift of human 

 sympathy in a wonderful degree, always took the 

 keenest interest in the activities of others, and 

 was greatly beloved by pupils and colleagues 

 alike. His happy spirit and optimism never failed 

 him even during the many dark days of illness, 

 and his memory will be held precious by all who 

 knew him. 



We regret to announce the death in Montreal 

 on October 25 of Sir John Kennedy, consulting 

 engineer of the Montreal Harbour Commissioners. 

 From an account of his career which appears in 

 the Engineer for November 11 it appears that 

 he became blind in 1907, and at the time of his 

 death he had reached the age of eighty-three 

 years. The Institution of Civil Engineers elected 

 him a member, and for some time he acted as 

 a member of council. He was one of the founders 

 of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers, of 

 which he was elected president in 1892. 



Notes. 



On Thursday, November 24, Field-Marshal Earl 

 Haig, who was accompanied by Lady Haig, unveiled 

 memorials erected to the memory of members of the 

 Institution of Mining and Metallurgy and the Insti- 

 tution of Mining Engineers who fell in the great war. 

 The proceedings were opened by Mr. F. W. Harbord, 

 president of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, 

 and Col. W. C. Blackett, past-president of the In- 

 stitution of Mining Engineers (in the absence of Sir 

 John Cadman, the president). In the course of his 

 address, Earl Haig expressed his satisfaction in 

 having the opportunity to pay a personal tribute 

 to a section of those many thousands of brave men 

 who fought under his command, and to say a few 

 words of special thanks to a body of men whose 

 work in France seldom drew upon itself much notice 

 or glory at the time, but was surpassed by none in 

 the demands it made upon the skill, courage, and 

 resolution of the individuals concerned, or in the 

 service it rendered to the Army as a whole. He then 

 referred in greater detail to the arduous and dan- 

 gerous work accomplished by the Tunnelling Section 

 of the Royal Engineers at Messlnes, on the Somme, 

 and in other places, and concluded with an eloquent 

 appeal for those who were left to learn the lessons 

 taught by the men who had given the last full 

 measure of their devotion to the cause they had so 

 worthily upheld. The unveiling of the memorials 

 was followed by a solemn silence of one minute's 

 duration, after which Lord Haig pronounced the 

 words: "Their name liveth for evermore," and the 

 "Last Post" and "Reveille" were sounded. 

 General Sir W. A. Liddell, Director of Fortifications 

 and Works, and other distinguished generals and 



NO. 2718, VOL. 108] 



the officers and councils of the two institutions were 

 present at the unveiling. The memorials are placed 

 in the library at Cleveland House, 225 City Road, 

 E.G. 



Mr. K. Rasmussen's report of the progress of his 

 expedition has reached Copenhagen. According to the 

 Times, the expedition's vessel, the Sea King, did notj 

 reach the projected station at Lyon Inlet, In MelvIU^ 

 Peninsula, until September 8, being delayed by hea\ 

 pack and engine trouble. A base was establishe 

 "on a small uncharted Islet, named Danish Island, ofl 

 Lyon Inlet. Mr. Rasmussen is well pleased with th^ 

 situation as a centre for research, and reports plent 

 of bears, reindeer, and hares In the nelghbourhoc 

 Walrus and seals were seen daily in the sound. Ruinj 

 of Eskimo dwellings show that Danish Island wj 

 formerly inhabited. Mr. Rasmussen hopes to be abl| 

 to trace the route of migration of the Eskimo throu| 

 this region. When the ref>ort was dispatched he an^ 

 a companion were setting out to visit the neares 

 tribes In the countryside, travelling by dog-sledg^ 

 The next report may be expected at the end of April] 

 and will be sent via Fort Churchill and Winnipeg. 



Dr. E. N. Miles Thomas has resigned the keeper 

 ship of the Department of Botany of the Nations 

 Museum of Wales. 



A discussion on "Certain Geological Consequence 

 of the Cooling of the Earth " will be held In tl 

 rooms of the Royal Astronomical Society on Fridaj 

 December 2, at 5 p.m. The chair will be taken bi| 

 Sir Jethro Teall. Dr. H. Jeffreys will open the dis 

 cussion, which will be continued by Dr. Jeans, Pro^ 

 LIndemann, Dr. Evans, and Col. E. H. Grove-Hills., 



