'54 



NATURE 



\Pec. 20, 1877 



for such a situation on high soils is quite suited for conifers, and 

 if on heavy soils sufficient for^oak and other hard-wooded trees. 

 Mr. Boulger points'out, what ought to be apparent to all, that 

 the growth of rushes, the wood rush {Luziila), the bog asphodel 

 {Nartheciufti), a yellow star-like plant, the tufted hair-grass 

 {Ai7-a c(Espitosa)y or of mosses on the surface, are sure indications 

 of the absolute necessity of drainage. Though these are facts 

 with which a practical forester is well acquainted, it is never- 

 theless necessary to impress them upon the minds of all interested 

 in forest produce. Some useful hints as to the preservation of 

 timber for fencing, or in damp underground situations, are given 

 in the number of the Journal for the current month. 



R. PiCTET describes some interesting experiments {Arch. Sc, 

 Pkys., lix.) made for the purpose of determining the conditions 

 under which transparent or non-transparent ice is formed. It 

 was ascertained that water frozen in a vessel dipped in a cold 

 glycerine solution formed perfectly transparent ice as long as the 

 temperature ranged between 0° and — i '5°. If the solution was 

 cooled below — 3", the ice was whitish and of a less specific 

 gravity, these properties being intensified with the lowering of 

 the temperature. No difference in the melting-point or amount 

 of warmth required for melting was observable among the 

 various varieties of ice. The opacity of ice results from an 

 irregular arrangement of the ice-crystals, as well as from the 

 presence of small bubbles of air — less than J mm. in diameter — 

 which are mechanically inclosed. They can be removed by 

 slowly conducting through freezing water large bubbles of air 

 which carry with them the small bubbles. 



At a public meeting held in the Cheltenham Masonic Hall on 

 December 15, Sir F. Abbott in the chair, it was resolved to 

 institute a "Cheltenham Philosophic Society," which should 

 hold its meetings during the winter months. Upwards of fifty 

 gentlemen signified their desire to become members, and a com- 

 mittee was formed to draw up rules to be submitted at a future 

 date to a general meeting for their sanction. 



Dr. John Rae asks us to state that in his paper on Eskimo 

 skulls read at the Anthropological Institute on May 8 last, and 

 published in the newly-issued number of the Journal of the 

 Institute, he by mistake called the Western Eskimo Brachy- 

 cephalic, whereas they are Mesocephalic. 



In the letter on the meteor last week, p. 124, "8 (± 2) x 

 Lyrse," should be 8 (± 2) times Lyras. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include a pair of Musk Deer {Moschus moschiferus), 

 from Central Asia, presented by Sir Richard Pollock ; a pair 

 of Axis Deer {Cervus axis), from India, presented by Dr. Carl 

 Siemens; a Diana Monkey {Cercopithecus diana), from West 

 Africa, presented by Mr. P. Spink ; a Bonnet Monkey {Macacus 

 radiatus), from India, presented by Mr. T. H. Evans ; a Patas 

 Monkey {Cercopithecus rtibtr), from West Africa, a Red-backed 

 Saki {Pithecia chiropotes), a Red-faced Spider Monkey {^Ateles 

 panisais), two Kinkajous {Cercoleptes caudivolvulus), a Coati 

 (Nasua nasica), an Azara's Fox (Canis azares), a Black Vulture 

 (Catharies atratus), from South America, deposited two Schle- 

 gel's Doves {Chalcopelia puella), from West Africa, two Lesser 

 Razor-billed Curassows (Mitua tormentosa), from South America ; 

 two Waxwings {Ampdis garrulus), four Bullfinches {Pyrrhula 

 rubicilla), European, purchased; four Common Waxbills 

 (Estrelda cinerea), two Cinereous Waxbills {Estrelda caru' 

 lescens), six Orange-cheeked Waxbills {Estrelda tnelpoda), two 

 African Silver Bills [Munia canians) seven Yellow-rumped Seed 

 Eaters {Crithagra chrysopyga), from West Africa, received in 

 exchange ; a Chinchilla {Chinchilla lanigera), born in the 

 Gardens. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



Cambridge. — The Syndicate, appointed in May, 1875, to 

 consider the requirements of the university in different depart- 

 ments of study, have just issued their fourth report on'the subject. 

 After stating that in their opinion the inter-collegiate system 

 should be further stimulated and supplemented by the institution 

 of university readerships, and that by a more complete organisa- 

 tion the requisite provision for teaching and the encouragement 

 of research might be to a considerable extent made, they never- 

 theless are of opinion that certain subjects of great importance 

 are not now represented in the professoriate, the absence of 

 which from such representation constitutes a serious defect in the 

 Cambridge system, and they recommend that professorships 

 amongst other subjects should be created as soon as the re- 

 sources of the university permit, in comparative philology, 

 mental philosophy and logic, physiology, English language and 

 literature. 



The Syndicate, with regard to existing professorships, suggest 

 that the Professorship of Mineralogy should be for the future a 

 Professorship of Mineralogy and Mineral Chemistry. 



There are other subjects of scarcely less importance of which 

 there ought always to be recognised teachers in the University, 

 although the Syndicate are not prepared to say that the teacher 

 ought always to have the status of a professor. Such are analy- 

 tical chemistry, morphological and physiological botany (as dis- 

 tinguished from systematic botany), comparative anatomy (as 

 distinguished from zoology), pathological anatomy. 



In other subjects, again, it is desirable that the University, 

 without establishing permanent offices, should have the means of 

 appointing professors or other teachers from time to time when 

 there is the opportunity of securing the services of a specially 

 competent person. Such are the theory and^history of education, 

 as also some special departments of natural science. 



The following is the Natural Science Tripos' list for this 

 year : — Class I. — (2) Ds. Bower, Trinity ; (4) CuUen, Christ's ; 

 (i) Fenton, Christ's ; (l) Greaves, Christ's ; (2 and 3) Hill, 

 Downing ; (i) Ohm, Emmanuel ; (3) Sedgwick, Trinity. Class 

 II. — Ds. Harrison, Christ's ; Holthouse, Trinity ; Houghton, 

 St. John's; Murton, St. John's; North, Sidney; Taylor, E. F. 

 Vinter, Sidney. Class III. — Ds. Allen, St. John's ; Buckmaster, 

 Downing ; Foster, Trinity ; W^allis, St. John's ; Weldon, Caius. 

 The numbers indicate the subjects for knowledge of which the 

 candidates are placed in the first class as follows : — i. Physics, 

 chemistry, and mineralogy. 2 . Botany. 3. Zoology and com- 

 parative anatomy, human anatomy, and physiology. 4. Geology. 



Edinburgh. — The second meeting of the session of the Edin- 

 burgh University Chemical Society, was held on the 12th instant, 

 John Gibson, Ph.D., F.R.S.E., vice-president, in the chair. J. 

 S. Thomson communicated a paper on solutions of litmus, in 

 which he explained the preservation of the colour of such solu- 

 tions on exposure to the air by the action of the air preventing 

 fermentation. He also read a paper on the Determination of 

 Melting Points. 



Technical University. — It may be remembered that a 

 Committee of the City Companies has been for some time at 

 work elaborating a scheme for founding a technical university in 

 London. The last step taken by the Committee was to procure 

 reports and suggestions from six specially nominated referees, 

 viz.. Prof. Huxley, Col. Donnelly (of the Science and Art De- 

 partment), Capt. Douglas Galton, Mr. H. T. Wood (Assistant- 

 Secretary of the Society of Arts), and Mr. Bartley (of the Science 

 and Art Department). After having decided on these names, 

 the Committee adjourned to allow time for the preparation of 

 the reports. On Thursday last week they met again, and the 

 reports were laid before them. After some discussion the further 

 consideration of the subject was adjourned till January 17. 



Taunton College School. — The Science Scholarship at 

 Keble College, Oxford, is awarded to Mr. R. G. Durrant, of the 

 Taunton College School. This is the fourth brilliant success 

 that the school has gained in the last five months, and it is pro- 

 bably the last. The able science master, Mr. Shenstone, leaves 

 at Christmas to take a Science Mastership at the revived Exeter 

 Grammar School. He will not be replaced at Taunton, and the 

 science teaching, which, after years of toil against obstacles, is just 

 beginning to bear fruit, will become a thing of the past. 



