62 



NATURE 



[May 17, 1888 



gons and one is a square. (See Phil. Mag., vol. xxiv., 

 1887, p. 503.) 



Model of maximum pressure anemometer, designed by 

 Mr. Whipple, Superintendent of Kew Observatory, ex- 

 hibited by the Kew Committee. In this instrument eight 

 small metal disks, each of o - oi foot in area, are supported 

 vertically against the wind by levers weighted in accord- 

 ance with the various pressures of the wind on Beaufort's, 

 or some other accepted scale of force. A vane keeps 

 their surfaces normal to the wind's direction. By their 

 displacement the maximum wind pressure during any 

 desired period is registered. The large perforated disk 

 against which they are pressed serves the purpose of 

 removing the indicating disks beyond the action of the 

 eddies of the wind playing round the edges of the plate. 



Specimens of gold showing the effect of small quantities 

 of impurity on the fracture of the metal, exhibited by Mr. 

 W. C. Roberts-Austen, F.R.S. 



Miners' electric safety-lamps, exhibited by the Schan- 

 schieff Electric Light and Power Company. (1) A three- 

 cell lamp capable of giving i\ candle-power for 9 hours. 

 Each cell contains 5 fluid ounces of solution, and con- 

 sumes § pound of zinc in 48 hours. The light is more 

 than four times more powerful than that of the Clanny 

 oil lamp, and its working cost is id. per shift of 9 hours, 

 or 3frf. per week. The weight when fully charged is 

 about 3j pounds. The elements consist of carbon and 

 zinc, and the excitant is a mercurial solution of Mr. 

 Schanschieff's invention. (2 and 3) Four-cell batteries, 

 one round and one square. Each cell contains 5 fluid 

 ounces of solution, and at a cost of id. furnishes a light of 

 nearly 2 candle-power for 9 hours. The weight when 

 fully charged is 4J pounds. (4) A four-cell reversible 

 battery, i.e. put in or out of action by reversing it. The 

 charge consists of 24 ounces of solution, and giving alight 

 of 2 candle-power will burn from 10 to 12 hours at a cost 

 of id. The batteries can be used for many purposes 

 other than mining-lamps, viz. for microscopical purposes, 

 house-lighting, photography, diving, railway-lighting, gun- 

 firing, gas-works, &c. 



THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMSTERDAM. 



/ T*HE celebration of the jubilee of the Zoological 

 * Society of Amsterdam (Natura Artis Magis(ra), 

 on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2, passed off 

 with great eclat. Dr. Westerman, who has been Director 

 of the Gardens for more than fifty years, may well be 

 congratulated on the success of the jubilee fetes; and 

 the vigour with which he spoke at the banquet on May 1, 

 and again at the distribution of honours on Wednes- 

 day, shows that his eighty years sit lightly upon him. 

 One of the most interesting features of the jubilee 

 commemoration was the performance of a festival 

 cantata, specially composed for the occasion by Mr. De 

 Langa, and this had to be repeated on Thursday 

 for the benefit of half the members of the Society, for 

 whose accommodation the enormous concert-room proved 

 insufficient on the opening day. All the streets in the 

 vicinity of the Zoological Gardens were gaily decorated 

 with flags, and the rooms of the Society were ornamented 

 in the day-time by a mass of gorgeous flowers and at 

 night with brilliant illuminations. After the reception of 

 the guests by the Committee on Tuesday morning, an 

 adjournment was made to the King's Saloon, which was 

 densely crowded, to hear an address from Prof. Stockvis. 

 Luncheon followed, and then the cantata was given in 

 the concert hall, and in the afternoon the new Ethno- 

 graphical Museum was formally opened. The excellent 

 way in which the collections had been arranged was 

 generally remarked, and the Curator, Mr. Pleyte, was 

 warmly congratulated. The public spirit which charac- 

 terizes modern Amsterdam will doubtless soon cause this 



new Museum to become famous, as there is a vast field 

 for research among the Netherland possessions in the 

 East Indies. At the banquet in the evening, covers were 

 laid for nearly 200 persons, and after the usual toasts, the 

 health of the Queen of England was drunk by the 

 assembled company with the greatest enthusiasm, and 

 was responded to by Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the British 

 Museum, who spoke in English, and took the opportunity 

 of thanking the Dutch nation for the hospitality which he 

 and his countrymen always received from the Nether- 

 landers, to which he could testify from an experience of 

 over twenty years. Speeches were also given by the 

 Ministers of Finance and of the Interior, the Burgomaster 

 of Amsterdam, and others ; and the company then 

 adjourned to witness a torchlight procession of students, 

 who sent a deputation of their Senate to congratulate the 

 venerable Director and the Committee of the Society. 

 The young President of the Students' Senate, Mr.. Van 

 Schevichaven, made a most eloquent address, and was- 

 enthusiastically received. On Wednesday, May 2, a 

 special reception of the Committee was held to confer 

 diplomas on the new honorary members, and Prof. 

 Hubrecht, of Utrecht, Dr. Jentink, the Director of the 

 Royal Museum of Natural History at Leyden, and Mr. 

 Biittikofer, of the same Museum, were the first recipients ; 

 being followed by Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the Superintendent 

 of our Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park, and Mr. 

 Bowdler Sharpe. Amongst those who were unable 

 to be present, but to whom the honorary membership' 

 of the Society was given, were Prof. Flowers, Dr. 

 A. B. Meyer, &c. The large bronze medal of the Society 

 was conferred on Mr. Charles Jamrach and Mr. G. 

 A. Frank for services rendered in the formation of 

 zoological collections, as well as on several other well- 

 known zoologists. Mr. Jansen, the Librarian of the 

 Society, and Mr. F. E. Blaauw, the Secretary, also received 

 medals and diplomas. The latter gentleman has a large 

 private menagerie, and is an enthusiastic supporter of the 

 Society. Simultaneously with the festival celebration,, 

 the Society has issued a jubilee number of its Bijdragen 

 tot de Dierkunde, containing several important memoirs, 

 of which the following is a list : — (1) The opening address 

 of Prof. Stockvis. (2) Mr. Maitland's review of the 

 Society and its work, with a plan of the Gardens. (3) 

 An account of the aquarium with 2 plates, by Dr. C. 

 Kerbert, the Curator. (4) A list of all the animals 

 which have lived in the Gardens from 1838 to 1888 by Mr. 

 K. N. Swierstra. (5) A list of the birds of the Nether- 

 lands, by Mr. H. Koller, with an enumeration of the 

 specimens in the Society's collection. (6) Description of 

 a new species of Proechidna (P. villosissimd) and an 

 account of Cam's jubata, by Prof. Max Weber : this article 

 is illustrated by 2 plates. (7) A list of the Macrolepido- 

 fitera of Holland, by Dr. J. T. Oudemans. The Gardens 

 of the Society seemed to be in flourishing condition, and 

 the collections of Cranes and Antelopes were as remark- 

 able as ever. 



NOTES. 



The ceremony at Utrecht on May 28 to celebrate the seventieth 

 birthday of Prof. Donders, and his consequent retirement from 

 his Professorship, will comprise a formal presentation, at 1.30 p.m., 

 of the sum collected, together with the roll of subscribers, and 

 a public dinner at 5.30 p.m. After the ceremony of pre- 

 sentation the Professor will name the scientific purpose to which 

 he proposes that the fund shall be applied. The complete list 

 of subscribers from this country is to be seen in our advertising 

 columns on page xviii. Any subscriber may verify the amount 

 of his subscription by applying to Mr. Brailey, 1 1 Old Burlington 

 Street, where the audited list may be seen. The total amount 

 collected here is ^280 115. \od. Prof. Humphry, Dr. Hughlings 



