526 



NATURE 



\Pct. 14, 1875 



cem the two former conditions will have an importance double 

 that which will be given to the two latter. No competitor can 

 receive two prizes. A sum of 3,000 francs at least will be 

 devoted for the purpose of awarding gold medals, or an equiva- 

 lent value, to competitors who will have been judged worthy. 

 A number of medals in silver and bronze will also be awarded. 

 Those who wish for further details concerning this and other 

 competitions, should apply to the Secretary of the Academy. 



Our readers will hear with regret that the well-known 

 observatory at Twickenham' belonging to Mr. Bishop, and pre- 

 sided over by Mr. Hind, is shortly to be dismantled and the 

 instruments presented to the Royal Observatory at Naples. 

 This, however, will probably not take place till the latter part 

 of next year. Mr. Bishop has, we believe, been induced to part 

 with his Twickenham property mainly on account of the benefit 

 he found from residence in a southern climate. Not wishing to 

 sell his scientific apparatus, he offered it by letter through Prof, 

 de Gasparis to the Italian Government for the use of the Royal 

 Observatory of Naples, where we believe an equatorial instru- 

 ment of about the dimensions of the one at Twickenham was 

 much desired. The offer was accepted in the first instance by 

 telegram, and Mr. Bishop has this week received the formal 

 authorisation of the Italian Minister of Public Instruction per- 

 mitting the gift for the use of the Observatory at Naples. The 

 most useful portion of the valuable library collected by Mr. 

 Bishop's father (so long treasurer of the Royal Astronomical 

 Society) may probably accompany the instruments. 



In 1859 Napoleon III. published a decree ordering that a 

 prize of 20,000 francs should be presented every two years by the 

 French Institute, each of the five academies being in turn autho- 

 rised to nominate the candidate, and the choice to be ratified by 

 the whole body of the Institute. The first laureate was M. 

 Thiers, proposed by the Academic Francaise for 1861, on the 

 ground of the excellency of his historical works. In 1863 the 

 prize was proposed by the Academy of Inscriptions, and given 

 to M. Jules Oppert, for his Assyrian discoveries. In 1865 M. 

 Wurtz was proposed by the Academy of Sciences, for his 

 discoveries in chemistry. In 1867 M. Henri Martin was se- 

 lected by the Academy of Moral Sciences, for his Histo'.y of 

 France. In 1869 M. Guizot was elected by the Academic Fran- 

 caise, using its right for the second time. In 1873 the Academy 

 of Inscriptions selected M. Mariette, for his Egyptian discoveries. 

 The Academy of Sciences having to exert its prerogative this 

 year, has, it is stated, selected M. Paul Btrt,. It appears that 

 the ground of selection is his "discoveries on the effects of oxy- 

 gen in the act of respiration." M. Claude Bernard declared that 

 these discoveries are the most astounding which have been made 

 since Priestley dicovered that gas. These conclusions will not 

 be accepted without opposition, even in France, although the 

 Academy is said to have ratified the award without any objection. 

 The lamented Zenith's ascent was organised in order to test the 

 accuracy of M. Bert's conclusions. 



The Natural Science Lectures at Cambridge during the 

 Michaelmas term present several new features of interest. The 

 list of lectures, practical courses, and classes is now, happily, 

 so long that it is impossible for us to notice them in detail. 

 Prof. Dewar will commence his career as a Cambridge Professor, 

 and inaugurate a new departure in the history of the Jacksonian 

 Chair, by lecturing on Dissociation and Thermal Chemistry. 

 Prof. Liveing's laborious course of instruction in Spectroscopic 

 Analysis, in which successive batches of students are taught at 

 successive hours of the afternoon, will be resumed. Mr. Apjohn 

 will lecture on Volumetric Analysis, at Caius Laboratory, and 

 Dr. H. N. Martin on Physiological Chemistry at Christ's Col- 

 lege. Prof. Livehig promises a course on the History of Che- 

 mistry in the* ensuing May term. In addition to Mr. Bridge's 



ordinary course of practical work in Comparative Anatomy, a 

 valuable series of lectures with practical instruction in Morpho- 

 logy will be given by Mr. F. Balfour, of Trinity, and Mr. A. M. 

 Marshall, of St. John's. Dr. Michael Foster's usual course of 

 Practical Physiology and Histology will this term meet in two 

 sections, elementary and advanced. Prof. Hughes's courses are 

 divided into three sets. On Tuesdays he will lecture on Physical 

 Geography and Elementary Geology ; Thursdays, on the period 

 represented by the depositions between the Lower New Red 

 (Permian) and the top of the chalk inclusive; Saturdays, on 

 various unconnected vexed questions. Prof. Hughes may be 

 expected to propound many novel views, which Prof. Hull 

 called heresies at Bristol, as to the Permian, Rha^tic, and Tri- 

 assic beds. 



Prof. Stokes lectures at Cambridge this term on Double 

 Refraction and Polarisation, Prof. Challis on Practical As- 

 tronomy and Magnetism, and Prof. Cayley on a course of Pure 

 Mathematics. 



Intelligence has been received at Sydney that the expedi- 

 tion under tlie leadership of Mr. Macleay, which left Sydney in 

 the Chevert about four months ago to explore New Guinea, has 

 become disorganised, and is returning. At the same time a 

 report has reached Sydney that a large navigable river has 

 been discovered in New Guinea. 



During the past week the Social Science Association has been 

 holding its meetings at Brighton. In all the Sections much busi- 

 ness was done in the way of reading papers and subsequent dis- 

 cussion, though we regret to see that the attendance, especially of 

 townspeople, was considerably below previous years. Few of the 

 papers call for notice by us. The most striking, if not indeed 

 the most valuable paper read, was that of Dr. B. W. Richard- 

 son, which we print elsewhere. The inaugural address, by Lord 

 Aberdare, dealt with the subject of " Crime." Of other papers 

 read we may note that of Sir Charles Reed, president of the 

 Education Section, on the subject^of " Education," principally 

 dealing with its elementary aspect. A paper was read by the 

 Hon. G. C. Brodrick on the question, " How can the influence 

 of the Universities be most effectively exerted in the general 

 education of the country?" Among other methods of reform 

 he advocated the encouragement of literary and scientific 

 research by University grants. Mr. Brodrick evidently is of 

 opinion that our two great Universities are still far behind the 

 age, and this was the tone of the discussion which followed. 

 Miss Sherriff's paper on the question, " Is a fair proportion of 

 the endowments of the country made applicable to female 

 education ?" is worthy of attention. In the course ot the paper 

 she gave an account of the progress of the Girls' Public Day 

 School Company. 



The Sea-Lions, the expected arrival of which we mentioned 

 last week, reached London on Tuesday, and were forwarded to 

 Brighton yesterday. 



Dr. Carpenter has declined to stand for the Lord Rector- 

 ship of Aberdeen University.; 



Dr. W. J. Russell has been appointed Examiner in Chemistry 

 at the Royal College of Physicians, London. 



The open Scholarship at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, value 

 100/., has been awarded this year to Mr. C. Pardey Lukis. 



We have had forwarded to us two photographs of a mounted 

 specimen of an almost complete Solitaire {Pezophaps solitarius), 

 found, with a second, in the island of Rodriguez, in the June of 

 this year, by Mr. J. Caldwell, the Assistant Colonial Secretary 

 of Mauritius, and Sergeant Morris. These specimens, together 

 with that procured by Mr. Slater, one of the naturalists to the 

 Venus Transit Expedition, will settle some points in the oste- 



