542 



NA TURE 



[Oct. 2 1, 1875 



During the meeting of the Social Science Congress at 

 Brighton, Mr. Booth threw open for three days his private mu- 

 seum which is in the course of arrangement. He has built on 

 the Dyke Road a spacious^ hall of brick, lighted entirely from 

 above, and around this are being placed 306 cases which contain 

 groups of birds shot by himself and Mrs. Booth in Britain. 

 There is one point about the fixing of the cases worth mention- 

 ing. A framework is constructed about three feet from the wall 

 into which the glazed cases fit. This prevents any damp from the 

 walls, too frequent in museums, and allows of the easy moving 

 of the cases if needed. As these cases are arranged in three 

 tiers only and there is abundance of light, every bird can be well 

 seen, and the width of the hall is sufficient to admit of viewing 

 the groups from different positions. The most important feature 

 next perhaps to the careful stuffing of the birds, is the fidelity with 

 which the characters of the habitat are reproduced. With birds 

 which change their plumage during the year, two, and where 

 needed, three illustrations are given each with the proper 

 entourage. As a collection illustrating our British birds in their 

 native haunts, this is probably unique. There is no attempt at 

 zoological classification, however, since the position of the cases 

 is influenced rather by their relative size and the general 

 picturesque effect of the hall. Whoever the taxidermist is, the 

 collection does him great credit. It is stated that when com- 

 plete the collection will be throvm open to the public lor the 

 benefit of the local charities. 



The observations obtained by Prof. VioUe (referred to last 

 week, p. 527) in reference to the solar temperature, were 

 obtained not by ballooning, but by the actual ascent of the Alps. 



Under date Oct. 19, the Tit'wfj Paris correspondent states that 

 an eartliquake which lasted several seconds is reported as having 

 been felt at Moutiers-et-Brides-Ies-Bains, near Chambery. This 

 phenomenon coincided with great barometrical depression. 

 Snow has fallen on the mountains of the Puy de Dome. 



Dr. Pietre SANCTAhas just started a new French periodical, 

 the Journal d'Hygiine, with the object of realising, as far as 

 possible, in France the ideal of a " city of health." The journal 

 also treats of climatology, mineral waters, wintering and sea- 

 side resorts, and kindred subjects. 



The pair of Sea-lions which arrived at Brighton last week are, 

 we are informed, specimens of Steller's Sea-lion, about six feet 

 long. The species, which was originally described by G. W. 

 Steller in a work which also contains the account of the huge 

 extinct Manatee-like Rhytina, attains a length of sixteen feet, 

 and has long hair surrounding the neck of the adult male, whence 

 its name. Its under-fur is very little in quantity, so that the 

 skin is of no use for "sealskin." 



On Monday the New Ladies' College, known as Newnham 

 Hall, at the back of the Colleges at Cambridge, was formally 

 opened and received into its rooms twenty-seven students. Tlie 

 resident mistress is Miss Clough, the sister of the poet. 



A letter in Tuesday's Times describes a terrible hurricane 

 and rain and thunder-storm which swept over the island of St. 

 Vincent and other West India islands on the 9th September. 

 In twelve hours the almost incredible quantity of nearly nine- 

 teen inches of rain fell. 



A COURSE of twelve Gilchrist Lectures, on the Principles of 

 Physical Geography, in connection with the School Teachers' 

 Science Association, is being given at the Foresters' Hall, Wil- 

 derness Row, on alternate Friday evenings. The first lecture 

 was given on the 8th inst, and the' next will take place to- 

 morrow. The lecturers are Dr. W. B. Carpenter, F.R.S., Mr. 

 J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S., and Prof. Martin Duncan, F.R.S. 



The evening lectures last session in connection with the 

 Yorkshire College of Science were largely attended, and we are 



glad to see they are to be continued this session. Professors 

 Rucker, Thorpe, and Green are to lecture on special depart- 

 ments of Physics, Chemistry, and Geology respectively, and 

 Mr. L. C. Miall on "The Principal Forms of Animal Life." 



The following' is the programme of the Glasgow Science 

 Lectures Association for the coming Session : — Nov. 11, " Navi- 

 gation," by Sir Wm. Thomson, F.R.S. ; Nov. 24, " Coals and 

 Coal Plants," by Prof. W. C. Williamson, r.R.S. ; Dec. 8, 

 " Recent Researches into the Chemical Constitution of the 

 Sun," by J. Norman Lockyer, F.R.S. ; Dec. 22, "Kent's 

 Cavern — its testimony to the Antiquity of Man," by Wm. Pen- 

 gelly, F.R.S.; Jan. 27, "Mountain Architecture," by Prof. 

 Geikie, F.R.S.; Feb. 16, a lecture by Prof. Huxley, F.R.S., 

 subject not yet announced. 



From the thirteenth quarterly report of the Sub-Wealden Ex- 

 ploration, it appears that another effort is to be made to reach a 

 depth of 2,oco feet. The engineer has reported favourably on 

 the possibility of completing that distance by attaching a crown 

 to the 3-inch tubes, and, after boring to 1,824 feet, to recom- 

 mence with a 2 1 -inch crown. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Persian Gazelles {Gazella siibgitttnrosd) 

 from Persia, presented by Mr. Archibald Gray ; a Ruddy 

 Ichneumon {Herpestes sntithii) from India, presented by Mr. W. 

 R. Best; a Common Kestrel {Tinnunculus alaudarius), Euro- 

 pean, presented by Mr. J. H. W^illmore ; a Golden-crowned 

 Conure (Conurus aureus) from S.E. Brazil, presented by Col. 

 McArthur ; two Crested Porcupines (ITystrix cristaia), two Ser- 

 vals {Felis servaT) from S. Africa, a Scarlet Ibis {Ibis rubra) 

 from Para, a Common Boa {Boa constrictor) from S. America, 

 deposited ; a Derbian Wallaby {Halniaturus derbianns) born in 

 the Gardens. 



A CITY OF HEALTH* 

 II. 

 'T*HE warming and ventilation of the houses is carried out by 

 -*■ a common and simple plan. The cheerfulness of the fire- 

 side is not sacrificed ; there is still the open grate in every room, 

 but at the back of the fire-stove there is an air-box or case whicli, 

 distinct from the chimney, communicates by an opening with the 

 outer air, and by another opening with the room. When the 

 fire in the room heats the iron receptacle, fresh air is brought in 

 from without, and is diffused into the room at the upper part on 

 a plan similar to that devised by Capt. Galton. 



As each house is complete within itself in all its arrangements, 

 those disfigurements called back premises are not required. 

 There is a wide space consequently between the back fronts of 

 all houses, which space is, in every instance, turned iato a 

 garden square, kept in neat order, ornamented with flowers 

 and trees, and furnished with playgrounds for children, youn^; 

 and old. 



The houses being built on arched subways, great convenience 

 exists for conveying sewage from, and for conducting water and 

 gas into, the different domiciles. All pipes are conveyed along 

 the subways, and enter each house from beneath. Thus the 

 mains of the water-pipe and the mains of the gas are within 

 instant control on the first floor of the building, and a leakage 

 from either can be immediately prevented. The officers who 

 supply the commodities of gas and water have admission to the 

 subways, and find it most easy and economical to keep all that 

 is under their charge in perfect repair. The sewers of the houses 

 run along the floors of the subways, and are built in brick. 

 They empty into three cross main sewers. They are trapped 

 for each house, and as the water supply is continuous, they are 

 kept well flushed. In addition to the house flushings there are 

 special openings into the sewers by which, at any time, under 

 the direction of the sanitary officer, an independent flushing can 

 be carried out. The sewers are ventilated into tall shafts from the 

 mains by means of a pneumatic engine. 



* An Address by Dr. B W. Richardson, F.R.S., at the Brighton meeting 

 of the Social bcience Association. Revised by the author. Concluded from 

 P- .';2S- 



