304 



NATURE 



['/uly 24, 1879 



physics, as always having been a serious obstacle to the; prose- 

 cution of investigations requiring a high degree of precision. 

 It asks, therefore, from the various institutions addressed, a 

 list of such apparatus of this kind as they possess, and which 

 they are willing to place, under certain restrictions, at the dis- 

 posal of any properly qualified persons for the purpose of inves- 

 tigation. The principal scientific institutions of the State have 

 responded, and the lists they give convey a highly favourable 

 idea of the completeness and high quality of the apparatus of 

 precision with which American laboratories are furnished. 

 Among the institutions thus prepared to place their equipments 

 at the service of science are the United States Coast Survey, the 

 Academy of Arts and Sciences, the various scientific depart- 

 ments of Harvard University, the Stevens Institute of Tech- 

 nology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia Col- 

 lege, New York, and the Johns Hopkins University, which, 

 though the youngest of these institutions, has an admirably com- 

 plete scientific equipment. Mr. Winsor is to be congratulated 

 on the wide extension he has given to the significance of the 

 term bibliography, and on the service he is doing science in the 

 United States. 



From the Chemical N'ews we learn that a newly-discovered 

 metal, Norwegium, has been detected and isolated by Dr. Tellef 

 Dahll in a sample of copper-nickel from Kragero, in Skja;r- 

 gaarden. The colour of the pure metal is white, with a slight 

 brownish cast. When polished it has a perfectly metallic lustre, 

 but after a time it becomes covered with a thin film of oxide. 

 It can be flattened out in an agate mortar, and in hardness it 

 resembles copper. The melting-point is 350" C, and the specific 

 gravity 9"44i. Its equivalent appears tobel45'9. Only one 

 oxide, NgO, has been obtained. With sulphuretted hydrogen 

 it gives a brown sulphide, even in strongly acid hydrochloric 

 solutions, which redissolves in ammonium sulphide. With a 

 slight addition of potassium ferrocyanide it gives a brown, but 

 with larger proportions a green precipitate. The sulphuric solu- 

 tion is turned brown on the addition of zinc, and the metal is 

 deposited in a pulverulent state. The solutions of this metal are 

 blue, but become greenish on dilation. 



The cranium of Descartes is often adduced as an exception to 

 the general rule that a great mind requires a large brain. This 

 statement seems to have rested on no exact measurement, and 

 Dr. Le Bon resolved recently to test its accuracy. The result is 

 that he finds the cubic capacity of Descartes' skull to be 1,700 

 centimetres, or 150 centimetres above the mean of Parisian 

 crania of the present time. At the same time Dr. Bordier has 

 recently found the average capacity of the skulls of thirty- six 

 guillotined murderers to be i,547'9l c.c, the largest reaching the 

 high figure of 2,076 c.c. 



The Paris International Exhibition of Sciences applied to 

 Industry will be opened to-day. It is divided into eleven 

 groups. The first group contains prehistoric subjects, anthro- 

 pology, sociology, and education. The eight following groups 

 are respectively applications of physics, of chemistry, of mecha- 

 nics, mechanics apphed to locomotion, application of the 

 natural sciences, mathematical sciences, the applications of 

 geology, books, and manuscripts. The tenth group will contain 

 (l) The artificial reproduction of a glacier with an interior grotto, 

 which will show the several geological strata containing charac- 

 teristic fossils. (2) The reproduction on a large scale of a 

 civilised house of the nineteenth century, a hut of savages, and 

 a prehistoric habitation. (3) A map of Europe in the tertiary 

 period executed in relief. (4) A dioramatic view of the actual 

 site of Paris during that period. (5) Another dioramatic view 

 just before the time when man made his first appearance on the 

 earth. Group 1 1 will be devoted to a retrospective exhibition 

 of objects belonging to art and industry. The most notable in- 

 novation will be the creation of a commission of scientific inquiry 



to obtain information from exhibitors, which will be published 

 with a commentary from the commission. The commission of 

 patronage is composed of MM. Carnot, Dr. Henry LionviUe, 

 Henry Martin, Charles Blanc, &c. The works are progressing 

 with great activity, and are lighted by the electric light on the 

 Jablochkoff system, which will illuminate the Exhibition at 

 night. 



We are requested to state that at the Sheffield meeting of the 

 British Association there will be an important exhibition of scien- 

 tific apparatus and specimens, both in the temporary museum 

 and at one of the soirees. Inventors and others who may have 

 objects of interest to exhibit are desired to at once communicate 

 with the local secretaries, Sheffield, as this will be an unusually 

 favourable opportunity for bringing their discoveries before the 

 scientific world. 



At the recent meeting, already referred to by us, of ladies and 

 gentlemen interested in Japanese art, literature, folk-lore, &c., at 

 the rooms of the Royal Asiatic Society, a committee was appointed 

 to consider the best mode of giving effect to that object in commu- 

 nication with the Council of the Royal Asiatic Society, Among 

 the Committee are — Sir Rutherford Alcock, K.C.B., Sir Charles 

 Wentworth Dilke, Bart., M.P., Prof. Robert K. Douglas, 

 Major Gen. A. Lane Fox, F.R.S., E. J. Reed, C.B., M.P., 

 F.R.S., E. B.Tylor, LL.D., F.R.S. At a meeting of this Com- 

 mittee on the nth inst. it was resolved that for the objects in 

 view a Society should be formed, to be called the " Nipon 

 (Japan) Institute," to consist of members subscribing a sxim of lOS, 

 per annum, and that the permission of the Council of the Royal 

 Asiatic Society be asked to allow such Society to hold meetings 

 at their rooms, 22, Albemarle Street. It was also resolved that 

 a Committee be appointed to act, with Mr. Pfoundes as Secre- 

 tary, in the organisation of such Society, and to conduct the neces- 

 sary correspondence. On this Committee, besides others, are 

 those whose names are given above. It is proposed that the insti- 

 tution shall consist of a Central Institution ; a President ; Coun- 

 cil ; General Committee ; Councils of Division, e.^. , Antiquities, 

 Art, Anthropology, Folk-lore, Geography, History, Language, 

 Literature, &c., and Committees of Sections ; a Chief Branch in 

 Tokio, Japan ; Branches in Japan, China, India, Australia and 

 other Colonies, United States and other parts of America, 

 Continent of Europe, Provincial Towns of Great Britain, &c. ; 

 in Correspondence with Central Institution ; Corresponding 

 Members where no branches exist. The Society is to encourage 

 and reply to inquiry ; to solicit literary and scientific ladies and 

 gentlemen to suggest subjects for inquiry and collection of 

 material ; to arrange lectures, soirees, conversaziones, exhibitions, 

 social reunions, and parties to view collections, &c. ; and otherj 

 wise keep alive the public interest in Japanese topics, &c. 



The " Naturforschende Gesellschaft " of Halle will celeb: 

 the looth anniversary of its foundation on the 30th instant, 



The death, on July 5, is announced of Dr. Reiff, of Tubingen, 

 formerly Professor of Philosophy at the University of that city. 



A NEVir natural history museum, formerly the private collec- 

 tion of Dr. L. W. Schaufuss, has just been opened to the public 

 at Blasewitz, near Dresden. Dr. Schaufuss has for many years 

 been in close personal relations with the Archduke Ludwig 

 Salvator, of Austria, well known by his scientific writings and 

 travels, and the new museum therefore bears the name of its 

 founder's august friend and patron. Besides numerous natural 

 history objects it also contains others of anthropological and 

 ethnological interest. 



A CORRESPONDENT asks if there is any flora of Cape Colony 

 published ? and if there is any book which would be useful in 

 the practical study of the Cape flora ? In reply we may state 

 that three volumes have been published of Harvey and Sonder's 

 " Flora Capensis" (Lo veil Reeve). We understand Mr. Dyer 



