38o 



NA TURE 



{August 14, 1879 



and furniture. The building will be in the form of a double 

 quadrangle, 510 feet from east to west, and 350 feet from north 

 to south! The main buildings will be five storeys in height, and 

 there will be cloisters 10 feet in width on two sides of each 

 quadrangle. The style is to be that known as French Renais- 

 sance, and will bo carried out in Portland stone and red brick. 

 The object and scope of the college have been the subject of great 

 consideration, and Mr. Holloway has had the advice and assistance 

 of a large number of persons interested in the education of women. 

 The proposed constitution of the college, to be embodied in a 

 trust-deed, will, among other things, set forth that its object is 

 to afford the best education suitable for women of the middle 

 and upper middle classes, and it is intended to be mainly self- 

 supporting. The trustees are to be a corporate body with per- 

 petual succession, and to have all the usual powers ,and privi- 

 leges. The governing body will consist of twenty-one persons, 

 to be appointed partly by the University of London and partly 

 by the Corporation of London, and it is stipulated that a certain 

 portion shall always be women. Religious opinions are not in 

 any way to affect the qualification for a governor. It is the 

 founder's desire that power by Act of Parliament, Royal Char- 

 ter, or otherwise, should be eventually sought to enable the col- 

 lege to confer degrees, after due examination, and that until 

 such power is obtained the students shall qualify themselves to 

 pass the women's examination of the London University, or any 

 examination of a similar or higher character which may be open 

 to women at any of the existing universities of the United King- 

 dom. The curriculum shall not be restricted to subjects enjoined 

 by any existing university. Instead of being regulated by the 

 traditions and methods of former ages, the system of education 

 should be mainly founded on studies and sciences which the ex- 

 perience of modern times has shown to be most valuable and as 

 best adapted for the intellectual and social requirements of stu- 

 dents. The governors will, therefore, be empowered to provide 

 instruction in any subject or branch of knowledge which shall 

 appear to them from time to time most suitable for the education 

 of women ; and the curriculum of the college will not discourage 

 students who may desire a liberal education apart from the 

 Latin and Greek languages. Proficiency in classics is not to 

 entitle students to rewards of merit over others equally proficient 

 in other branches of knowledge. It is intended to provide 

 twenty founder's scholarships of the value of 40/. each, tenable 

 for not more than two years in the college. No professor will 

 be required to submit to any test concerning his or her religions 

 opinion, and denominational theology is not to be taught. The 

 principal of the college must be a lady, and duly qualified lady 

 physicians and surgeons are to be resident in the college. Mr. 

 IloIIoway has determined to personally superintend the erection 

 of the building, and has agreed to provide an endowment fund 

 of 100,000/., in addition to any fund that may be derived from 

 the sale of such portion of the Mount Lee estate as may not be 

 required for the purposes of the college. 



The following is the list of candidates successful in the com- 

 petition for the 'Whit^^•orth Scholarships, 1879, in connection 

 with the Science and Art Department : — John Hardisty, engi- 

 neer ; George Han-ison, millwright ; Edward Shaw, engineer 

 apprentice; John A. Simps.n, engineer; John W. Geddes, 

 mechanic ; Sydney J. Harris, engine fitter ; Thomas E. Sack- 

 field, mechanic ; John A. Brodie, engineer apprentice. As the 

 result of the final competition of scholars appointed in 1876, 

 Mr. Henry S. H. Shaw has received the first prize of 200/., and 

 Mr. Jerdan Nichols the second of 100/. 



The first Siberian university at Tomsk will be definitely 

 opened for the term of 1S79-80. The Czarewitch has signified 

 his intention of being present at the inauguration. 



From a report which has been sent us of the awards made at 

 the conclusion of the session of the Johns Hopkins University, 

 we notice that out of twenty Fellows appointed for 1879-80, 

 twelve were in physical and biological science, all of them 

 from other colleges than the Johns Hopkins, one of them being 

 from the University of Tokio, Japan. The public spirit of the 

 president and professors is shown in the fact that they have 

 subscribed 500 dollars to be divided as scholarships to two 

 meritorious students next year. In consideration of marked 

 ability in the study of mathematics exemplified during a year's 

 residence in Baltimore and previously, the trustees have invited 

 Miss Christine Ladd to continue her mathematical studies in this 

 university, and have voted that she may receive an honorary 

 stipend, equal to that bestowed upon those who are appointed to 

 fellowships. The trustees promised their aid to a specified 



amount for the encouragement of a journal of philology, to be 

 published under the editorial control of Prof. Gildersleeve. This 

 will be the fourth serial encouraged by the trustees— the others 

 being the Journal of Mathematics, under Prof. Sylvester ; the 

 Journal of Chanistry, under Prof. Remsen ; the Biological 

 Papers, under Prof. Martin. The Chesapeake Zeologital Papers, 

 edited by Dr. Brooks, were published at the cost of a few liberal 

 citizens of Baltimore. Arrangements have been matured for the 

 continuance of the Chesapeake Zoological Laboratory during the 

 ensuing year. The United States Fish Commission, underJProf. 

 S. F. Baird, and the Maryland Fish Commission, under Major 

 T. B. Ferguson, co-operate in this laboratory with the Johns 

 Hopkins University. 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



Paris 

 Academy of Sciences, August 4. — M. Daubret in the chau-. 

 — The following papers were read : — On the recent tornado in 



the United States, and on records of Buffon's and Spallanzani's 

 observations of whirlwinds, by M. Faye. — Remarks by M. 

 Berthelot on M. Wurtz's paper on hydrate of chloral. — Secreting 

 and circulating effects produced by the faradisation of the nerves 

 which traverse the tympanum, by M. A. Vulpian. — Supple- 

 mentary note on the theory of the pulsations of the heart and 

 arteries and their registration, by M. Bouillaud. — On the origin of 

 hail, and on some whirlwinds in which the air was drawn up- 

 wards, by M. Colladon. — On the theory of fertilisation, by M. 

 Dechant. — Note on the rotation theory of heavenly bodies, by 

 M. MougeoUe. — A number of communications relating to 

 Phylloxera vastatrix, by MM. Gayon and Millardet, G. Foex, 

 A. Quercy, Borel, and H. Barthelemy, were read.— -Obser- 

 vations of the occultation of Antares on July 28 last, by C. 

 Flammarion. — On the normal calorific spectrum of the sun, and 

 of the incandescent platinum lamp (Bourbouze), byM. Mouton. — 

 Some observations on M. Mouton's paper, by M. P. Thenard. — On 

 the vibrations on the surface of liquids, by M. F. Lechat. — 

 On Ampere's currents by M. Treve. — On magnets, by the same. 

 — On the distillation of liquids under the influence of static elec- 

 tricity, by M. D. Gernez. — On the employment of the diffusion 

 method in the study of the phenomena of dissociation, by M. L. 

 Troost. — On the action of pyrogallate of potassium upon nitric 

 oxide, by M. G. Lechartier. — On solid hydrocyanic acid, by 

 MM. Lescceur and A. Rigaut. — On synthetic methylpropyl- 

 carbinol, by J. A. Le Bel. — On the non-existence of a soluble 

 alcoholic ferment, by M. D. Cochin. — On the colouring matter 

 of Paltntlla crtienta, by Mr. T. L. Phipson. — On the vital pro- 

 perties of [cells and on the appearance of their nuclei after their 

 death, by M. L. Ranvier. — On the lymphatics of the peri- 

 chondrium, by Messrs. G. and Fr. E. Iloggan. — Note by M. 

 L. Hugo, on a number representing the sphere among the 

 ancients. 



CONTENTS Pace 



The Dissociation of Chlokine. By Prof. Henry E. Armstrong, 



F.R.S 3J7 



Science in the Argentine Republic By R. McLachlan, F.R.S. 358 



MoBERN Meteorology 339 



Our Book Shelf; — 



Roland's *' Farming for Pleasure and Profit" 360 



Letters to the Editor :— 



Theory and Laws of the Microphone. — Prof. Julian Ochorowicz 361 



"The Rights of an Animal."— George J. Romanes, r.R.S. . ■ 362 

 A Suggestion on the Action of the Oblique Muscles of the Eye- 



baU. — Edward Bellamy (^f^iVA ZJ/a/ram) 362 



Natural History Notes from Eurmah. — Prof. R. RoMANis . , . 362 



Pigeons and Weather Warnings. — R 3(33 



Napoleon in. and the Nicaraguan Canal. — S. P. 363 



Vitality of the Common Snail.— James Ward 35^ 



Our Astronomical Column: — 



Variable Stars 363 



The Minor Planets 363 



The Satellites Ml;: .-^.s and Hyperion 363 



Geographical Notk- 364 



Nordenskjuld's Arc nc Expedition 365 



Sir Thomas Macleai, F.R.S 3«S 



A Point affecting the Diffusion of the Gases of the Atmo- 

 sphere IN Relation to Health. By S. Tolver Preston . . 366 

 Observations on the Physical Geography and Geology of 

 Madagascar. By Rev. James Sidree, Jun. (fJ'iV/i Mai!) . ■ . 368 



NOTRt 37> 



On Spiienophyllu.m, Asterophyllitis, and Calamitis. By Prof. 



W.C. Williamson, F.R.S 375 



Anthropological Inquiry in France » . . . 376 



Volcanic Phenomena and Earthquakes during 1878 378 



TTniversity anb Educational Intelligence 379 



Societies and Academies 380 



