February 7, 1901] 



NA TURE 



347 



Two examples will show the working of the method. 

 To find sin 36°, we have p = '6, q — "4. 



•6 (-6428) 



•4 (-5000) 



•064 ('oige) 



•056 (0152) 



- -38568 



= '20000 



= 00126 



= "00085 



•58779 say -5878. 



To find sin 72° 30', we have p = I, q — %, giving - ^^ 

 — yi^j as the coefficients of u^" u^". Hence we obtain 



and 



i (-9848) = -2462 



I (-gag?) = 70478 



rr? (-0299) r= -00117 



^Irg ("0286) = 'OOISS 



•95371 say -9537. 



Both these results are correct to the last figure. 



The formula of interpolation here employed (which can be 

 carried to higher terms when necessary) seems to be new. I 

 i^ave it to Section A at the last meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion, and have illustrated its use more fully in ihe Journal of the 

 Instittite of Actuaries for last month (January). It will also 

 appear with other kindred matter in the next number of the 

 Quarterly fournal of Mathematics. J. D. Everett. 



r 



Frost Fronds. 



On the morning of January 29, as I was walking from this 

 place down Haverstock Hill into London, about 9.30, my 

 attention was' attracted by the " frost fronds " on the flags of 

 the footpath. I see instances not unfrequently, and have called 

 attention to one variety, where they form divergent groups, like 

 the sticks of a partly opened fan, resembling the well-known 

 crystals of actinolite obtained on the southern side of the St. 

 Gothard Pass (see Proc. Roy. Soc. Ixiii. p. 217, and Quart. 

 Journ. Geol. Soc. liv. p. 368) ; but those now mentioned were 

 characterised by unusual delicacy and grace. They formed 

 groups, often half a yard in diameter, composed of frond-like 

 radiating tufts, made up of thin stems or acicular crystals (often 

 some four inches long and about the thickness of a bodkin) 

 beautifully curved : this almost invariable bending of the 

 ^'blades" being the most marked characteristic. They resem- 

 bled very delicate seaweeds, dried and displayed on a card as an 

 ornamental group. In descending the hill I observed that the 

 crystals became a little coarser and more like those already 

 mentioned. Also that sometimes clots of frozen mud appeared 

 near the junction of the fronds, as if a trefoil or quatrefoil 

 leaf had been placed there to hide it. I attribute the unusual 

 delicacy of the fronds to the fact that the previous evening had 

 been showery, and so the pavement had been cleaned of all 

 but the very finest mud, after which had come a drying wind 

 and a frost. Thus crystallisation probably occurred in a very 

 thin film of slightly turbid water and on a fairly smooth surface, 

 so that opposition to it was comparatively slight and the cir- 

 cumstances approached more nearly to the crystallisation of 

 water on glass. I could not linger to m.ake a minute study as 

 I was pressed for time, but write this in the hope that some one 

 who can take photographs (which I cannot) will collect examples 

 of "frost fronds," for I believe they would be helpful in inter- 

 preting crystal building in rock masses. T, G. Bonney. 



23 Denning Road, Hampstead, N.W., January 31. 



The Total Solar Eclipse of May 17-18. 



The Board of the Koninklijke Natuurkundige Vereeniging at 

 Batavia has applied to the Government in regard to the custom 

 duties to be levied from scientific observing parties who may 

 visit the Dutch colonies for the observation of the total solar 

 eclipse on May 17-18. The following reply has been received. 



No duties will be levied on goods not exempted by the tariff, 

 but destined to be re-exported after the observation of the 

 eclipse has been concluded ; observing parties may obtain 

 further information from the chief Custom House officer at the 

 port of arrival. 



NO. 1632, VOL. 63] 



Besides all possible facilities in having their goods imported, 

 exemption from search will be afforded to scientific expeditions. 



We feel much pleasure in bringing the above under the notice 

 of intending observing parties. J. J. A. Muller. 



January I. (President of the Kon. 



Natuurk. Ver. , Batavia). 



The Museum of the Institute of Jamaica. 



In connection with your items regarding the possible return of 

 Dr. J. E. Duerden, curator of the Jamaica Institute Museum, 

 to England, may one who has spent two summers in Jamaica 

 engaged in zoological research, and who has enjoyed the 

 hospitality of Dr. Duerden and other men of science there, be 

 permitted to say a word as to the causes which have led to the 

 present unfortunate situation ? There are two such principal 

 causes, I believe, not closely related, but in this case working 

 together toward a common end. The most important of these 

 is local jealousy, against which Dr. Duerden has had to contend 

 constantly ever since his arrival at the island. At the time he 

 was appointed, a large and influential element among the sup- 

 porters of the Institute desired the appointment of a young 

 Jamaican, who had received some training in England, and who 

 was doubtless well qualified for the duties of the position. His 

 failure to secure the office was a bitter disappointment, not only 

 to himself, but to his friends, and Dr. Duerden entered on his 

 duties with an unfortunately large number of hostile critics, 

 watching for opportunities to find fault. It is very possible^in 

 fact, since Dr. Duerden is human, it is highly probable — that 

 opportunities for criticism arose, and possibly the criticisms have 

 not always been met in the wisest possible spirit. But it is 

 clear to me, and I think I can speak for all the Johns Hopkins 

 men who were in Jamaica, that if Dr. Duerden's local critics 

 had been as anxious to help him and build up the museum as 

 they were to find fault, there would be no trouble at the present 

 time. I do not mean to say that Dr. Duerden has been entirely 

 blameless, but I feel sure that his responsibility for the trouble 

 is very much less than that which rests on his critics. The fact 

 that Dr. Duerden is a trained investigator, and has given a large 

 share of his time to research work, has given opportunity for 

 criticism from those who believe the curator ought to devote his 

 time to adding new specimens to the exhibition collection and 

 labelling them all properly. 



The other cause of the proposed retrenchment is one which 

 appeals to me strongly, and must, I think, to all unprejudiced 

 persons who know the facts. The colonial expenses are 

 greater than the income, and the debt is already heavy. A 

 very large proportion of the expense account is made up of 

 salaries paid the English civil officials, from Governor down. 

 The Governor receives a salary of 6000/. , besides two residences 

 and the usual perquisites of his position. This salary is 

 grotesquely enormous under the circumstances. Jamaica is not 

 only a delightful place to live in, a veritable paradise in many 

 respects, but it is a very cheap place as well. I should estimate, 

 from my slight experience there, that living expenses are about 

 three-fifths of what they are in the eastern United States. Most 

 Englishmen in Jamaica do not realise or believe this, for they 

 still cling to English food and English customs. Now the 

 colony, a few years ago, attempted to secure the reduction of 

 the salaries of colonial officials, and suggested a saving of 1000/. 

 on the Governor's salary, but the proposition wa? promptly ended 

 by that official's veto, which is absolute. So every attempt to 

 decrease expenses by decreasing salaries has failed, and now re- 

 trenchment has to come somewhere, and since a zoologist is of 

 small account, especially one who has some powerful enemies, 

 Dr. Duerden is to be sent back to England. If this event 

 actually takes place the blame will rest, not on Jamaica, but on 

 England. There is little chance for the advance of scientific 

 research in that island so long as it is looked on by English 

 politicians as a possession to be exploited for the benefit of the 

 office-holders. 



I trust it is not yet too late for the scientific men of England to 

 make such an emphatic protest to the proper authorities that 

 the Board of Governors of the Jamaica Institute may be compelled 

 to retain Dr. Duerden as curator of the museum, if he can be 

 persuaded to stay, and if not, to secure some equally competent 

 and well-trained investigator to fill his place. 



Hubert Lyman Clark. 

 Olivet College, Michigan, January 15. 



