June 24, 1897] 



NATURE ^ 



— An interesting paper on early magnetic observations, " Die 

 Anfange der magnetischen Beoljachtungen," contributed to the 

 Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft Jitr Erdkitnde (vol. xxxii. part 2), by 

 Prof. G. Hellmann, has been reprinted and is now published as 

 a separate paper by W. H. Kuhl, Berlin.— Report on the pro- 

 gress of the Survey of Tides and Currents in Canadian Waters, 

 by Mr. W. Bell Dawson. The report contains some valuable 

 tidal data, and also the results of a general examination of the 

 currents in the interior of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the 

 Straits connecting it with the Atlantic Ocean. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include two Vervet Monkeys {Cercoptl heats lalandii, 

 i 9 ) from South Africa, presented by Mr. J. W. Lincker ; a 

 Squirrel Monkey {Chrysothrix sciurea, 9 ), a Yellowish Capuchin 

 {Cebusflavescens, 9 ) from South America, presented by Mr. H. 

 C. P'ernando Rohe ; a Vervet Monkey {Cercopithecus lalandii, 9 ) 

 from South Africa, presented by Mr. Alfred Beit ; two Common 

 Peafowl {Pavocristatus, 6 <J) from India, presented by Colonel 

 Stucley; a Rocky Mountain Sheep {Ozns montana,^) from 

 North America, a Suricate {Suricala tetradactyla) from South 

 Africa, two White \\n?,^%{Etidocinius albus) from South America, 

 a Pennant's Parrakeet {Platycercus pennanti), a Rose Hill Parra- 

 keet (Platycenus eximius) from Australia, deposited ; two Red 

 Kangaroos {Macropus ntftis, 9 9), two Peaceful Ground Doves 

 {Geopelia placida) from Australia, purchased; a Thar {Capra 

 jeiiilaica, 9 ), a Great Kangaroo {Macropus giganleus, S), a 

 Rufous Rat Kangaroo {CEpyprymnus rufescens, 9 ), two Squirrel- 

 like Phalangers {Petaitrtis sciiireits), a Short-headed Phalanger 

 {Pelaurus breviceps), born in the Gardens. 



OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 

 Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope. —Dr. Gill, in 

 his report for the year 1896 to the Lords Commissioners of the 

 Admiralty, sums up the work accomplished during the past 

 twelve months. With regard to the McLean telescope, this is 

 expected to be completely installed and in full working order 

 before the end of the present year. During the last few years. 

 Dr. Gill has somewhat necessarily restricted the amount of ob- 

 servational work in order to make more progress in the compu- 

 tation and publication of many arrears, and it is satisfactory, then, 

 to hear that it has now become possible to again resume a pro- 

 gramme of activity. Several important publications have been 

 concluded in the last twelve months. Among them may be 

 mentioned Vol. ii., containing a determination of the solar 

 parallax and mass of the moon, from observations of Iris, Vic- 

 toria, and Sappho, made in the years 1888 and 1889. Vol i. is 

 also practically complete. The first volume of the Cape Photo- 

 graphic Durchmtisterung is also ready for distribution. Vol. ii. 

 being in course of printing. The observational work with the 

 transit circle, equatorials, and astro-photographic telescope has 

 been very considerable, and it may be mentioned that all the 

 catalogue plates, with the last-mentioned instrument, have now 

 been obtained. Out. of the 230 chart plates, 169 have been 

 satisfactorily exposed. The 7-inch equatorial has also been very 

 busy in the hands of Mr. Innes, and, besides several new 

 variables, 104 new double stars have been discovered. Dr. Gill 

 refers also to the increase in staff and the necessity for a rever- 

 sible transit circle for refined fundamental work, and mentions 

 that these proposals have been favourably considered by the 

 Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and of Her Majesty's 

 Treasury. 



Zodiacal Radiants ok Fireballs. — A remarkable feature 

 about the appearance of slow-moving fireballs is that, as Mr. 

 Denning has pointed out, they are directed from radiants in the 

 western half of the sky and in the neighbourhood of the 

 horizon. A further communication by him to the Monthly 

 Notices for May, tells us that not only the most prominent, but 

 the majority of the radiant points determined by observation 

 are found to apparently congregate in a line approximately 

 coinciding with the position of the ecliptic. Although there are 

 a few exceptions to this law, Mr. Denning is nevertheless con- 

 fident that there is sufficient weight of evidence which is of a 

 suggestive and significant kind. In favour of this view, he 

 NO. 1443, VOL. 56] 



gives a table of the observed facts which strikingly corroborate 

 the idea advanced. He draws attention to the importance of 

 accurately recording the directions of flight, and apparent paths 

 among the stars of these bodies when they become visible, and 

 of accumulating data which are necessary for trustworthy results 

 to be based on them. All of us are aware of the great diffi- 

 culty of accurately observing these strangers in our atmosphere, 

 which come and go at generally most unexpected moments. They 

 are, nevertheless, worthy of special study, and it would be very 

 interesting if they were found to be revolving not only in 

 direct orbits, but in orbits with small inclinations like the 

 Jovian family of comets, as is suggested by Mr. Denning. 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY CONVERSAZIONE. 

 'T'HE second soiree this year took place on June 16. It was 

 ■*■ very numerously attended, and was more than usually 

 brilliant, as, in accordance with a suggestion made by the 

 President, the officers and many of the fellows appeared in 

 academic or levee dress, to show respect to the Queen's guests 

 who had been invited. The chief exhibits were as follows :— 



Electrical effects of uranium : Lord Kelvin, G.C.V.O., 

 F.R.S. 



Experiments on kathode rays and some analogous rays : Prof. 

 Silvanus P. Thompson, F.R.S. 



Signalling by Hertz waves, as practised by Dr. Oliver Lodge, 

 in 1894, with a Branly tube of filings as receiver, and now 

 adapted to a Kelvin recorder : Dr. Alex. Muirhead. 



(1) A selection of dried plants from Tibet, collected by 

 Captain Deasy and Mr. Arnold Pike, Captain Wellby and 

 Lieut. Malcolm ; (2) views near the lake, and in the Qneen's- 

 Cottage Grounds, Kew, by Monsieur and Madame de 

 I'Aubiniere : The Director, Royal Gardens, Kew. 



(i) Experiments with Rontgen X-rays ; (2) experiments with 

 kathode rays ; (3) Experiments with oscillatory electrical dis- 

 charges : Mr. A. A. C. Swinton. 



Experiments illustrating a new method of controlling the 

 electric arc in its application to photo-micrography : Mr. T. A. 

 B. Carver, and Mr. J. E. Barnard. 



Living specimens of Proteus angiiinus,\ja.mtVi\\.—{\) Male 

 and female ; (2) pigmented individual from cave ; (3) young, 

 specimen to show the eyes : Mr. E. J. Bles. 



Pelagic animals from the west coast of Ireland : Mr. E. T. 

 Browne. 



Specimens of electric figures : Lord Armstrong, C.B., F.R.S. 



Stress effects produced by convective electric discharges : Mr. 

 J. W. Swan, F.R.S. 



Crystals of diamond, separated from carburised iron : Prof. 

 Roberts- Austen, C.B., F.R.S. 



Commensalism amongst marine animals : The Marine Bio- 

 logical Association. 



Microscopic image, formed exclusively by diffracted light : Dr. 

 G. Johnstone Stoney, F.R.S. 



Examples of animal-forms peculiar to Lake Tanganyika : Mr. 

 J, E. S. Moore. 



Microscopic sections of teeth of fossil reptiles : Prof. H. G. 

 Seeley, F.R.S. . 



Illustrations of the absorption of Rontgen rays by certam 

 elements and their compounds : Dr. J. H. Gladstone, F.R.S., 

 and Mr. Walter Hibbert. 



Ancient Egyptian knives and lance-head of flint : Sir John 

 Evans, K.C.B., Treas.R.S. . 



Models of orchids, l)y Miss Emett, from plants grown m the 

 Royal Gardens : The Director, Royal Gardens, Kew. 



(I) New species of British Mymaridre (egg parasites) or " Fairy 

 Flies"; (2) aquatic and terrestrial specimens, living: Mr. F. 

 Enock. 



Medal struck in gold, silver, and bronze, to commemorate the 

 sixtieth year of the reign of her Majesty the Queen : Mr. Horace 

 Seymour, Deputy Master of the Mint. 



Two induction coil contact makers and breakers : Sir David 

 Salomons, Bart. 



Demonstration of apparatus for exciting high vacuum tubes for 

 X-ray work : Dr. John Macintyre. 



There were the following demonstrations with experiments, 

 and lantern illustrations :— 



Signalling through space without wires : Mr. W. II. Preece, 

 C.B., F.R.S. 



Photographs illustrating the arrangements of the 1896 eclip.'^e 

 expeditions at Kio and Novaya Zemlya : Mr. J. Norman 

 Lockyer,C.B., F.R.S. 



