December i, 1892 J 



NA TURE 



III 



Extending the observations of Kiihne and Lea on the pancreas, 

 Mr. Langley showed in an elaborate series of researches, ex- 

 tending over the salivary and most of the important secreting 

 glands of the body, that the formation, as a morphological 

 element within the secreting cell, at the expense of its pro- 

 toplasm, of the material to be used in the secretion is a general 

 function of secreting cells. The dependence of this function 

 upon the activity of nerves, and upon other forms of excitation, 

 such as the action of drugs, has been greatly elucidated in 

 the course of these researches. Concurrently with the morpho- 

 logical changes within the cells, the chemical changes which 

 occur within the secretion as the result of nerve activity or in- 

 activity have been investigated, and many important facts 

 brought to light regarding the nature of the action or modifi- 

 cations of the action which may be brought to bear upon the 

 secreting cell through the nervous system. These researches 

 are published partly in the Philosophical Transactions, and 

 partly in a long series of articles in the Journal of Physiology, 

 which have extended over several years. It is not too much to 

 say that these researches of Mr. Langley upon secreting glands 

 give him a claim to occupy the highest rank as a physiological 

 investigator. 



The other most important researches which Mr. Langley has 

 published have been — (i.) Upon the central nervous system, 

 including especially an investigation into the anatomical changes 

 which result from central lesions ; (2.) Upon the sympathetic ner- 

 vous system, and particularly a number of researches, based 

 upon physiological methods, into its peripheral distribution to 

 involuntary muscle and glands. Mr. Langley's eminence in 

 those branches of physiology to which he has mainly devoted his 

 attention is universally admitted, and has been publicly recog- 

 nized by his having been requested more than once by inter- 

 national assemblies of physiologists to investigate and report on 

 difficult cases submitted to them {vide " Transactions of the 

 International Medical Congress," i88i, and " Proceedings of 

 the Physiological Congress at Basel," 1890). 



Prof. Francois Marie Raoult, of Grenoble (Davy Medal). 



For his researches on the freezing-points of solutions and on 

 the vapour pressures of solutions. 



Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, F.R.S. (Darwin Medal). 

 Although the regulations relating to the award of this medal 

 direct that it is to be treated rather as a means of encouraging 

 young naturalists to fresh exertion than as a reward for the life- 

 long labours of the veteran, there would seem to be a special 

 appropriateness in awarding it to one who was intimately 

 associated with Mr. Darwin in the preparation of 

 the "Origin of Species." That no one was more closely 

 associated than Sir J. D. Hooker with Mr. Darwin in the 

 work is abundantly proved by the following passage in the 

 introduction to the " Origin of Species " : — " I cannot, however, 

 let this opportunity pass without expressing my deep obliga- 

 tions to Dr. Hooker, who, for the last fifteen years (1844-59), 

 has aided me in every possible way by his large stores of know- 

 ledge and his excellent judgment." 



NOTES. 



Mr. W. Flinders Petrie has been appointed to the chair 

 of Egyptology, founded at University College, London, under 

 the will of the late Miss Amelia B, Edwards. He hopes to 

 begin his new duties soon after Christmas, and to undertake the 

 following work ; — (i) Lectures on current discoveries, on history, 

 and on the systematic study of Egyptian antiquities ; (2) lessons 

 on the language and philology of Egypt ; (3) attendance in the 

 library on fixed days for the assistance and direction of students 

 working there ; (4) practical training on excavations in Egypt. 



The American Philosophical Society, as we have already 

 stated, proposes to celebrate next year the one hundred and 

 fiftieth anniversary of its foundation. It has now been arranged 

 that reunions will be held at the Hall of the Society in Phila- 

 delphia from May 22 to 26, 1893, "at which papers may be 

 offered by title by such delegates as may honour the Society with 

 their presence. " 



The foundation stone of the new buildings of the Durham 

 College of Science, Newcastle, will be laid by Lord Durham on 

 Monday, December 5. 



NO. 1205, VOL. 47] 



Mr. Edgar R. Waite, curator to the Leeds Philosophical 

 Society, has received from the Government of New South Wales 

 the appointment of assistant curator in the Australian Museum 

 at Sydney, where he will have special charge of the reptile and 

 fish sections. The Yorkshire Post says that at Leeds Mr. Waite 

 has in many ways actively identified himself with local scientific 

 research and studies, having for some years been, in conjunction 

 with Mr. Denrson Roebuck, responsible for the secretarial work 

 — an honorary position — of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, 

 and also editor of the Naturalist. 



On November i an industrial school which seems likely to 

 be of good service was opened at Lucknow by Sir Auckland 

 Colvin. It is intended to provide a suitable education for 

 children of the artizan class — an education which comprises 

 instruction in reading and writing, arithmetic, elementary 

 mechanics, physics, and drawing, the whole being in subordina- 

 tion to manual training in the workshop, under skilled instruc- 

 tors. Manual training will for the present be confined to 

 carpentry, but ultimately training in iron and other metal work 

 will be added to the curriculum. Drawing will be taught to 

 every pupil from the outset. 



Various members of the department of biology in connection 

 with Columbia College, New York, are now delivering lectures 

 which are addressed especially to persons who desire to keep 

 abreast of the later advances in biology without entering any of 

 the technical courses. The subjects of the lectures are the his- 

 tory of the theory of evolution ; the cellular basis of heredity and 

 development ; the origin and evolution of fishes ; and Amphi- 

 oxus and other ancestors of the vertebrates. 



The so-called " Boxing Kangaroo " now being exhibited at 

 the Westminster Aquarium is a fine ma.\eo{ Mctcropus gi^mfeus 

 There is, no doubt, a certain amount of humbug in attributing 

 "boxing" qualities to this animal, but it is very interesting to 

 find that a member of the low Mammalian order, ".Ifarsu/'ialia," 

 can be so well trained and instructed. 



The weather during the past week has remained very dull in 

 all parts of the country, with occasional fog in London and other 

 places, while some heavy rain has fallen in the north and west. 

 The anticyclone which for some time past had been situated over 

 the eastern portion of the United Kingdom gradually dispersed^ 

 and the distribution of pressure became favourable to the passage 

 of cyclonic disturbances across the country. Towards the close 

 of the period an area of very high pressure formed to the south- 

 ward of our islands, the barometer reading 30*5 ins. and upwards, 

 while to the north of Scotland it was more than an inch 

 lower. Under these conditions strong westerly winds became 

 general, and gales were experienced on our exposed coasts. 

 Temperature was at first mild and very uniform over the whole 

 country, there being generally little difference between the day 

 and night readings, while the air was very damp. On Tuesday, 

 however, the thermometer fell several degrees, with some snow 

 and hail in Scotland and Ireland. The fVeekly Weather Report 

 shows that for the period ending November 26 rainfall was 

 deficient in all parts of the country except the south of Ireland, 

 where more than twice the average amount fell. Bright sunshine 

 was considerably below the mean in all districts, except in the 

 north of Scotland, where there was 22 per cent, of the possible 

 amount, while the Channel Islands had 16 per cent. It ranged 

 from 3 per cent, in the south-west of England (where the amount 

 quoted for the previous week should have been 20) and midland 

 counties, to i in the east of England and less than 0-5 in the 

 north-east of England. 



On the i8th ult. Captain H. Toynbee, late Marine Superin- 

 tendent of the Meteorological Office, delivered a lecture before 

 the Shipmasters' Society on " Weather Forecasting for the 

 British Islands." The chief object of the lecture was to explain 



