April 27, 1893] 



NATURE 



611 



The discovery of this foot is one of those complete 

 surprises which render palasontological research so fas- 

 cinating. The existence of such a type was not even 

 suspected, for nothing at all similar has ever been found 

 before. We were daily expecting to find remains of 

 Chalicotherium in the Lower Miocene of America, but no 

 one could have anticipated the complete counterpart in 

 foot structure which this animal exhibits. Of course it 

 will remain an open question whether Artionyx is actually 

 related to the other type until we procure more of its 

 skeleton, and especially of its teeth. This discovery 

 seems to support Cope's opinion that Chalicotherium 

 represents a distinct order — the Ancylopoda, including 

 animals of an ungulate type of skeleton, with unguicu- 

 late phalanges. The writer has recently suggested that 

 this order may have been given off from the most primi- 

 tive hoofed mammals, the Condylarthra, at a period when 

 they still exhibited many of the characters of their 

 clawed ancestors. If this supposition is correct, and 

 Artionyx proves to be a member of the Ancylopoda, it 

 will very possibly present a unique double parallelism 

 with the subdivisions of the Ungulata, Chalicotherium 

 representing an odd-clawed division — the Perissonychia, 

 and Artionyx an even-clawed division— the Artionychia 

 — these divisions being parallel with the perissodactyle 

 and artiodactyle ungulates. This is advanced as a pro- 

 visional hypothesis, pending the discovery of additional 

 remains. Henry F. Osborn. 



THE HODGKINS FUND PRIZES. 



TN October, 1891, Thomas George Hodgkins, Esq., of 

 ■^ Setauket, New York, made a donation to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, the income from a part of which was 

 to be devoted "to the increase and diffusion of more 

 exact knowledge in regard to the nature and properties 

 of atmospheric air in connection with the welfare of 

 man." 



With the intent of furthering the donor's wishes, 

 the Smithsonian Institution now announces the following 

 prizes to be awarded on or after July i, 1894, should 

 satisfactory papers be offered in competition : — 



1. A prize of 10,000 dollars for a treatise embodying 

 some new and important discovery in regard to the nature 

 or properties of atmospheric air. These properties may 

 be considered in their bearing upon any or all of the 

 sciences— ^.;f. not only in regard to meteorology, but in 

 connection with hygiene, or with any department what- 

 ever of biological or physical knowledge. 



2. A prize of 2000 dollars for the most satisfactory essay 

 upon (a) the known properties of atmospheric air con- 

 sidered in their relationships to research in every depart- 

 ment of natural science, and the importance of a study 

 of the atmosphere considered in view of these relation- 

 ships ; (b) the proper direction of future research in 

 connection with the imperfections of our knowledge of 

 atmospheric air, and of the connections of that knowledge 

 with other sciences. The essay, as a whole, should tend 

 to indicate the path best calculated to lead to worthy 

 results in connection with the future administration of the 

 Hodgkins foundation. 



3. A prize of 1000 dollars for the best popular treatise 

 upon atmospheric air, its properties and relationships 

 (including those to hygiene, physical and mental). This 

 essay need not exceed 20,000 words in length ; it should 

 be written in simple language, and be suitable for publi- 

 cation for popular instruction. 



4. A medal will be established, under the name of " The 

 Hodgkins Medal of the Smithsonian Institution," which 

 will be awarded annually or biennially, for important 

 contributions to our knowledge of the nature and pro- 

 perties of atmospheric air, or for practical applications of 

 our existing knowledge of them to the welfare of mankind. 



NO. 1226, VOL. 47] 



This medal will be of gold, and will be accompanied by a 

 duplicate impression in silver or bronze. 



The treatises may be written in English, French, 

 German, or Italian, and should be sent to the secretary of 

 the Smithsonian Institution. Washington, before July i, 

 1894, except those in competition for the first prize, the 

 sending of which may be delayed until December 31, 

 1894. 



The papers will be examined and prizes awarded by a 

 committee to be appointed as follows : — One member by 

 the secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, one member 

 by the President of the National Academy of Sciences, 

 one by the President p7-o tempore of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science, and the com- 

 mittee will act together with the Secretary of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution as member ex officio. The right is 

 reserved to award no prize if, in the judgment of the 

 committee, no contribution is offered of sufficient merit 

 to warrant an award. An advisory committee of not 

 more than three European men of science may be added 

 at the discretion of the Committee of Award. 



If no disposition be made of the first prize at the time 

 now announced, the Institution may continue it until a 

 later date, should it be made evident that important in- 

 vestigations relative to its object are in progress, the results 

 of which it is intended to offer in competition for the 

 prize. The Smithsonian Institution reserves the right to 

 limit or modify the conditions for this prize after December 

 I, 1894, should it be found necessary. Should any of the 

 minor prizes not be awarded to papers sent in before 

 July I, 1894, the said prizes will be withdrawn from 

 competition. 



A principal motive for offering these prizes is to call 

 attention to the Hodgkins Fund and the purposes for 

 which it exists, and accordingly this circular is sent to the 

 principal universities and to all learned societies known 

 to the Institution, as well as to representative men of 

 science in every nation. Suggestions and recommenda- 

 tions in regard to the most effective application of this 

 fund are invited. 



It is probable that special grants of money may be made 

 to specialists engaged in original investigation upon 

 atmospheric air and its properties. Applications for 

 grants of this nature should have the indorsement of some 

 recognised academy of sciences or other institution of 

 learning, and should be accompanied by evidences of the 

 capacity of the applicant in the form of at least one 

 memoir already published by him based upon original 

 investigation. 



To prevent misapprehension of the founder's wishes it 

 is repeated that the discoveries or applications proper to 

 be brought to the consideration of the Committee of 

 Award may be inthe field of any science or any art without 

 restriction, provided only that they have to do with " the 

 nature and properties of atmospheric air in connection 

 with the welfare of man." 



Information of any kind desired by persons intending 

 to become competitors will be furnished on application. 



All communications in regard to the Hodgkins Fund, 

 the Hodgkins Prizes, the Hodgkins Medals, and the 

 Hodgkins Fund Publications, or applications for grants 

 of money, should be addressed to S. P. Langley, Secretary 

 of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, U.S.A. 

 S. P. Langley, 

 Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



Washington, March 31, 1893. 



THE SOLAR ECLIPSE. 



THE telegrams relating to the total solar eclipse of 

 April 16 indicate that the observations at the various 

 centres were carried on under very favourable conditions. 

 The Senegal party— which will be home next week — was 



