February 25, 1892] 



NATURE 



401 



reverted to the Wernerian view, but with some important 

 modifications ; these he explained in his " crenitic 

 hypothesis." 



Dr. Hunt's earlier papers (1846-49) were wholly on 

 chemistry and mineralogy, and to these subjects he 

 always gave much attention. Some of his latest writings 

 are purely chemical, dealing mainly with the more 

 speculative aspects of that science. Perhaps in these 

 questions, as is certainly the case with many of his theo- 

 retical views on geology. Dr. Hunt failed to carry convic- 

 tion to the minds of his fellow-workers ; and it may well 

 be doubted if some of his views on these matters will 

 ultimately add to his scientific reputation. But it would 

 be unjust on this account to ignore the mass of solid 

 work which he accomplished, and the suggestive hints 

 which are scattered throughout his writings. 



Dr. Hunt was a man of wide reading and general cul- 

 ture ; he possessed a marvellous memory, and great con- 

 versational powers. In his company one might for hours 

 forget that science was his special study, so well informed 

 was he in history, literature, and philosophy. His con- 

 versation on such subjects possessed an additional 

 interest from his personal acquaintance with many 

 American authors. He was thus an excellent travelling 

 companion, and the writer will not soon forget with what 

 thrilling effect he recited Macaulay's " Horatius," within 

 sight of Cortona and its Etruscan walls. 



W. TOPLEY. 



NOTES. 

 The date of the Bakerian Lecture to be delivered before the 

 Royal Society has been altered to March lo. Prof. James 

 Thomson has chosen as his subject " The Trade Winds," 



The general arrangements for the Edinburgh meeting of 

 the British Association have now been completed. The first 

 general meetirig will be held on Wednesday, August 3, at 8 p.m., 

 when Dr. William Muggins, F.R.S., will resign the chair, and 

 Sir Archibald Geikie, For.Sec.R.S., Director- General of the 

 Geological Survey of the United Kingdom, President-Elect, 

 will assume the Presidency, and deliver an address. On Thurs- 

 day evening, August 4, at 8 p.m., there will be a soiree; on 

 Friday evening, August 5, at 8.30 p.m., a discourse will be 

 delivered by Prof. A. Milnes Marshall, F.R.S. ; on Monday 

 evening, August 8, at 8.30 p.m., a discourse on magnetic induc- 

 tion will be delivered by Prof. J. A. Ewing, F.R.S. ; on 

 Tuesday evening, August 9, at 8 p.m., there will be another 

 soi7-ee ; and on Wednesday, August 10, the concluding general 

 meeting will be held at 2.30 p.m. The different Sections will 

 assemble for the reading and discussion of Reports and other 

 communications on Thursday, August 4, and on the following 

 Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. The delegates of 

 Corresponding Societies will meet on Thursday, August 4, and 

 Tuesday, August 9, at 3.30 p.m. Excursions to places of interest 

 in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh will be made on the afternoon 

 of Saturday, August 6, and on Thursday, August 11. 



It is proposed that Englishmen shall celebrate the fourth 

 centenary of the discovery of the New World, and do honour 

 to the memory of Columbus, by establishing in Jamaica a marine 

 biological station on the lines of the marine laboratories at 

 Naples and Plymouth. The institution would be called "the 

 Columbus Marine Biological Station." An excellent letter on 

 the subject by Lady Blake appeared in the Times on Wednes- 

 day. The scheme has been laid before Prof. Huxley, Prof- 

 Ray Lankester, Prof. Flower, Dr. Giinther, Dr. Ball, Sir John 

 Lubbock, Mr. Scott, Mr. Sclater, and numerous other scientific 

 men, all of whom warmly approve of it. For the establishment 

 of the laboratory on a sound basis an outlay of ;^i5,oco will be 



NO. I 165, VOL. 45] 



required. The following have consented to receive subscrip- 

 tions :— Prof. Ray Lankester, Oxford ; Dr. Giinther, British 

 Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road ; Dr. Ball, Science 

 and Art Museum, Dublin ; the Duchess of St. Albans, Best- 

 wood Lodge, Arnold, Notts. ; and Messrs. Coutts an(J Co., 

 bankers, 59 Strand. The Hon. Walter Rothschild, 148 Picca- 

 dilly, has undertaken the duties of honorary secretary. 



On Saturday last a meeting was held in the Combination 

 Room of St. John's College, Cambridge, to discuss a proposal 

 for the provision of a national monument to the late Prof. 

 Adams. The Rev. Dr. Taylor, the Master of the College, 

 presided ; and among those present were Dr Peile (Master of 

 Christ's, andVice-Chancellor), Dr. Ferris (Master of Caius), 

 Dr. Porter (Master of Peterhouse), Mr. Aldis Wright (Vice- 

 Master of Trinity), Dr. Forsyth, Prof. Hughes, Dr. Hobson, 

 Prof. Thomson, Dr. Glaisher, Dr. Frost, Dr. Sandys, Prof. 

 Mayor, and Sir George G. Stokes, M.P. The Master said that 

 Prof. Adams had memorials in Cambridge in the Adams Prize, 

 and his portraits at that College and at Pembroke. His own 

 work was his monument in the annals of science. They wished 

 to commemorate his name and personality in the eyes of the 

 world in that central sanctuary where, age after age, they com- 

 memorated their national types of various kinds of supreme 

 excellence which were the glory of the world. The first sugges- 

 tion of that came to him from Archdeacon Farrar. The sug- 

 gestion had been mentioned at a College meeting and by it 

 adopted, and they were met that day to carry it out. He 

 thought the better method would be to form a large and in- 

 fluential committee, containing the most prominent names in 

 mathematics and science, which would enable them to show 

 there was a general feeling in favour of it. Then he thought 

 the request might be made to the Dean and Chapter, on behalf 

 of the Committee, by the Chancellor, the Duke of Devonshire, 

 and in a letter which he had received from the Duke he stated 

 that he should be very glad to give any assistance in his power 

 to carry out the wishes of the Committee. Among those who 

 had agreed to join the Committee were the Astronomer-Royal, 

 the Master of Trinity, Dr. Salmon (Provost of Trinity College, 

 Dublin), the Master of Corpus, Mr. Justice Romer, Prof. Jebb, 

 Mr. Courtney, Lord Rayleigh, Prof. Newton, the Gresham 

 Professor of Astronomy, Prof. Cayley, and Sir Donald Smith 

 (Chancellor of Montreal University), who asked to be allowed 

 to subscribe £100. The following motion, proposed by the 

 Master, seconded by Sir G. G. Stokes, and supported by 

 Dr. Glaisher and Prof. Liveing, was carried unanimously :. 

 "That the late Prof. John Couch Adams, by his discovery 

 of the planet Neptune, and other masterly work, published 

 or unpublished, is entitled to be named with the great 

 astronomers of the world ; and that this meeting pledges 

 itself (so far as in it lies) to promote and carry out the scheme 

 for placing a memorial to the late Professor in Westminster 

 Abbey." The following resolutions were also carried : — " That 

 the memorial consist of a bust, with tablet and inscription." 

 "That a Committee be formed (with power to add to their 

 number) to carry out the scheme ; that the Master of Pembroke 

 College and Prof. Liveing be the Treasurers, and the Master of 

 Peterhouse, Dr. D. MacAlister, and Dr. Glaisher the Secret- 

 aries, and that such and such persons be the Executive Com- 

 mittee." " That any surplus from; subscriptions afterpayment 

 of the necessary expenses to be used in the first instance to 

 defray the cost of presenting copies of the collected papers of 

 Prof. Adams to learned Societies and libraries at home and 

 abroad, and that the remainder (which, if of sufficient amount, 

 shall be constituted a permanent memorial fund) be offered to 

 the Master and Fellows of St. John's College to form an Ex- 

 hibition or Scholarship fund for the encouragement of the study 

 of mathematics or physics by the undergraduate students of the 



