May 22, 19 19] 



NATURE 



237 



to be hoped that this valuable work will be further 

 developed, as it deals with a matter of the highest 

 Importance and interest. 



We have finally to notice a most useful reference- 

 book, "Tables of Refractive Indices,'.' vol. i., " Essential 

 Oils." compiled by R. Kanthack, which has just been 

 published by the firm. A glance at the introductory 

 list of 282 references to the widely scattered literature 

 drawn upon in this compilation is alone sufficient to 

 emphasise the value of the little volume. 



We shall look forward with great interest to further 

 additions to this first list of the achievements of the 

 scientific staff of Messrs. Adam Hilger, Ltd. 



A. E. C. 



A NEW BRITISH WHALE. 



DR. S. F. HARMER'S report on Cetacea stranded 

 on the British coasts during 1918, published bv 

 the British Museum (Natural History), is one of quite 

 exceptional interest to cetologists. Its most important 

 feature is the announcement of the stranding during 

 1917 of a specimen of the remarkably rare True's 

 whale (Mesoplodon mirus). In his report for 19 18 this 

 whale was recorded as Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius 

 cavirostris) from Liscannor, Co. Clare. This was a 

 quite pardonable error, since the skeleton reached the 

 museum in a roughly cleaned condition, and display- 

 ing two large terminal mandibular incisors closely 

 similar to those of a Ziphius. When the cleaned skull 

 came to be examined, however, it became evident that 

 a mistake had been made. This is the only male 

 which has yet been recorded, and, so far, but three 

 examples of this animal are known. The first recorded 

 specimen, a female, was taken at Beaufort Harbour, 

 North Carolina, on July 26, 1912, and was described 

 bv the late Mr. F. W. True. It now appears that a 

 third examplei is in the possession of the Galway 

 Museum. This was taken in Galway Bay somewhere 

 about 1899. Some very useful measurements of the 

 skull, a photograph of the mandible, and comparisons 

 betwopn the teeth of the Liscannor specimen and those 

 of other species of Mesoplodon and Ziphius, add 

 greatly to the value of this account. The mandible of 

 Berardius, it may be remembered, bears two pairs of 

 teeth, a pair at the extreme end of the mandible and 

 a pair further back. Dr. Harmer suggests, and he is 

 probably right, that the teeth of Ziphius, Mesoplodon 

 minis, and M. hectori answer to the anterior pair, 

 while those of Mesoplodon bidens and allied species 

 are homologous with the posterior pair. 



-Since each succeeding report adds greatly to the 

 value of those which have preceded it, we trust that 

 these annual summaries will long be continued, for 

 thev will add immensely to our knowledge of the 

 migrations of the Cetacea of our seas. Already they 

 show that some species are not so rare as they were 

 supposed to be until this investigation was embarked 

 upon. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 EuiNHURGH.— .\ lectureship on the subject of 

 organisation of industry and commerce is to be in- 

 stituted, the endowment fund having been supplied by 

 subscriptions from members of the following bodies : 

 —Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Edinburgh Mer- 

 chant Companv, Leith Chamber of Commerce. Leith 

 Shipowners' Society, and the Institute of Bankers in 

 Scotland. 



Prof. Pringle Pattison has intimated his resigna- 

 tion as from September 30 next of the chair of logic 

 and metaphysics. 



NO. 2586, VOL. 103"] 



O.XFORD. — Several professorships which have been 

 suspended during the war have now been restored by 

 decree of Convocation. Among these are the pro- 

 fessorships of logic, geometry, and experimental 

 philosophy. An election to the latter has already 

 taken place, as previously recorded in N.\ture. 



The preamble of a statute admitting women as 

 candidates for diplomas in science and other subjects 

 has recently been passed by Congregation. 



On May 20 the same body accepted the preamble 

 of a statute introducing many changes in the First 

 Public Examination (commonly known as " Modera- 

 tions"). Among these is the incorporation as optional 

 subjects in this examination of mechanics and physics, 

 chemistry, zoology, and botany. 



The Times announces that the sum of 200,000!. is 

 being provided bv the Victorian Government to en- 

 able Melbourne University to complete its buildings. 



Applications for the filling of the chair of biology in 

 the University of Melbourne, consequent upon the 

 retirement of Sir W. Baldwin Spencer, are invited by 

 the Agent-General for Victoria, Melbourne Place, 

 Strand, W.C.2. The duties of the new professor will 

 begin in March, 1920. 



A Wireless Press message from New York states 

 that Harvard University has raised a fund of 8000I. to 

 found a scholarship, to be known as the Choate 

 memorial scholarship, which will provide for the 

 exchange of students between the American university 

 and Cambridge. 



A limited number of free places tenable at the 

 Imperial College of Science and Technology, South 

 Kensington, are being offered by the London County 

 Council to students capable of profiting by an ad- 

 vanced course of instruction. Applications have to 

 be made upon special forms, obtainable from the 

 Education Officer, L.C.C., Victoria Embankment, 

 W.C.2, and returned by Saturday, June 14. 



The University Court of the University of Aberdeen 

 will in July, under the Georgina McRobert founda- 

 tion, appoint a lecturer in pathology, with special 

 reference to malignant disease. The lecturer should 

 possess special knowledge of pathological chemistry, 

 and will be expected to conduct research and to give 

 instruction in subjects connected with his investiga- 

 tions. Applications for the post must be received on 

 or before June 24. 



Thb regulations respecting the open competitive 

 examinations (August, 192 1) for clerkships (Class I.) 

 in the Home Civil Service have now been published by 

 the Civil Service Commission. The examination will 

 be in two parts. The papers in Section A, which niust 

 be taken by all candidates, are :— Essay, English, 

 questions on contemporary subjects, science, transla- 

 tion from one language. These all carry equal marks. 

 In addition, there is a viva-voce examination which is 

 valued as equal to three of the foregoing. In Section B 

 a very wide choice of subjects is offered. In this there 

 seems to be a fair balance, and ample opportunity is 

 offered to students of mathematics or science. It is 

 interesting to compare these regulations with the re- 

 commendations of Sir J. J. Thomson's Committee. 

 Thev do not, for instance, require "all candidates to 

 supply evidence of a continuous course of training in 

 science extending over several years." Thev do offer 

 some encouragement towards the study of the sub- 

 ject, though the extent of this will depend on two 

 factors : reasonable opportunity for the student of 

 science in the essav paper, and the apoointrnent of 

 a representative of science among the viva-voce 



