254 



NATURE 



[July 13, 189^ 



Salp Thalia democratica-inucronata have now for the most part 

 broken up, and the detached sexual forms, each with a con- 

 tained embryo, have been taken in considerable numbers. The 

 floating fauna has also included Cirripede and Copepod Nauplii, 

 Polychjele trochospheres and MoUuscan veliger?. Among 

 LeptomedusEe Clytia Johnsloni and small Obelus have been 

 abundant ; and among Anthomedusce Sarsia exiniia has been 

 observed, together with numbers of an apparently undescribed 

 species of Dysmorphosa, resembling Rathkca odopundaia in its 

 power of budding from the manubrium. The Molkisc Galvina. 

 cingulaia and the Tunicate Thalia dentocratica-niucronata are 

 now breeding. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the 

 past week include an American Black Bear [Ursus americanus) 

 from Canada, presented by Mr. Joseph Politzer ; a Hawk's- 

 billed Turtle {Chelone imbricata) from the West Indies, pre- 

 sented by Mr. C. Melhado ; two Common Buzzards [Buteo 

 vulgaris) European, deposited ; two Australian Crows {Corvus 

 auslralis) from Australia, purchased ; a Thax (Capra jemlaica, 

 9), a TrianiJular-spotted Pigeon {Columba guinea), a Cardinal 

 Grosbeak (Carditialis virginianus), two Hybrid Pied Wagtails 

 (between Motacilla liigubris, S , and Af. melanope, 9 ) bred in 

 the Gardens. 



OUJ? ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN. 



A New Comet.— A telegram received from Prof. Krueger 

 announces that a comet with a briglit tail was discovered by 

 M, Quenisset at M. Flamnarion's observatory, Juvisy, on 

 July 9, its approximate place being R.A. 7h. 50m., N. Dec). 

 48° 10'. The comet is therefore in the constellation Lynx. 



In Edinburgh Circular No. 38, .Mr. Heath says that a second 

 telegram from the tame source states that the comet was again 

 setn on the loth, at I2h. 59'3m. M.T. at Kiel, its place being 

 then R.A, 8h. 29m. 457s., N. Decl. 46" 59' 29"; daily motion, 

 -r 34m. 48s. and — i°24'. 



Comet Finlay (1^86 VII.).— A cmtinuation of M. Schul- 

 hol's ephemeris for the ensuing week is as ioUows : — 



1893 



I2h. M.T. Paris. 

 R.A. app. 



Decl. app. 



In the above ephemeris we have corrected the error made in 

 the Astronomische Nachrichten (No. 3171), where the i6lh is 

 inadvertently printed 14th. 



Meteor Showers this Month.— In the list of the radiants 

 of the principal meteor showers which Mr. Denning gives in 

 the companion to the Observatory the following are visible this 

 month, that occurring on the 2Sth being defined as "most 

 brilliant " :— 



Date. 



July 19 

 20 



22 



25 

 28 



30 



Kajdiant. 



a S 



3i°4 -t-48 



269 -H49 



16 +31 



48 •f43 



339 -12 



6 ■1-35 



Meteors. 



Short, swift. 

 Swift. 



Swift, streaks. 

 Swift, streaks. 

 Slow, long. 

 Swift, streaks. 



L'AsTRONOMiE for Jui.y. — The current number of this 

 journal commences with an article by M. Ti^serand on the in- 

 auguration of the statue of Arago, which was referred to in 

 these pages last week. M. Deslandres briefly refers to some of 

 his results as shown by the photographs taken by him at the 

 late total solar eclipse, to which are added the observations of 



\0. 1237, VOL. 48] 



several other observers, and several illustrations of the inBtru- 

 menis employed. M. Denning contributes three drawings of 

 comet Holmes (made on November 9, l5, and 19 last), show- 

 ing its change of shape from the circular to the pear-shaped 

 form. Other articles of interest refer to meteorological 

 statistics, atmospheric phenomena, earth trembling', &c. la 

 the notes some recent measures are given of the diameter of 

 Mars, and of the snow caps, the former made by M. W. \V. 

 Campbell at the Lick Observatory, and the latter by M. Asapb 

 Hall at the Washington Observatory. 



HlMMEL UND Erde FOR JuLY.— In this number Dr. W. Lati 

 concludes his interesting article on the diamond, having cover«l 

 the ground between the first observations made at Florence ig 

 1694, and M. Moissan's recent researches. Dr. Wilhelm Meyer 

 continues his chapters on the physical condition of the planet 

 Mars after the evidence of eminent observers, while Herr Gingel 

 gives us his fourth chapter on the mechanics of the heaven?, 

 dealing with the new researches by G. II. Darwin on the in- 

 fluence of tides on the movements and form- proportions of the 

 heavenly bodies, embracing particularly the earth-moon system. 

 Among the notes that on variable stars calls for attention. 



MUSEU.MS ASSOCIATION.^ 

 \\. 

 T^HESE are the principles of what may be called the New 

 -*- Museum idea as applied to national museums of natural 

 history. It is a remarkable coincidence that since they were first 

 enunciated, and during the time of their discussion, but before they 

 had met with anything like universal acceptance, the four first 

 nations of Europe almost simultaneiously erected in their re- 

 spective capitals — London, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin — entirely 

 new buildings on a costly, even palatial scale, to receive tbe 

 ratui al history collections, which in each case had quite outgrown 

 their previous insufficient accommodation. In the construction 

 of neither of these lour edifices can the guardians of the public 

 purse be accused of want of liberality. Each building is a 

 monument in itself of the appreciation of the government of the 

 country of the value and interest of the natural history sciences. 

 So far this is most satisfactory. Now that each is more or less 

 completed, at all events for the present, and its contents in a fair 

 way towards a permanent arrangement, it may not be without 

 interest on the present occasion to give some comparative 

 account of their salient features, especially with a view to as- 

 certain whether and to what extent their construction aad 

 arrangement have complied with the requirements of the modern 

 idea of such institutions. 



It may seem ungrateful to those who have so liberally re- 

 .sponded to the urgent representations of men of science by pro- 

 viding the means of erecting these splendid buildings, to suggest 

 that if they had all been delayed for a few years the result might 

 have been more satisfactory. The effects of having been erected 

 in what may be called a transitional period of museum ideas is 

 more or less evident in all, and all show traces of compromise, 

 or rather adaptation to new ideas of structures avowedly designed 

 for old ones. In none, perhaps, is this more strikingly shown 

 than in our own, built, unfortunately, before any of the others, 

 and so without the advantages of the experience that might have 

 been gained from their successes or their shorlc imings. Though 

 a building of acknowletlged architectural beauty, and with some 

 excellent features, it cannot be taken structurally as a model 

 museum, when the test of adaptation to the purpose lo whicb it 

 is devoted is rigidly applied. But to speak of its defects is an 

 ungracious and uncongenial task for me. If it were not Liking 

 me too far away from my present subject I would rather speak 

 of the admirable manner in which the staff are endeavouring to 

 carry out the new idea under somewhat disadvantageous 

 ciicumstances. 



The new zoological museum in thejardin des Plantes at Paris 

 is a glorification of the old idea pure and simple. It consists 

 of one huge hall, with galleries and some annexes, in which 

 every specimen is intended lo be exhibited, more or less imper- 

 fectly, on alternate periods to students and to the general public. 

 The building and cases are very handsome in style, and there 

 are endless rows of specimens of all kinds neatly mounted '.n a 

 uniform manner. There are no storerooms, no laboratories, 

 no workrooms connected with the building. These are all in 

 1 Continued from p. 23G. 



