6i6 



NATURE 



[October 27, 1892 



He is the author of several astronomical papers published in 

 the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy and of the Royal 

 Dublin Society. 



It is proposed that a portrait medal of M. Hermite, the 

 eminent mathematician, shall be struck in commemoration of 

 his approaching seventieth birthday. The circular asking for 

 subscriptions is signed by a number of virell-known mathe- 

 maticians. 



The following nominations have been made for the Council 

 of the London Mathematical Society for the session 1892-3. The 

 ballot will be taken on November 10. For President, A. B. 

 Kempe, F.R.S. ; Vice-Presidents, A. B. Basset, F.R.S., E. B. 

 Elliott, F.R.S., Prof. Greenhill, F.R.S. ; Treasurer, Dr. J. 

 Larmor ; Hon. Sees., Messrs. M. Jenkins and R. Tucker; 

 other members, Mr. H. F. Baker, Dr. Forsyth, F.R.S., Dr. 

 Glaisher, F.R.S., Mr. J. Hammond, Prof. M. J. M. Hill, Dr. 

 Hobson, Mr. A. E. H. Love, Major Macmahon, F.R.S., and 

 Mr. J. J. Walker, F.R.S. After the election of the Council 

 Prof. Greenhill will read his Presidential Address. 



In consequence of the alterations in the rooms of the 

 Chemical Society, the first ordinary meeting of the Society will 

 be held on Thursday, November 17, at 8 p.m. 



The late Dr. C. A. Dohrn left his magnificent entomological 

 collections, with the library connected with them, in trust to his 

 son, Dr. H. Dohrn, who was directed to use them as the nucleus 

 for the formation of a natural history museum in Stettin. Dr. 

 H. Dohrn has now not only carried out his father's wishes, but 

 has presented to his native town his own conchological collec- 

 tions and library. 



The Geologists' Association will hold a conversazione on 

 Friday, November 4, in the Library of University College, 

 Gower Street. Among the exhibits will be a series of photo- 

 graphs of the recent eruption of Mount Etna. These will be 

 shown by Mr. F. W. Rudler. 



Mr. M. C. Potter has been appointed to the Chair of 

 Botany at the College of Science, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 



Thk annual meeting and conversazione of the Postal Micro- 

 scopical Society took place at the Holborn Restaurant on the 

 20th inst. There was a good attendance, and many microscop- 

 ical specimens were displayed. An address on polarized 

 light was delivered by Mr. G. H. Bryan, the president. 



The following lectures will be given at the Royal Victoria 

 Hall on Tuesday evenings during the coming month :— Nov. i, 

 Prof. A. H. Green, "CoeI, what it is and how it was made;" 

 Nov. 8, W. D. Halliburton, M.D., F.R.S., " The history of 

 some famous epidemics;" Nov. 15, Hermann H. Hoffert, 

 D.Sc, "Electric sparks and lightning flashes;" Nov. 22, 

 Prof. Hall Griffin, " Among the hills of Asolo : an illustrated 

 account of the poem ' Pippa Passes.' " 



Naturalists who visit the Zoological Society's Gardens 

 should not fail to go to the Insect House and see the Pratincole, 

 which has lately been received, and is kept in a cage in this 

 building. So far as we know, it is the first example of this 

 ■curious form of plover that has ever been seen in captivity. The 

 specimen in question does not, however, belong to the Pratincole 

 of the south of Europe (Glareola torquata), which has sometimes 

 occurred in this country, but to an allied African species — the 

 Madagascar Pratincole {Glareola ocularis). The bird was 

 obtained near Mombasa, in Eastern Africa, and presented to the 

 society by Mr. R. MacAllister. It was carefully brought home, 

 along with many other interesting specimens, from Zanzibar and 

 the adjoining mainland by Mr. Frank Finn, F.Z.S., on his 

 return from his recent expedition to that country. 

 NO. 1 200, VOL. 46] 



A correspondent from Tangier writes that during the 

 recent mission to Fez of Sir Euan Smith, Mr. Walter H. 

 Harris and Mr. Carleton, the interpreter, were informed by a 

 cherif from Tafilelt, cousin of the Sultan, and Governor over an 

 extensive district, that there is no question as to the existence of 

 dwarf tribes down the Dra, where they are very numerous. Sir 

 Euan Smith was told of this statement, and probably had a talk 

 with him. Mr. Harris intended to have taken a trip down the 

 Dra to Akka, but was convinced from what he heard that such a 

 trip would be an act of suicide. He however believes that he can 

 get full information as to the dwarfs, and perhaps photographs, 

 without going so far, and he has just left for atrip to the interior 

 for two months. Herr E. G. Donnenberg, who has been for some 

 years engaged in pushing German trade in Marocco, and every 

 year visits the principal cities, says that a year ago he saw in 

 Marocco city from half a dozen to a dozen dwarfs, one of whom 

 was accompanied by a dwarf wife. They were about 4 ft. 

 high, and robust and well made, and were certainly not Moors 

 who had been dwarfed by rickets, as they differed from the 

 ordinary population of Marocco in appearance. Herr Donnen- 

 berg's address is Tangier, and he states that he is ready to 

 answer any queries that may be sent to him, but that he cannot 

 add anything to what is here stated, as he did not ask any 

 questions as to the dwarfs, not knowing that they were of 

 interest. He goes to Marocco city before long, and will make 

 it a point to find out all he can respecting them. 



During the latter part of last week a depression lay over the 

 North Sea, which spread both in size and intensity, causing strong 

 northerly winds all over this country, with heavy gales and snow- 

 fall in Scotland and the east of England, while in the southern 

 districts the weather was fine and bright. The temperature was 

 unusually low for the time of year, the mean temperature having 

 in fact been considerably below the average on each day since 

 the beginning of the month. The daily maxima have varied from 

 40° in the north to 52° in the south, with sharp frosts at night. 

 On Sunday night the grass thermometer in London fell to 20°, 

 while 25° in the shade were registered the next night in the 

 north and west. During the early part of the present week, the 

 area of high pressure in the west gave place to a depression, 

 which arrived from oiT the Atlantic, causing cold easterly winds 

 in the south with very heavy rains in the south-west of England ; 

 the weather over Scotland improved, although some snow 

 showers continued to fall on the east coast. The Weekly 

 Weather Report, issued on the 22nd instant, showed that the 

 temperature of that week was much below the mean, the deficit 

 ranging from 5° to 7°. Rainfall exceeded the mean in the east 

 and north-east of England, but in all other districts there was a 

 deficit. In the south-west of England there was still a deficit of 

 about eight inches since the beginning of the year. 



We recently drew attention to a new meteorological journal 

 published in Paris; we now note the appearance of a similar 

 publication at Vilafranca del Panades, in Spain. It is published 

 on the 15th of each month, and contains a series of short ele- 

 mentary articles and notes, occupying only twelve small octavo 

 pages. We hardly expect it to find many readers in this 

 country, but hope it may awaken more interest in the subject in 

 Spain, where practical meteorology is not at present on the 

 same level as in other European countries. 



The Director of the Lyons Observatory, M. C. Andre, has 

 published, under the title, "Relations des Phenomenes 

 Meteorologiques deduites de leurs Variations Diurnes et 

 Annuelles," the results of the meteorological observations taken 

 there for ten years ending 1890. The text and plates together 

 occupy one hundred and sixty-eight large octavo pages, and, 

 this volume will be found to be full of interest and instruction, 

 to any one wishing either to take observations or to work up 



