68 



NA TURE 



[May 17, 1894 



groups were formed is slill an unsolved enigma. Ischia, a5 has 

 been long known, shows by the fos^iliferous deposits clothing 

 its flanks, to have undergone great elevaiion since its original 

 formation, and as we have no such evidence in the other volcanoes, 

 we must conclude for the greater antiquity of lochia. I also 

 believe that the volcanic group of Roccamonfina is very much 

 older than that of the Phlegrxan Fields and Vesuvius, because 

 we find the/;><r«i' and (he fi^ernoui luff, very old volcanic 

 deposits in these regions, forming a mantle over Roccamonfina 

 when it was almost a complete mountain. It must not be 

 forgotten, however, that in ihe " Museum Breccia," first de- 

 scribed by n-.e, we have evidence of the eflTusionin these regions 

 ol many varieties of rocks long an erior to iht f<iferiio. 



Gradually the large quantity of lava and fragmentary materials 

 that were ejected at the bottom of the gulf, greatly diminished 

 its depth, and thi-, combined with general eleva'.ion, resulted in 

 the emergence of a number of volcanic islands at Roccamonfina, 

 Ischia, Naples ; and probably Vejuvius wa-, at first, like the 

 others an island. Constant general elevation soon drove back 

 the sea, leaving high and dry all that region we so well know. 

 This plain, with its volcanic hills and mountains, constitutes one 

 of the most beautiful, the most fertile, and the healthiest regions 

 of our earth, if man were more capal)le of appreciating, enjoy- 

 ing, and developing this ftzzo di cielo caduto in terra. 



So many are the advantages that Vesuvius offers to the 

 student of vulcanology, that I think it advisable to pass them in 

 review. This renowned volcano occupies a very central position 

 in the civilised part of the globe, only a few kilometres from 

 Naples with all the resources of a great city, and in communi- 

 cation by numerous lines of passenger vessels and railways 

 with all paris of Europe and America. Means of visiting Vesu- 

 vius are numerous, whilst the volcano is now entirely surrounded 

 by a network of railways, besides good roads. Uy road and 

 railway Ihe top of the mountain can be reached, and upon its 

 flanks can be found hotels and accommodation of all kinds, be- 

 sides a meteorological observatory, intended to be used for the 

 daily study .ind record of its varj'ing phases. The simple but 

 interesting form of the mountain, the extraordinary and un- 

 rivalled vaiietyof its productions,which surpass in number,beauty, 

 and interest those of any other volcano yet studied, are also 

 a matter of maximum imiwrlancc to the student. Besides 

 this, of equal importance we must reckon that continuous 

 activity with variation within such limits as to permit detailed 

 study on the spot, and still more fully in the University labora- 

 tories or elsewhere. 



Scattered over Italy, and within a few hours' reach, are ' 

 several other active volcanoes, each having its own special in- 

 terest, besides a large number of extinct ones and subsidiary 

 volcanic phenomena, all of which, beyond their scientific [ 

 interest, have a very great importance to the inhabitants from 

 an agricultural, industrial, and hygienic point of view. This is 1 

 especially the case in the immediate vicinity of the active ones, 

 so that it becomes the duty of the Government to maintain a , 

 system of observation and record, and to develop a school in 

 which stodents may acquire a scientific knowledge of vulcan- • 

 ology. I 



At Naples we have a chair of terrestrial physics, but as 

 under this name is included a vast amount of different groups of 

 phenomena, it is impossible for its holder to give a fair share of 

 vulcanology alone. So far, the only chair of vulcanology was 

 that of Catania, which was so well occupied by the late Prof. 

 O. Silvestri, and which, after his premature death, was 

 abolished. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Oxford. —The following have been appointed Public 

 Examiners in the Honour School of Natural Science: — Mr. 

 James Walker, of Christ Church, in Physic-, Dr. Henry 

 F. .Morley, in Chemistry, and Or. George A. ISdckmasier, of 

 Mati'lalen College, in Physiology. 



f the nc*ly elected Fellows of Ihe Royal Society 

 i e 0«l >rd men — the Rev. F. J. Smith, Mr. V. H. 



\ '.. liof. Viriamu Jones 



A conversazione will be given in the University Museum on 

 Tue»fiay next, by the memlicrs of the Junior Scientific Club, 



CAMBRir)f;E — The Board of Managers of the Arnold Gerslen- 

 berg Studentship give notice (hat a Studentship on this Founda- 



NO. 1281, VOL 50] 



lion will be offered for competition in the Easter Term of 1895. 

 Candidates will have the option of being examined either in 

 Logic and Methodology, or in Psychology. The Examination 

 will be held at the time of the Moral Sciences Tripos : that is, 

 not earlier than the last Monday but one in May 1895. The 

 exact date of the examination will be announced later. The 

 schedule of the subjects of examination will be the same as the 

 schedules in Psychology and in Logic and Methodology for 

 Part I. of the Moral Sciences Tripos. The competition will be 

 open to men and women who have obtained honours in Part 

 I. or Part II. of the N.itural SiUnces Tripos, and whose first 

 term of residence was not earlier than the Easier Term of 

 1889 Candidates must send in their names not later than 

 April 19, lS95; '° I^''- Sidgwick, Ncwnham College, Cam- 

 bridge, and must declare their intention, it successful, of pur- 

 suing a course of philosophical study. The studentship, which 

 will be of the annual value of nearly /90, will be tenable for 

 two years, upon the condition that at the end of the first year 

 the student's progre-s in philosophical study is deemed sa' 

 factory by the Board of Managers. 



Dr. W. S. Melsome, Fellow of Queen's College, and Mr. 

 Hubert Higgin-, of King's College, have been appointed 

 Senior and Second Junior Demonstrators of Analomv 

 respectively. 



There are vacancies at the University's tables in the Na|il 

 Zoological Station, and at the Plymouth Marine Biological 

 Laboratory. Applications to occupy these are to be sent to 

 Prof. Newton, Magdalene College, by May 24th. 



Prof. Macalister announces a short course of lectures in 

 Physical .Anthropology for May l6ih, 19th, and 21st. The 

 subjects are " Methods of .■\nthropometry," " The Races of 

 Ancient Egypt " (at this lecture a mummy will be unwrapped 

 and examined), and " The Races of Western Europe." 



The Council of the Senate have published a Report recom 

 mending that in future all appointments of Demonstrators, ami 

 of Assistants 10 Professois, shall be made for a specific period 

 not exceeding five years. At Ihe end of this period the 

 Demonstrator or Assistant is to be eligible for reappointment. 

 It is also proposed that in the case of the vacancy of a 

 Professorship, the Demonstrators and .Assistant are to cease 

 hold office within three months of the appointment of a n 

 Professor. 



The Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of the Society of 

 Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol have decided that 

 their Technical School shall henceforth be known as the 

 Merchant Venturers' Technical College. In this connection 

 the following nominations h.we been made : — Principal nml 

 Professor ol Chemi.-try, Mr. J. Wentheimer ; Professoi 

 Mechanical Engineering, Mr. J.Munro; Professor of Elect n 

 Engineering and Applied Physics, Mr. W. Wilson. 



SCIENTIFIC SERIALS. 



The Mathematical Gazelle, 'Ho. I, April 1893,8 pp. (Loo- 

 don : Macmillan.)— It is now mailer of ancient history that « 

 correspondence in the columns of NATf RE nsulted in the forma- |l 

 lion, in January 1871, of the Association for the Improvement 

 of Geometrical Teaching. The original objects of the .associa- I 

 lion were threefold : to collect and distribute informati in as to 

 Ihe prevailing methods of instruction in geometry practised in 

 this and other countries, louse its influence 10 induce examining j 

 bodies to ftame their questions in geometry without reference j 

 to any particular text-book, and to stamp with its ajiproval some 

 lext-book already submitted, or to bring out a new one under 

 its own auspices. Ten years later, vi?. in January 1881, the 

 association widened its basis, though after some discussion it 

 retained its name. The objects it h.ad in view were now sought 

 10 be carried out by the reading of papers and raising discussions, 

 and by ihe appointment of committees to report on existing 

 defects in ihe usual methods, order, range, &c., in teaching 

 special subjects— all branches of elementary mathematics and 

 mathematical physics being included in the widened basis. Now 

 that the association has p.issed its majority, it is thought that il 

 owes its continued existence to a " wldesprca<l desire on the pari ; 

 of teachers of mathematics to become acquainted with the 

 methods of other teachers." The editor ol the Gazelle, Mr. 

 E. M. Lingley, to whose long-eon' inued and enthusiastic 



