November 8, 1894] 



NA TURE 



03 



seems probable that instead of being lowered the winter 

 temperature in the British Isles would be raised in the 

 long winter of the supposed glacial epoch. For the Gulf 

 Stream flows at about four miles per day between the 

 Azores and Norway — that is, about ten degrees of the 

 earth's surface in six months, so that we may fairly 

 suppose the midwinter heating of these countries to be 

 dependent on the summer heating at about Lat. 40^-45'. 

 Now during the 166 days of the short summer in the 

 epoch of great eccentricity, these latitudes received a 

 greater daily average of heat than any latitude, even the 

 equator, now receives in an equal time. Hence it is 

 likely that the midwinter receipt of ocean heat in that 

 epoch was much greater than at present. This seems to 

 harmonise with the present condition of Mars. So far, in- 

 deed, as the evidence from ihe condition of Mars is admis- 

 sible, it seems to be quite inconsistent with Croll's view. 



A paper dealing more fully with the mathemitical 

 portion of the subject will shortly appear in the Hhlloso- 

 pliical Mai;a:in€, and a more exhaustive criticism of 

 Croll's and Balls works will be found in the January 

 number of the Geological Magazine for 1S95. 



It is satisfactory to know that although the astrono- 

 mical theory of the Ice Age has been steadily gainmg an 

 assured position among the semi-scientitic pub'ic — one 

 sees it referred to as the most generally accepted ex- 

 planation in such diverse works as Nansen's "Journey 

 across Greenland,'' and Laing's " Human Origins " — the 

 rising school of geologists are strongly opposed to it, as 

 contradicting the geological evidence. 



Edw.\rd p. Culverwell. 



NOTES. 

 The President and Council of the Royal Society have this 

 year awarded the medals as follows: — The Copley Medal to 

 Dr. Edward Frankland, for his eminent services to theoretical 

 and applied chemistry ; the Rumford Medal to Prof. James 

 Dewar, for his researches on the properties of matter at ex- 

 tremely low temperatures ; the Davy Medal to Prof. Cleve, of 

 Upsala, for his researches on the chemistry of the rare earths ; 

 and the Darwin Medal to Prof. Huxley, for his researches in 

 comparative anatomy, and especially for his intimate association 

 with Mr. Darwin in relation to the Origin of Species. The 

 Royal Medals have been awarded to Prof. J. J. Thomson in 

 recognidon of his contributions to mathematical and experi- 

 mental physics, especially to electrical theory ; and to Prof. 

 Victor Horsley for his important investigations relating to the 

 jjhysiology of the nervous system and of the thyroid gland, and 

 10 their applications to the treatment of disease. We learn as 

 we go to press that the Oueen ha? signified her approval of 

 these awards. 



The following is a list of those who have been recommended 

 by the President and Council of the Royal Society, for election 

 into the Council for the year 1894-5, ^' 'he anniversary meeting 

 on November 30 : — President : Lord Kelvin. Treasurer : Sir 

 John Evans, K.C.B. Secretaries : Prof. Michael Foster, Lord 

 Rayleigh. Foreign Secretary : Sir Joseph Lister, Bart. Other 

 members of the Council : Dr. Andrew Ainslie Common, 

 William Crookes, Francis Darwin, Dr. Andrew Russell 

 Forsyth, Sir Douglas Gallon, K.C.B., Prof. Alexander Henry 

 Green, Sir John Kirk, K.C.B., Prof. Horace Lamb, Prof. 

 Edwin Ray Lankester, Prof. Alexander Macalister, Prof. John 

 Henry Poynling, Prof. Arthur Wdliam Rucker, Osbert Salvin, 

 Prof J. S. Burdon Sanderson, Dr. Thomas Edward Thorpe, 

 William Henry White, C.B. 



We regret to note the death of Prof. M. Ducharlre, the 

 eminent French botanist. He was in his eighty fourth year. 



NO. 1306, VOL. 51] 



The Societe nationale d'HorticuIture de France is organising 

 an international exhibition of horticultural products and indus- 

 tries, to be held in May 1895. 



The death is announced of Dr. Francesco Gasco, Professor 

 of Comparative Anatomy and Embryology in the University 

 of Rome. 



Sir D. a. Lange, who was appointed in 1S58 the 

 constructor of the Suez Canal, has just died, and was 

 for some years director in England of that work. He was a 

 Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the Society of Anti- 

 quaries, and of other learned societies, and the author of 

 several important books connected with the Suez Canal. 



A Blue-book has been issued containing Commissioner H. 

 H. Johnston's report of the first three years' administration of 

 the eastern portion of British Central Africa. The report deals 

 with the physical geography of the country, its meteorology, 

 agricultural conditions and resources, minerals, and fauna, with 

 the characteristics of the native races, and is altogether of con- 

 siderable scientific valui. 



AFtER the great earthquake shocks in Greece, last spring, a 

 committee was appointed to make an examination of the 

 Parthenon, in order to ascertain what damage the temple had 

 sustained. The committee reported that the buildmg had been 

 seriously injured, and that there was great risk in allowing it to 

 remain in its present dangerous condition. They recommended, 

 therefore, that immediate steps be taken to strengthen it. 

 Renter's correspondent at Athens now reports that the Archaeo- 

 logical Society, at a meeting called to consider the question, 

 have voted an unlimited credit for the purpose of effec ing the 

 necessary repairs. 



Mr. H. C. Russell, has sent us an account of the 

 travels of three bottle-papers used for determining ocean cur- 

 rents. One was thrown into the sea near the Crozet Islands in 

 March 1S93, and was found in September 1S94 between Cape 

 Banks and Cape Northumberland. The mean daily rate of this 

 appears to have been nearly eight miles. Two other papers 

 travelled over much the same course on the south coast of 

 Australia, at mean rates of six and nine miles a day. The 

 interesting point is that three current papers should pass over 

 more or less the same track, and agree sj well a; to the rate of 

 the current. The paper that made only six miles a day was 

 hampered with a heavy frame of wood, which had been put 

 round it as a protection when it should reach the coast. 



The arrangements for the new session of the Society of .\rts 

 are now announced. The session commences on November 21 

 with an address from the Chairman of the Council, Major- 

 General Sir John Donnelly. The first regular paper will be by 

 -Mr. Hiram Maxim, on his " Experiments in .\eronactic5, " and 

 this will be followed the succeeding week by one by M. Hermite, 

 on "The Electrical Treatment of Sewage. " Two other papers 

 — one by Mr. Thomas Ward on "Salt," and one by Gen. 

 Michael on " Forestry " — will be read before Christmas. A 

 number of papers for meetings after Christmas are also an- 

 nounced. Six courses of Cantor Lectures are promised, of 

 which the first is by Prof. Vivian Lewes on " Explosives." 

 There will be, as usual, a course of Juvenile Lectures afier 

 Christmas ; the lecture this year is by Prof. C. V. Boys, F. R.S., 

 hii subject being " Waves and Ripples. " 



M. A. Delebecque, of Thonon, sends usi a small pamphlet 

 on the lakes of Dauphine. These lakes are veiy numerous, 

 many of them being mere tarns or lagoons, and some, although 

 figuring as sheets of water on the large-scale maps, are frequently 

 dry. He gives an a.:count of his soundings in the lakes of 

 Bourget, Aiguebelelte, Paladru, anl the smalUr lakes of the 



