November i6, 1893] 



jVA TURE 



63 



ihe threads of the web to vibrate in turn, and that the 

 spider is informed of the nearness of the instrument by 

 the deHcate sense of touch in the feet. But so far as my 

 experience goes this hypothesis is not sufficient to ac- 

 count for the facts ; for it is difficult to understand how 

 the sense of touch in the feet can merely by being in 

 contact with the threads, which by hypothesis are in a 

 state of vibration, inform the spiders of the position of 

 the fork and of the direction whence the sound proceeds. 

 For of this, to judge by their actions, they appear to have 

 a full knowledge. For instance, one adult example of 

 E. diadcinata that I observed, responded in the manner 

 above described when the fork was held over her back ; 

 but when the instrument was brought towards her ventral 

 surface on the other side of the web she drew her body 

 away from it, standing as it were on the tips of her toes. 

 Again, when the fork was brought from below to within 

 a distance of an inch and a half or two inches of a Meta 

 suspended by a thread from her web, she instantly 

 dropped again. In this case it is hard to believe that 

 from such a position the fork could throw the web into 

 a state of vibration. On the other hand, no example of 

 the Epeiridae could ever be attracted along one of the 

 radii of the web, however close the fork was held to it, 

 unless the two were actually in contact. In view of these 

 facts, it seems to me probable that Mr. and Mrs. Peck- 

 ham's explanation of the behaviour of the Epeirids — 

 namely, that they hear the vibration — is the true one. 



R. I. POCOCK. 



NOTES. 



The Royal Society's medals have this year been adjudicated 

 by the President and Council as follows : — The Copley Medal 

 to Sir George Gabriel Stokes, Bart., F.R.S., for his researches 

 and discoveries in physical science ; a Royal Medal to Prof. 

 Arthur Schuster, F.R.S., for his spectroscopic researches, and 

 his researches on disruptive discharge through gases and on 

 terrestrial magnetism ; a Royal Medal to Prof. Harry Marshall 

 Ward, F.R.S., for his researches into the life history of fungi 

 and schizomycetes ; and the Davy Medal to Messrs. J. H. van't 

 HofTandJ. A. Le Bel, in recognition of their introduction of 

 the theory of asymmetric carbon, and its use in explaining the 

 constitution of optically active carbon compounds. Her Majesty 

 '.he Queen has been graciously pleased to approve of the award 

 of the Royal Medals. The medals will, as usual, be presented 

 at the anniversary meeting on St. Andrew's Day (November 30). 

 M. Le Bel has promised to attend in person, and it is hoped that 

 all the medallists will be present. The Society will dine together 

 at the Whitehall Rooms on the evening of the same day. 



By the death of Sir Andrew Clark, on the 6th inst., the 

 medical profession has lost one of its most prominent members. 

 The Royal College of Physicians has to mourn the decease of its 

 President, and, outside the faculty, a large and distinguished 

 section of the community is affected by it. Sir Andrew was 

 bom on October 28, 1826, at Aberdeen, and pursued his 

 medical career there and at Edinburgh. Subsequently he 

 entered the Royal Navy as a surgeon, and, after making a few 

 voyages, became pathologist to the Royal Naval Hospital at 

 Haslar. There he met Prof. Huxley, who was then professor 

 of biology at the hospital school. In 1853 he accepted the 

 curatorship to the museum of the London Hospital, and was 

 afterwards appointed pathologist to the hospital, then lecturer 

 on physiology, and in 1866 full physician. After this Sir Andrew 

 rapidly came to the front, and from the first his connection was 

 composed largely of men distinguished in science, art, and 

 literature. In 1883 Her Majesty recognised his position in the 

 profession, and his services to medical science, by conferring 

 upon him the honour and title of a baronetcy. Five years j 



NO. 1255, VOL. 49] 



later he was elected to succeed Sir William Jenner as President 

 of the Royal College of Physicians, an honour that he valued 

 even more highly than Royal favours. He was a Fellow of 

 the Royal Society, an LL. D. of Aberdeen, Cambridge, and 

 Edinburgh, and honorary M. D. of Dublin. The respect in which 

 he was held is shown by the influential and representative char- 

 acter of the assembly at a commemorative service in Westminster 

 Abbey on Saturday. The pall-bearers included the Prime 

 Minister, Sir Henry Acland (Regius Professor of Medicine at Ox- 

 ford), Sir James Paget (Vice-Chancellor of London University), 

 Mr. John Whitaker Hulke (President of the Royal College of 

 Surgeons), Sir Richard Quain (President of the General Medical 

 Council, representing by request of the Provost the University 

 of Dublin), and Sir Edward Sieveking. Following these, with 

 the officers of the Royal College of Physicians, came representa- 

 tives of the Universities, State departments, and various institu- 

 tions. Prof. Clifford Allbutt attended for Cambridge, Sir 

 Joseph Fayrer for Edinburgh, Dr. Farquharson, M.P., for 

 Aberdeen, Mr. J. N. Dick for the Navy ^Medical Department, 

 Sir William Mackinnon for the Army Medical Department, Dr. 

 Thome Thorne for the Medical Department of the Local 

 Government Board, Sir William Flower for the British Museum, 

 and Prof. Michael Foster for the Royal Society. Among the 

 large congregation were Prof. Huxley, Sir Spencer Wells, and 

 Sir Walter Phillimore. Honoured in life. Sir Andrew Clark's 

 memory will be cherished by all acquainted with his wonderful 

 energy, devotion to duty, and self-sacrifice — attributes worthy of 

 emulation by all followers of his noble profession. 



The death of Dr. H. A. Hagen, a well-known entomologist is 

 announced from New York. He was born in Kunigsberg in 181 7, 

 and became an assistant to Agassiz in 1867. Three years later 

 he was appointed Professor of Entomology at Harvard College. 

 It can truly be said that his works furnish a monument to his 

 memory, for he made more than four hundred contributions to 

 scientific literature. 



We have to record that Mr. A. Reckenzaun died on Novem- 

 ber II, at the age of forty-three. His name is familiar in con- 

 nection with papers on accumulators, electric traction, and 

 electric locomotives, for certain of which he was awarded medals 

 by the Society of Arts and the Institution of Electrical 

 Engineers. 



We regret to learn from Sydney of the death of Dr. George 

 Bennett, a distinguished naturalist, and the author of " Wandei- 

 ings in New South Wales " and other works. He was ninety 

 years of age. 



The death is announced of Mr. J. G. Barford, the author of 

 a number of papers on physiological chemistry. 



In January next, the Botanical Society of Italy will take over 

 the Ntiovo Giontak Botanico Italiano, at present edited by Prof. 

 T. Camel, and publish it as the official organ of the Society. 

 No modifications will be made, however, in the character of 

 the journal, which will continue to be issued in quarterly 

 numbers. __,.^ 



•^ A meeting of representatives of technical schools was held 

 at Manchester on the 4th inst., and it was resolved "that it 

 is desirable that an Association of Technical Institutions be 

 formed." With a view to formally constituting the proposed 

 Association, a meeting will be held at the Society of Aits, 

 on Friday, January 26, 1894. 



The new institute of science, art, and literature, established 

 by the corporation of Carlisle at a cost of about ;^20,ooo, was 

 opened by the mayor of that city on November 8. The insti- 

 tute includes a museum, a school of science and art, and a free 

 library. In addition to a valuable collection of antiquities, the 



