May 2 1, 1903] 



NATURE 



61 



metrical and bathymetrical map of the Western Mediter- 

 ranean and surrounding countries, curved to show the figure 

 of the earth ; (2) relief map of a part of the valley of the 

 Semois in the neighbourhood of Rochepaut, Belgian 

 Ardennes. These maps have been prepared under the direc- 

 tion of Prof. Elisee Reclus by Mr. E. Patesson. The map 

 of the Mediterranean, in aluminium, is drawn on the scale 

 of I : 5,000,000. It is curved to show the exact figure of 

 the earth. Elevations of land and depths of water are 

 shown by a system of contours and tinting. The second 

 map is in copper, and represents the relief of the district 

 without exaggeration of the vertical scale, and with the 

 surface features carefully laid down. Both maps are in- 

 tended for educational purposes. 



Pictures shown by Mr. Arthur J. Evans, F.R.S., illustrated 

 excavations at Knossos, in Crete, and included : (i) general 

 plan of the palace, showing excavations to June, 1902, and 

 general section, showing successive terrace ' levels, &c. ; 

 (2) photographic views ; (3) coloured drawings of palace 

 frescoes. 



Other exhibits were chloroformed calf lymph ; method of 

 its preparation (from the Government Lymph Laboratories), 

 Dr. Alan B. Green ; development and variation of the 

 colour-pattern in Mexican species of lizards (Cnemidophorus 

 and Ameiva), Dr. H. Gadow, F.R.S. ; (i) true (glandular) 

 hermaphroditism in a domestic fowl ; (2) microscopic 

 sections of prehistoric human bone, and of a prehistoric 

 human urinary calculus, Mr. S. G. Shattock. Mimicry 

 in butterflies from British East Africa and Uganda, 

 Mr. S. A. Neave ; specimen of Trypanosoma found by 

 Dr. Castellani in cerebro-spinal fluid from sleeping sick- 

 ness patients (Uganda), Dr. Aldo Castellani ; specimens 

 of a remarkable radiolarian of complex structure. Dr. G. H. 

 Fowler ; restored models of extinct fishes, the Director, 

 British Museum (Natural History) ; preparations illustrat- 

 ing the cell-phenomena met with in apogamy, Prof. J. B. 

 Farmer, F.R.S., Mr. J. E. S. Moore, and Miss L. Digby 

 (see p. 71) ; remains of pigmy elephant and pigmy hippo- 

 potamus obtained from caves in Cyprus, Miss Dorothy 

 M. A. Bate (see p. 71) ; (i) photographs illustrating the late 

 eruptions in St. Vincent and Martinique ; (2) volcanic dusts, 

 ashes, and other ejecta of the West Indian volcanoes. West 

 Indies Volcanoes Committee of the Royal Society ; micro- 

 graphs of volcanic dust from Mount Soufri^re, St. Vincent, 

 eruption, May 8, 1902, Mr. Thomas Andrews, F.R.S. ; (i) 

 the experimental demonstration of the curvature of the 

 earth's surface recorded by photography T (2) photograph of 

 ship hull-dovin at sea, Mr. H. Yule Oldham. 



During the evening lantern demonstrations were given by 

 Sir Benjamin Baker, K.C.B., F.R.S., illustrative of the 

 Nile Dam Works, and by Prof. Harold B. Dixon, F.R.S., 

 on the analysis of explosion flames by photography. The 

 latter demonstration included (i) photographs of explosion 

 flames, taken on very rapidly moving films, showing the 

 genesis of the explosion-wave as the flame travels from 

 the point of ignition, and the influence of reflections from 

 the ends of the tube ; (2) photographs of sound-waves 

 moving through the explosion-flame, by which the approxi- 

 mate temperature of the flame may be calculated. 



COOPERATION IN ASTRONOMY. 



THE suggestions contained in the subjoined ex- 

 tracts from a paper by Prof. E. C. Pickering on 

 " The Endowment of Astronomical Research," recently 

 issued from Harvard College Observatory, will, we 

 hope, be taken up by one of the many generous bene- 

 factors of science and higher education in the United 

 States. The fundamental idea is the organisation of 

 the forces which exist for the advancement of know- 

 ledge of astronomy. Many gifts have been made to 

 astronomy in the United States, but in some cases the 

 results have been disappointing, because the donors 

 have not consulted astronomers as to the best way to 

 promote scientific advance. 



Imposing observatories are useless without instru- 

 ments, and fine telescopes and spectroscopes depend 



NO. 1751, VOL. 68] 



upon " the man at the eye end " for the return they 

 will give for the expenditure upon them. To obtain 

 : the best results, the astronomer with original ideas and 

 I progressive spirit should be placed in a position where 

 he can carry on his work to the best advantage, and 

 instruments should be used by men who require them 

 for the increase of knowledge. This is the object of 

 the plan proposed by Prof. Pickering. Money, 

 materials and men available for astronomical research 

 are to be brought together so that each is used to the 

 best advantage. 



In the United States, where the liberal benefactor 

 has endowed scientific work to an extent unparalleled 

 in any other country, the scheme will probably be taken 

 up. Though the gifts to higher education and re- 

 search have been so many and generous in the past. 

 Prof. Pickering remarks that owing to the industrial 

 prosperity of America " gifts may be expected ten 

 times as large as those of the last century, during 

 which Harvard College Observatory received three 

 funds exceeding one, two, and three hundred thousand 

 dollars respectively." He has therefore considered 

 how a gift of one or two million dollars, if given to 

 Harvard for astronomical purposes, could be best ex- 

 pended. The cooperative scheme of work suggested 

 is one which would certainly accelerate progress, and 

 the results attained would "be such that enlightened 

 donors could see and appreciate them. 



There would be no attempt to interfere with indepen- 

 dent work ; in fact, the scheme aims at promoting such 

 work and providing for the publication of the results. 

 The Carnegie Institution was established with the 

 same objects, and has already provided the means for 

 carrying on important inquiries in various branches of 

 science. Prof. Pickering's plan is worthy of the broad 

 views associated with Harvard College Observatory, 

 and we trust that means will be forthcoming to carry 

 it into effect. We reprint part of the circular in which 

 the plan is put forward. 



The following outline of a plan will show how a sum of 

 fifty to one hundred thousand dollars annually could be 

 advantageously expended for astronomy by this observatory. 

 A board of advisers, consisting of several of the leading 

 astronomers of the country, would be appointed which would 

 meet once a vear, or at first oftener, to consider how the 

 available income could be best expended in order to receive 

 the greatest scientific return. 



This board would consist partly of the directors of 

 observatories who could expend portions of the income 

 themselves, and partly of older astronomers who, having 

 retired from active work, could decide without prejudice 

 how the income could be expended to the best advantage by 

 others. They would have authority to add temporarily to 

 their number astronomers who might be invited to partici- 

 pate in any special work, and who could thus take part in 

 their discussions on equal terms. All expenses of this 

 board would be paid from the income, and except for clerk 

 hire these would be almost the only executive expenses. 

 A circular letter would be sent to all astronomers, inviting 

 application for aid and suggestions for methods of expend- 

 ing the income. If possible, close relations would be estab- 

 lished with the trustees of all the research funds which 

 could be used for astronomical purposes, to increase efficiency 

 and avoid duplication of work. The most important duty 

 of the board of advisers would be to consider each year 

 what departments of astronomy were being neglected, and 

 to secure the needed observations, or if necessary undertake 

 them themselves, or see that they were made at Harvard. 

 As every astronomer is inclined to undertake the work which 

 attracts him most, especially interesting investigations are 

 likely to be duplicated unnecessarily, while laborious or 

 unattractive investigations are neglected. This is particu- 

 larly objectionable, since in astronomy, a science of observ- 

 ation and not of experiment, an opportunity once missed 

 can in many cases never be recovered. As an example of 

 needless duplication, fifty observatories agreed to observe 

 the planet Eros during its opposition in 1900, but, so far 



