5IO 



NATURE 



[September i8, 1890 



researches. Already the day is past when the similitude drawn 

 by Anaxilas between music and Africa holds good, and even 

 Cornelius Agrippa could no longer maintain that he "sayeth not 

 amisse : By God, sayeth he, Musicke is even like Affricke ; it 

 yearely bringeth foorth some straunge Beaste." ^ 



I have, however, said enough on what I feel are somewhat 

 vague and general topics, and will now ask you to devote your 

 attention to the business of the Section, when, no doubt, many 

 subjects of interest will be more particularly discussed. 



NOTES. 



Within the next few days the National Association for the 

 Promotion of Technical and Secondary Education will issue a 

 brief "Guide to Evening Classes in London," which is the first 

 attempt to give a systematic account of the educational work 

 carried on in such classes throughout the metropolis. The 

 Guide will be classified according to subjects and districts, so 

 that an intending student can see at a glance the place, day, 

 and hour at which classes are available in any particular subject 

 in the district in which he lives, as well as the fee, name of 

 instructor, and other details. The price will be dd., and the 

 publishers will be Messrs. Cassell and Co. 



The following is a list, in brief, of subjects on which the 

 Dutch Society of Sciences at Haarlem invite research : — A 

 history of the mathematical and physical sciences in Holland ; 

 isomorphism ; minerals in the river and dune sands on the 

 Dutch coast ; the accessory sexual glands in mammalia ; heat 

 liberated in solution of various salts in water ; decomposition of 

 water or other liquids by disruptive electric discharges within or 

 on the surface ; influence of compression in different directions 

 on specific inductive power ; determination of the form and 

 position of the reticular micrometers used by Lacaille at the 

 Cape of Good Hope ; influence of volume of molecules on 

 pressure of a gas ; relation between density and chemical 

 composition of transparent bodies, and the index of refraction ; 

 modification of reflected light by magnetization of some other 

 metal than iron ; methods of obtaining and fixing new varieties 

 in cultivated plants; r6le of bacteria in filtration of portable 

 waters through a layer of sand ; bacteria and azotized combinations 

 in the soil ; healing after grafting. 



The Report of the Director of the Hong Kong Observatory 

 for 1889 states that a self-recording anemometer, rain-gauge, and 

 sunshine-recorder, have been erected by the Imperial Maritime 

 Customs at the important station of South Cape, Formosa, and 

 the observations are received monthly at the Observatory. 

 Among the investigations in progress are : the collection of 

 information respecting typhoons, from the logs of men-of-war 

 stationed in those seas, and an investigation of the climate of 

 Hong Kong from five 'years' observations ; this latter work is 

 nearly ready for press. The Report contains an interesting 

 comparison of spectroscopic rain-band observations with the 

 rainfall during the subsequent 24 hours ; Dr. Doberck con- 

 siders that the indications frequently foretold great thunder- 

 storms which could not otherwise have been forecast from local 

 observations. On May 29 and 30, 1889, the colony was visited by 

 thunderstorms of unusual duration; above 22 '5 inches of rain 

 fell in 24 hours, causing floods and serious damage to property. 



The Journal of the Franklin Institute for September contains 

 several interesting papers. Few can speak with more authority 

 on "Precious Stones" than Mr. George F. Kunz, and his 

 lecture delivered in February last, before the Franklin Institute, 

 is replete with information respecting them. Under the heading 

 "Electricity in Warfare," Lieutenant Bradley A, Fiske, U.S.N., 

 comments upon the present condition of the art, indicates in 



' " Vanitie of Sciences," cap. 17. 



NO. 1090, VOL. 42] 



what ways electricity is now actually employed, and what is the 

 direction of progress. Mr. Joseph M. Wilson, the President of 

 the Institute, continues his paper on schools, with particular re- 

 ference to trades schools, and gives an account of the method of 

 work set forth in the Science and Art Directory and in the 

 Prospectus of the Normal School of Science. Among the other 

 papers are the following : On fresh-water wells of the Atlantic 

 beach, by Mr. Persifor Frazer. On the strength of gear teeth, 

 by Mr. Samuel Webber; and on the electrolytic method as 

 applied to palladium, by Messrs. E. F. Smith and H. F. Keller. 

 The Monthly Weather Reziew issued by the Meteorological 

 Service of the Dominion of Canada consists of telegraphic 

 reports of observations received for the purpose of weather 

 predictions and of reports of storms received by mail. Tables 

 of temperature, pressure, wind, and precipitation are given, 

 together with the records of sunshine and aurorse. The total 

 number of storm warnings issued last month was 93, of which 

 77 or 82-8 per cent, were verified. Of the 77 warnings in con- 

 nection with the direction of the wind, 66 or 85 7 per cent, were 

 fully verified, and 72 or 93-5 partly verified. The steps made 

 in the prediction of weather form an important factor nowa- 

 days in commercial life, and in Canada forecasts are posted up 

 nightly at every telegraph station. 



We have received from America the summary of the weather 

 during the last month, and also the forecast for September. 

 The review shows that on the whole fine weather has prevailed, 

 although occasionally disturbed by a few storms. The first 

 storm of note was central on the 14th, about lat. 55° N., longi- 

 tude 25° W., and was accompanied by moderate to strong gales, 

 and high seas ; the second moved from Southern New England 

 to Nova Scotia on the 27th. The forecast indicates fine weather, 

 with occasional gales north of the 35th parallel. Less fog will 

 be found along the transatlantic steamship routes, and little ice 

 will be encountered off the Grand Banks. An accompanying 

 chart gives a brief but complete statement as regards these 

 dangerous storms. A new series of storm signals at Havana 

 were commenced in August, 1889, and this year night-signals have 

 been added, details of these being given in an accompanying 

 table. There is also a list of charts that have been published 

 and corrected during the month of August, and information 

 respecting dangerous obstructions to navigation along the 

 coast. 



We have received from Mr. Edward Stanford, a resume oi the 

 publications of the Ordnance Survey for England and Wales, 

 with an introductory description of the survey by Major Francis 

 P. Washington, R.E. The new i-inch general map is reduced 

 from the 6-inch maps, and will consist of 360 small sheets, 178 

 of which have been already published. This survey is well 

 adapted for walking or driving purposes, and residential maps 

 can be made up for 10, 15, or 20 miles round any centre. In 

 this catalogue the particulars of each county are given in alpha- 

 betical order, and the mounting details will be found very useful 

 to those who use maps to a great extent. At the end of the 

 pamphlet there are some illustrations of various neat and 

 handsome methods of mounting these maps for both library and 

 schoolroom purposes. 



A PAMPHLET on "Acoustics in Relation to Wind Instru- 

 ments," by D. J. Blackley, consists of a series of lectures given 

 by him to the students at the Royal Military School of Music, 

 Kneller Hall, in May 18S7. They have been revised and 

 somewhat amplified, and now form a general sketch of the 

 subject under consideration, and will be useful to those desirous 

 of understanding the principles underlying the construction and 

 use of wind-instruments, the illustrations of wave-motion given in 

 them not being confined only to experiments with cylindrical 

 tubes. There is an appendix on musical toh, which has been 



