April 19, 19CX)] 



NATURE 



593 



works or inventions bearing upon the problem of aerial naviga- 

 tion. Further particulars can be obtained from the secretary 

 of the Club, M. Emmanuel Aime, 48 rue du Colisee, Paris. 



It is proposed, in recognition of the great services rendered by 

 the late Dr. D. G. Brinton to anthropological science by his teach- 

 ings, numerous publications, and untiring zeal, to establish in his 

 memory a Brinton chair of American Archeology and Ethnology 

 in the University of Pennsylvania. At a memorial meeting held 

 in January, the plan was favourably mentioned and grateful recog- 

 nition was accorded to Dr. Brinton's unselfish devotion to his 

 chosen life-work. The place selected for the chair seems 

 especially appropriate, since the University of Pennsylvania now 

 possesses Dr. Brinton's valuable library, his own gift shortly 

 before his death. The association of Brinton's name with the 

 University from 1886, when the chair of American Archaeology 

 and Linguistics was created for his occupancy, may in this way 

 be made permanent. In order to accomplish the proposed 

 plan, it will be necessary to secure an endowment of 50,000 

 dollars from individual sources. Patrons of science and others 

 interested in the scheme should communicate with the Brinton 

 Memorial Committee, 44 Mount Vernon-street, Boston, Mass., 

 where further information is to be obtained if desired. Messrs. 

 Drexel and Co., Bankers, Philadelphia, have consented to act 

 as treasurers of the fund being raised. 



We regret to see the announcement of the death of Sir William 

 Priestley, the distinguished physician, at seventy-one years of age. 

 His father was a nephew of the discoverer of oxygen. Sir 

 William Priestley received his medical education in London, 

 Paris, and Edinburgh, and graduated as .M.D. at the University 

 of Edinburgh in 1853. He was a Fellow of the Royal Colleges 

 of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, and of the Linnean 

 Society, and also a member of several other learned associations. 

 He published several works on natural history and medical 

 science. 



At a meeting of the Liverpool Geological Society, held on 

 April ID. reference was made to the death of Mr. G. H. Morton, 

 whose services to geology were briefly described last week 

 (p. 571). The following resolution was passed: — "That the 

 members of the Liverpool Geological Society desire to record 

 their deep sense of the loss which they and geologists generally 

 have sustained in the death of Mr. George Highfield Morton. 

 Mr. Morton was founder of the Society, serving it for many 

 years both as president and honorary secretary, and up to the 

 time of his decease he was a constant and highly-valued con- 

 tributor to its Proceedings, enriching them with the results of 

 his untiring energy and devotion to geological science. Whilst 

 deeply regretting the irreparable loss, the members wish to ex- 

 press their keen appreciation of the value and extent of Mr. 

 Morton's scientific work, especially of that portion of his work 

 relating to Liverpool and its vicinity." 



The Paris correspondent of the Chemist and Druggist gives 

 the following particulars about the late Dr. Henri Beauregard, 

 professor of cryptogamy at the Paris School of Pharmacy. Dr. 

 Beauregard was appointed assistant professor at the School in 

 1879, and held the post until 1894. He was soon after- 

 wards nominated as the titulary professor of cryptogamy, 

 and was also assistant for comparative anatomy at the Paris 

 Museum. During this time he published several important 

 works treating of insects, some of which have been recog- 

 nised as standard works by the Academy of Sciences. At 

 the School of Pharmacy he specialised in the study of micro- 

 graphy and cryptogamy, and published his "Guide to Prac- 

 tical Work in Micrography." In 1892 he was called upon 

 to take the professorship of cryptogamy for twelve months, 

 and thenceforward devoted himself entirely to that science. 

 NO. 1590, VOL. 61] 



Dr. Beauregard's premature death is a distinct loss to French 

 pharmacy and to the Paris School, where his scientific attain- 

 ments and personal qualities were much valued and appreciated. 



The Athens correspondent of the Times announces that the 

 excavations carried out by Mr. Arthur Evans and Mr. D. G. 

 Hogarth In Crete continue to yield results of the highest interest. 

 On that portion of the site of ancient Knossos which Mr. Evans 

 has selected for investigation (Kephala) a Mycenaean palace has 

 been discovered containing relics of extraordinary importance, by 

 means of which the hitherto uncertain question of Mycenaean 

 writing has been finally settled. In the chambers of the buildings 

 have been found a whole series of clay tablets, analogous to the 

 Babylonian, but with indigenous Cretan script. 



Dr. Berthoid Lanfer, of the American Museum of 

 Natural History, has just returned from two years of exploration 

 in Northern Asia, as the representative of the Jesup North 

 Pacific Expedition. 



Messrs. W. Goodfeli.ow and C. Hamilton have lately 

 returned from a successful expedition in the Colombian and 

 Ecuadorian Andes, during which they made a collection of 

 upwards of 5000 bird-skins, comprising examples of many rare 

 species. The travellers landed at Buenaventura, on the Pacific 

 Coast, in April 1898, and thence crossed the Andes into the 

 valley of the River Cauca. This was ascended, and, passing 

 through Popayan, Messrs. Goodfellow and Hamilton entered 

 the Republic of Ecuador, at Tulcan, proceeding thence to (^)uito, 

 where a lengthened stay was made. From Quito excursions 

 were effected to Pichincha, and to the low country on the 

 Pacific Coast near Santo Domingo. Leaving Quito on March i 

 last year, Messrs. Goodfellow and Hamilton crossed the Andes 

 to the upper waters of the Napo, and descended that river in 

 canoes to Vquitos, in Peru, whence the journey home was effected 

 by steamer. Mr. Goodfellow is preparing an account of the 

 birds collected during this remarkable journey for the Ibis. 



The Council of the Zoological Society of London has given 

 instructions for the publication of an Index-Volume to the new 

 generic names mentioned in the sQ\\xvci&!,oi \}i\^ Zoological Record 

 since 1879. This Index-Volume, in order to increase its useful- 

 ness, will include names accidentally omitted from Scudder's 

 " Nomenclator "' and from the volumes of the Zoological Record. 

 Thus zoologists will have at their disposal (in the "Nomenclator 

 Zoologicus," and the new " Index " together) a complete list of 

 all the names of genera and subgenera used in zoology up to the 

 end of 1900. It is earnestly requested that any one who knows 

 of names omitted from Scudder's "Nomenclator" or from the 

 volumes of the Zoological Record, will forward a note of them, 

 together, if possible, with a reference as to where they have been 

 noticed or proposed, so that the new list may be made as com- 

 plete as possible. Such information should be addressed to the 

 Editor of the Zoological Record, 3, Hanover Square, London, 

 W.C., or to Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, British Museum (Natural 

 History), South Kensington, London, who is engaged in com- 

 piling the list. 



Prof. Guido Cora, of Rome, is engaged in the preparation 

 of a work on his journey in Montenegro last summer, in which 

 he explored particularly the eastern part of the land and some of 

 the adjoining districts. He also examined the ruins of the 

 Roman town of Doclea, where he found some new inscriptions. 



Mrs. Lankester, who died on April 9, was the widow of 

 Dr. Edwin Lankester, and was well known as a popular writer 

 on science. Among her books are "Wild Flowers Worth 

 Notice," the literary portion of that large series of volumes 

 " Sowerby's British Botany " (now in course of republication), 

 and "Talks about Health." 



