54° 



NA TURE 



[April 9, 190^ 



being very much greater than that on the day in May 

 — three times as great — indicating in a short time a 

 seasonal change that seems to require further observ- 

 ation to confirm. The material is insufficient for much 

 to be said as regards diurnal variation of horizontal 

 force 



Dr. ( 'line adds the remark that though at first sight 

 the changes in declination seem quite out of proportion 

 to the changes of the force, this is not really the case, 

 but that, as a matter of fact, the changes in direction 

 and intensity are occasioned by disturbing forces which 

 are of the same order of magnitude. He makes some 

 comparison also with results found in the Erebus and 

 Terror voyage. 



There are notes of aurora. On one occasion, \l.i\ 

 30, 1S99, it is remarked that the movement of the 

 magnet was must conspicuous during the active time 

 of the aurora. Dr. Chree adds that many of the 

 observations were taken in disadvantageous circum- 

 stances, and with a limited instrumental outfit, so that 

 sunn of the conclusions arrived at should be accepted 

 with reserve, at the same time remarking that the zeal 

 and care of the observers under physical discomfort 

 seemed to merit this attempt to do full justice to their 

 work which, it is thought, might help to direct atten- 

 tion to special points of inquiry as regards other i s- 

 peditions setting out, or likely so to do. 



The meteorological results include a daily record o' 

 barometric pressure, air temperature, depression of wet 

 bulb, direction and force of wind, character and amount 

 of cloud, bright sunshine and precipitation, from 

 March, 1899, to January, 1900, the observations (ex- 

 cepting of the last two mentioned elements) being taken 

 at intervals of two hours day and night in the months 

 of June and July, and in the remaining months at 

 intervals of two hours from gh. a.m. to qh. p.m., in 

 all cases accompanied by descriptions of weather ; there 

 are also various monthly abstracts of meteorological 

 phenomena. Interesting descriptions of the numerous 

 appearances of aurora are given, but whether synchron- 

 ising or not with unusual magnetic motion "does not 

 directly appear, excepting on the one occasion already 

 mentioned. The meteorological section is preceded by 

 an introduction by M. Bernacchi explanatory of various 

 matters, at the end of which he says it is of course 

 premature to attempt to give a truly satisfactory 

 description of the prevailing winds and temperature 

 conditions in high southern latitudes until one year's 

 observations at numerous stations on Antarctic lands 

 are obtained, but expresses the hope that the Cape 

 Adare observations may yet make our knowledge of 

 the region less hypothetical than before. 



NOTES. 



The death is announced, in his eightieth year, of Prof. 

 Julius Victor Carus, professor of zoology in Leipzig. 



The German Association of Naturalists and Physicians 

 will hold its seventy-fifth annual meeting this year at Cassel, 

 on September 20-26. 



The annual meeting and conversazione of the Selborne 

 Society will be held on Tuesday, May 5. The president, 

 Lord Avebury, will occupy the chair. 



An international agricultural conference will be opened 

 at Rome on April 13. Sir Thomas Elliott, secretary to the 

 Board of Agriculture, will represent the Board at the con- 

 ference. 



Lord Blytiiswood has been elected a member of the 

 Athenaeum Club under the rule which empowers the annual 

 election by the committee of nine persons " of distinguished 



NO. 1745, VOL - 67] 



eminence in science, literature, the arts, or for public 

 services." 



The University of Toronto has, Science reports, received 

 subscriptions amounting to 6000Z. toward a convocation hall, 

 el which sum Mr. Chester Macy has given 1000/., and Prof, 

 and Mrs. Goldwin Smith 400!. 



The following are the subjects of lectures arranged for 

 the Wednesday evening meetings of the Society of Arts after 

 Easter: — "Modern Bee-Keeping, " by Mr. W. F. Reid ; 

 "Automatic Wagon Couplings," by Mr. T. A. Brockel- 

 bank ; "The Construction of Maps and Charts," by Mr. 

 G. T. Morrison ; and " Preservation of Big Game in Africa," 

 by Mr. E. North Buxton. 



The Carnegie Institution has granted 12001". to be ex- 

 pended under the direction of Dr. T. C. Chamberlin, of the 

 University of Chicago, in research relative to fundamental 

 problems in geology. The Institution has also made a grant 

 to Dr. J. E. Duerden, late curator of the Jamaica Museum, 

 tu assist him in his work on the morphology of recent and 

 fossil corals. 



The council of the Geologists' Association has arranged 

 ,111 excursion fur April 18 to New Cross to examine the 

 reopened cutting south of the L.B. and S.C.R. station, 

 which shew, the junction of the London Clay and the beds 

 below. This interesting section will be hidden again 

 In illy, and geologists who have not yet examined it will 

 lie glad to hear of the excursion, the details of which were 

 arranged too late for insertion in the April circular of the 

 Association. 



Replying in the House of Commons to a question by Mr. 

 Schwann asking what is the present position of Mr. Jam- 

 si 'ijee N. Tata's scheme for a scientific research institution 

 in India, and what support has been given to the scheme by 

 1 In Government of India, Lord George Hamilton, the 

 Secretary of State for India", said that he understood that 

 Mr. Tata's scheme for a scientific institution is in abeyance 

 for a time. 



A mineral survey of Ceylon has been commenced with 

 Mr. A. K. Coomaraswamy as director, and Mr. J. Parsons 

 as assistant. It is intended to carry on investigations for 

 mi' Mars, the results afterwards to be embodied in a re- 

 port on the mineral resources of the island. Chemical work 

 in connection with the survey will be carried out at the 

 Imperial Institute, South Kensington. The headquarters 

 of the survey are for the present to be at Peradeniva. 



A correspondent of the Lancet reports that Mr. Henry 

 Phipps is so pleased with the purposes to which the Viceroy 

 decided to devote his donation of 20,000!., viz. between a 

 central agricultural laboratory and a Pasteur institute for 

 southern India, that he has increased his gift by another 

 10,000/. The Government of India hopes to be able to 

 carry out measures for combining agricultural education, 

 scientific research, and practical experiment in one locality. 



Tin: Paris correspondent of the Times announces that Dr. 

 Roux, of the Pasteur Institute, has been awarded the Prix 

 Osiris of 100,000 francs by the Institute of France. We 

 learn from the same source that the prize owes its existence 

 to the generosity of M. Osiris, and is now awarded for the 

 first time. It has been founded as a stimulus to original 

 discovery and valuable work in the domain of science, art 

 and letters. In unanimously deciding to give the prize to 

 Dr. Roux, the Institute of France has recognised the high 

 value of bis scientific labours in preventive medicine and 

 bacteriology. 



