AvucGusT 13, 1914] 
NATURE 
629 
its bearing of this on the east and west slope fauna 
of Panama. He intends to spend the coming winter 
months in correlating the fresh-water fauna of the 
lesser Antilles to that of South America. 
Tue Board of Education has issued (Cd. 7535) a 
new edition of its building regulations for secondary 
schools, being principles to be observed in planning 
and fitting up new buildings in England. The last 
issue was made in 1907, and experience has shown 
that a fresh statement of principles and of their 
application is required. The principal modifications 
in the present issue relate to the position of the 
assembly hall in relation to the class-rooms, the need 
of making provision for physical training in every new 
school, the arrangement of cloak-rooms, and certain 
details in connection with art and science rooms, 
housecraft rooms, and staircases. 
THE prospectus of the university courses in the 
Municipal School of Technology, Manchester, for the 
forthcoming session has been received. It will be 
remembered that the Manchester Technical School 
forms part of the Victoria University of Manchester, 
and provides for the faculty of technology. The 
courses described in the prospectus lead to the degrees 
of Bachelor and Master of Technical Science. These 
courses are controlled by the Senate of the University, 
through the board of the faculty of technology, which 
is composed of the heads of departments in the school 
of technology together with certain other professors 
and lecturers in the University. The degrees may be 
taken in the following divisions of technology: 
mechanical, electrical, or sanitary engineering ; applied 
chemistry; mining; architecture; and textile indus- 
tries. Courses of post-graduate and specialised study 
and research have been arranged for students who 
have graduated. 
AN interim report of the Joint Committee of the 
Illuminating Engineering Society and other bodies 
on “The Natural Lighting of Schools”? appeared in 
the July number of The Illuminating Engineer. 
Among the suggestions we note :—(1) No place is fit 
for use in a schoolroom when diamond type cannot 
be read easily by a normal observer at a distance of 
half a metre; (2) the darkest desk should receive not 
less than o-5 per cent. of the unrestricted illumina- 
tion from the complete sky hemisphere; (3) windows 
should be to the left of the pupils. Other recom- 
mendations refer to details such as the colour of 
walls, furniture, etc. A point deserving special atten- 
tion is that most light is needed in the infant class- 
rooms, which at present are usually less efficient as 
regards lighting than any other schoolrooms. The 
Committee consider that the Building Regulations 
(1907) of the Board of Education have produced good 
results, but find, nevertheless, many points which re- 
quire further investigation. In view of the extensive 
character of the research, it is hoped that local 
authorities will be willing to assist. The Committee 
is of a thoroughly representative character, and has 
obviously proceeded with judicious care so far; we 
are glad to see that the Society intends to issue a 
reprint of this report, together with notes on Con- 
tinental research and the corresponding interim report 
on the Artificial Lighting of Schools, issued last 
year. 
TueE handbooks for next session of the faculties of 
engineering and of the medical sciences at University 
College (University of London), Gower Street, W.C., 
have now been issued. The faculty of engineering, 
of which Prof. J. A. Fleming is dean, includes the 
departments of civil and mechanical engineering, elec- 
trical engineering, and municipal engineering, and is 
intended to provide for students wishing to devote 
NO. 2337, VOL. 93] 
themselves to engineering a systematic training in the 
application of scientific principles to industrial pur- 
poses. The courses are also suited to the requirements 
of students who intend to enter for appointments in 
the Indian Public Works Department, engineering 
department of the General Post Office, department of 
the Director of Engineering and Architectural Works 
in the Admiralty, Patent Office, and other similar 
services. The departments have been recognised by 
the Board of Trade as providing suitable technical 
training for marine engineers. Facilities are provided 
for post-graduate and research work in all the sub- 
jects. The faculty of medical sciences, of which Prof. 
A. R. Cushny is dean, comprises the departments of 
physics, chemistry, botany, and zoology—the pre- 
liminary medical sciences; also the departments of 
anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology—the inter- 
mediate medical science; and the departments of 
hygiene and public health, and of pathological chem- 
istry for post-graduate study. All communications con- 
cerning these courses should be addressed to the Pro- 
vost, University College, London. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES. 
EDINBURGH. 
Royal Society, July 6.—Prof. James Geikie, president, 
in the chair.—Dr. George Philip: Obituary notice of 
John Sturgeon Mackay.—Dr. E. M. Wedderburn and 
A. W. Young: Temperature observations in Loch 
Earn. Part ii. The observations discussed were made 
in August, 1913, and supplied a good example of a 
temperature seiche. The decay of the oscillations was 
very rapid. Periodogram analysis indicated periods of 
twenty hours and ten hours. Calculation of the prob- 
able period from the mathematical theory gave a 
period of 19:6 hours for the principal oscillation. The 
records were also subjected to harmonic analysis, and 
the effect of light winds in altering the character of 
the oscillation was clearly demonstrated.—D. Ferguson, 
G. W. Tyrrell, and Prof. J. W. Gregory : Contributions 
to the geology of Louth. The valuable collections 
made by Mr. Ferguson were studied and described by 
Mr. Tyrrell, who gave a general petrographical report. 
In a further report Prof. Gregory considered the 
general geological problems suggested. 
Paris. 
Academy of Sciences, July 27.—M. P. Appell in the 
chair.—Mlle. Th. Tarnarider: The best approximation 
of xk|x| by polynomials of indefinitely increasing 
degrees.—René Garnier: The representation of the 
integrals of Painlevé’s equations by means of the 
theory of linear equations.—César Spineanu: The de- 
velopment of a holomorph function in series of in- 
verses of polynomials and in series of rational 
fractions.—Georges Rignoux: An arrangement for 
vision at a distance. A description of a system of 
relays in connection with a number of selenium cells. 
—-Maurice de Broglie: The spectral analysis by the 
secondary rays of the Réntgen rays and its applica- 
tion to the case of rare substances. As the method 
of examination, described in an earlier communica- 
tion, can be applied to very small quantities of sub- 
stance, the oxides of gallium and germanium have 
been examined. Figures are also given for antimony, 
tin, and  lanthanum.—Henri — Labrouste : Mono- 
molecular layers and surfusion. A study of the 
solidifying points on trilaurin, tribenzoin, and tri- 
myristin in very thin layers.—J. Guyot: The Volta 
effect and monomolecular layers. Measurements of 
the differences of potential appearing at the con- 
tact of gold and water when extremely thin layers 
of various organic substances are floating on the 
