308 
The laboratory occupies a low one-storied building on 
the north side of the Surgeons’ Hall. There are four 
rooms, the largest of which is filled with cases stored with 
specimens from the Arctic, while another contains speci- 
mens from the Antarctic. Each case is devoted to a par- 
ticular group of animals, crustacea, fishes, molluscs, sea- 
urchins, &c., systematically arranged, with the memoirs 
and papers describing them placed on the lower shelf. 
One interesting case is arranged bathymetrically, the 
typical animals of different depths being placed on corre- 
sponding shelves. In the Antarctic room special cases are 
devoted to special regions, such as the Weddell Sea, Scotia 
Bay, Xc., or to different islands, the South Orkneys, Gough 
Island, the Falklands, and so on. One interesting speci- 
men in the collection is a large granite boulder, ice- 
marked, weighing 3 or 4 ewt., which had been dredged up 
from a depth of 1775 fathoms in lat. 62° 10’ S. and 
long. 41° 20’ W. The whole collection, Arctic and 
Antarctic, represented the gatherings of the scientific work 
of five vessels, the Balaena, the Windward, the Blencathra, 
Princess Alice II., and the Scotia. Photographs of these 
and of interesting scenes during the Scotia’s voyage 
decorated the walls. At the present time many of the 
specimens are in the hands of the naturalists who are 
working up the various groups, while the larger animals 
are for the most part distributed throughout Scotland in 
various museums. There are many duplicates which 
should prove useful in effecting exchanges with other 
similar institutions, and so gradually increase the value 
of the Edinburgh collection. 
The inauguration of the Scottish Oceanographical Labor- 
atory was the first of a series of public and semi-public 
functions at which the Prince of Monaco was the leading 
figure. On the evening of January 16 he was the prin- 
cipal guest at the dinner of the Royal Society Club. Lord 
Kelvin presided, and Prof. Geikie acted as vice-chairman. 
On Thursday, January 17, the Prince received the 
degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Edin- 
burgh. On the evening of the same day he delivered 
an address on the exploration of the high atmosphere 
before the Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Prof. 
Geikie, president of the society, occupied the chair, 
and introduced the Prince as one well known as an 
enthusiastic, devoted, and successful student of natural 
science. His investigations had been conducted on a scale 
which had only been rivalled by Government expeditions 
sent out by great nations. For at least twenty-five years 
he had traversed the ocean in search of knowledge. He 
had established a great oceanographical institute at 
Monaco, a weather bureau, and a museum, and last year 
he endowed at Paris an oceanographical institute at a 
cost of not less than 160,o00l. The president then handed 
to the Prince the gold medal which the society had awarded 
him in recognition of his scientific work. 
In the course of his address, the Prince said that in 
the last few years the improvements in the manufacture 
of steel had made it possible to fly kites at great heights, 
carrying self-registering apparatus. Also the india-rubber 
industry had enabled balloons, carrying self-registering 
apparatus, to be sent to altitudes hitherto inaccessible. 
Through the liberality of the German Emperor a great 
establishment had been set up at Lindenberg for the 
systematic investigation of the upper-air meteorology. 
This was over the land. In 1904 the lecturer had become 
interested in the subiect, and he began to make plans for 
investigating the problem over the sea. To’ reach great 
heights it was necessary to attach to the line or wire a 
series of kites at intervals, and if no layers of calm air 
were encountered a very great height could be reached, 
and the kite kept there by the vessel moving with a speed 
of not less than 7 metres per second. There were many 
difficulties on board ship due to complications of wind 
distributions in the different layers. After a season’s 
work with kites in the Atlantic the Prince resolved to try 
the ballons-sondes. The method first adopted was to use 
two light india-rubber balloons filled with hvdrogen. The 
one carried the self-resistering apparatus, while the other 
and more inflated balloon was attached to it, and aided 
the ascent to the required height. At this height the 
upper balloon burst, and the lower balloon with its instru- 
ments descended as a parachute, and hovered over the sea 
NO. 1943, VOL. 75] 
NATORE 
[ JANUARY 24, 1907 
so long as the float at the end of the stray line touched 
the surface of the water. This could be seen at a distance 
of eight or ten miles. he bursting of the balloon was 
somewhat indefinite, and an improvement was subsequently 
effected by means of which the one balloon was released 
altogether at the desired height. This was done by means 
of a current from a small dry cell set in action when the 
pen of the barograph on the lower balloon touched a con- 
ductor set at the pressure corresponding to the desired 
height. Also by use of a formula taken in connection 
with the observed ascent of the system, the line of descent 
of the “‘ ballon parachute ’’ could be approximately caleu- 
lated, and the ship steered for the place. By means of 
apparatus of this kind pressure and temperature curves 
had been brought back from a height of 7500 metres in 
latitude 78°-55. In the high latitudes the experiments had 
been greatly interfered with by fog. The drift of air in 
still higher regions had been studied by means of pilot 
balloons, which had been followed through the telescope 
of a theodolite to heights of nearly 30,000 metres. These 
indicated that in latitude 80° north, at A height of about 
13,600 metres, there were at times winds blowing with a 
velocity of 60 metres per second, or 130 miles per hour. 
The results of several cruises had shown that ‘if the 
principal States of the world were willing to diminish a 
little the expense of international quarrels by submitting 
them to the judgment of a tribunal less costly than that 
of war, and if they preserved more resources for the 
veritable interests of humanity, it would be possible with 
powerful means very soon to know the laws of meteor- 
ology, the key to which scemed to be found in the higher 
atmospheric regions.”’ 
INTELLIGENCE. 
CampripGE.—The voting on the proposed reform of the 
mathematical tripos will take place on Friday and Satur- 
day, February 1 and 2. 
The placet executive committee has issued a letter to 
non-resident members of the Senate pointing out that ‘‘ the 
proposed scheme is supported by a large majority of the 
resident members of the Senate, a majority which includes 
eight heads of houses, more than thirty professors, all the 
official university teachers of mathematics, and the whole 
mathematical staff of several of the larger colleges. More- 
over, the principles of the reform have already been 
approved by the Senate. It is, however, impossible for the 
reform to be carried into effect unless it is supported by 
the votes of a large number of non-residents. . . . The 
rejection of the proposed reform would be a great calamity 
for the future of the Cambridge School of Mathematics. 
Further, the precedent established by the reversal of a 
decision already made would be a serious menace to the 
practical working of the government of the University.” 
Tue citizens of Montreal resolved at a theeting on 
January 16 to raise 200,000/1. for an endowment fund for 
the McGill University. Mr. Robert Reford promised to 
contribute 10,0001. Lord Grey presided, and Lord 
Strathcona was also present at the meeting. 
A course of eight lectures on ‘‘ Certain Fundamental. 
Problems in Physiology Common to Animals and Plants,”’ 
to be given at University College, London, by Dr. W. M. 
Bayliss, F.R.S., commenced on Wednesday, January 23. 
The lectures are open to all students of the University of 
London. 
Mr. G. P. DarneLt Situ has been appointed assistant 
director of technical education and manual training to the 
Board of Education, Auckland, New Zealand. Mr. 
Darnell Smith has been on.the staff of the Merchant 
Venturers’ Technical College, Bristol, since September, 
1892, and some time ago he was promoted to the post of 
assistant professor of chemistry in the college. 
Tue Duke of Northumberland on January 17 opened the 
new Royal Grammar School at Newcastle-upon*fyne, 
which has been built by the governors at a cost of 60,000. 
to take the place of an older building. In his inaugural 
address the Duke of Northumberland said, with regard to 
recent elementary education, we have probably over- 
