3IO 



NATURE 



{Feb. 15, 1872 



sight during one half its period, and visible during the 

 other half; while the observations of Mr. Rock show that 

 it goes through all its changes within the short interval of 

 21^ hours. Another in the constellation of the " Southern 

 Triangle," which has been regularly observed by Mr. 

 Davis, exhibits regular fluctuations of light, comprised 

 within a period of about },\ days, similarly alternating 

 between visibility and invisibility. These two exhibit the 

 most rapid changes of any of the stars which we have 

 hitherto observed ; but there are others not less interest- 

 ing, observed not only by the two gentlemen mentioned, 

 but also by Messrs. Thome and Hathaway, who are like- 

 wise pursuing these investigations with much success." 



NOTES 



The retirement of Prof. Huxley from the London School 

 Board throws a great responsibility upon the men of Science in 

 London in general, and on Marylebone in particular. We are 

 of opinion that of all the good work which Prof. Huxley has 

 done, none will have a more lasting national importance than 

 that which has resulted in the introduction of Science among 

 the subjects to be taught in the London schools — and, there- 

 fore, in all the School-Board-schools throughout the country, 

 for the force of public opinion will, in the long run, insist that 

 the London model shall be everywhere followed. It is because 

 we fear that this important advance may be arrested, unless steps 

 are taken still to have the claims of Science represented on the 

 Board, that we draw attention to the subject, which, in our 

 opinion, is of sufficient importance to occupy the attention of 

 the Royal Society, and the other sciemific bodies, if their aid is 

 necessary. Doubtless membership of the School Board involves 

 sacrifice ; hut it is to be hoped that the clerical squabbles which 

 have so interfered with the desired progress here, as it did, in- 

 effectually, in other countries, are now as nearly over as they 

 ever will be ; and if this be so, then, instead of the 170 sittings 

 . given by some members last year, a much smaller number will 

 suffice. 



We have reason to know that many weak people have been 

 alarmed, and many still weaker people made positively ill, by an 

 announcement which has appeared in almost all the newspapers, 

 to the effect that Prof. Plantamour, of Geneva, has discovered a 

 comet of immense size, which is to " collide," as our American 

 friends would say, with our planet on the 12th of August next. 

 We fear that there is no foundation whatever for the rumour. 

 In the present state of science nothing could be more acceptable 

 than the appearance of a good large comet, and the nearer it 

 comes to us the better, for the spectroscope has along account to 

 settle with the whole genus, which up to this present time has fairly 

 eluded our grasp. But it is not too much to suppose that the lay- 

 men in these matters might imagine that discovery would be too 

 dearly bought by the ruin of our planet. Doubtless, if such ruin 

 were possible, or indeed probable — but let us discuss this point. 

 Kepler, who was wont to say that there are as many comets in 

 the sky as fishes in the ocean, has had his opinion en- 

 dorsed in later times by Arago, who has estimated the 

 number of these bodies which traverse the solar system as 

 17,500,000. But what follows from this? Surely that comets 

 are very harmless bodies or the planetary system, the earth 

 included, would have suffered from them long before this, 

 even if we do not admit that the earth is as old as geo- 

 logists would make it. But this is not all. It is well 

 known that some among their number which have withal put 

 on a very portentous appearance are merely the celestial equi- 

 valents of our terrestrial "wind-bags " — brought down to their 

 proper level they would have shrunk into very small dimensions 

 indeed. But there is more comfort still. The comet of 1770 

 positively got so near to Jupiter that it got entangled among his 

 jpoons, the diameter of the smallest of which is only some 2,000 



miles ; but the moons pursued their courses as if nothing had 

 happened, while the comet was so discomfited by the encounter 

 that it returned by another road — i.e. astronomically speaking, 

 its orbit was entirely changed. While, last of all, in our cor- 

 respondence this week, will be found one fact the more in favour 

 of the idea that, in 1861, we actually did pass through a comet. 

 We have a suggestion for those weak people who are still 

 alarmed by these celestial portents, and steadily refuse to 

 acquaint themselves with the most elementaiy work on Astro- 

 nomy, which would convince them how groundless their fears 

 are. In India, during the last Eclipse, the priests reaped 

 magnificent harvests from the offerings of the faithful. In 

 England* possibly, it would be considered incorrect to make such 

 offerings to the priest ; but let them still be made — to the Royal 

 Astronomical Society. In this way the English Philistine would 

 approach nearer the standard of his less-civilised brother ; Science 

 would be benefited, and, doubtless, the omen would be averted 

 — at all events they always have been. 



The Anniversaiy Meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society 

 was held on Friday last, when the president's address was read. 

 The medal this year has been awarded to Prof Schiaparelli for 

 his brilliant demonstration of the identity which exists in the 

 elements of the orbits of certain comets and known systems of 

 meteors. Among the obituary notices for the year were those 

 of Sir John Herschel, Prof. De Morgan, and Mr. Babbage. 



The Council of the Geological Society have awarded the 

 Wollaston Medal for the present year to Prof. J. D. Dana, of 

 Yale College, Connecticut, and the balance of the proceeds of 

 the Wollaston Fund to Mr. James CroU, of Edinburgh. 



The Hopkins Prize, which was founded in memory of the 

 late Mr. Hopkins, and is adjudged to the author of the best 

 original memoir, invention, or discovery in connection with 

 Mathematico-physical or Mathematico-expcrimental Science 

 that may have been published during the three years immediately 

 preceding (who is or has been a member of the University of 

 Cambridge) has been awarded to Prof J. Clerk Maxwell, F. R.S. 

 The adjudicators were Profs. Stokes, Tait, and Clifton. The 

 fund is vested in the Cambridge Philosophical Society. 



We learn that, in addition to the scholarships for Natural 

 Science at Cambridge, of which a list was given in our number 

 for February I, King's College offers an exhibition ol the value 

 of about So/, per annum. The examination will commence on 

 April 9, will include Physics, Chemistry, and Physiology, with 

 one Classical and one Mathematical paper, and will be open to all 

 candidates under twenty, and to undergraduates of the college in 

 their first and second year. Names must be sent in, before 

 March 10, to the Rev. A. A. Leigh, tutor of the college, from 

 whom further information may be obtained. 



Prof. George Rolleston has been elected a Fellow of 

 Merton College, under the ordinance of 1854, which founded the 

 Linacre Professorship of Physiology, and endowed it out of the 

 revenues of this college. Prof Rolleston graduated in 1850, 

 and was afterwards elected Fellow of Pembroke College. In i860 

 he was appointed to the Linacre Professorship of Physiology. 



The Industrial Museum at Edinburgh has lost, by the death of 

 J. Boyd Davies, its zoological director or manager. No one knows 

 what the authorities are going to do, but it is to be hoped they 

 will select a good man, not a talker but a worker. The monetary 

 value of the post is 200/. to 250/. per aimum. The Lectureship 

 on Zoology at the High School is also vacant. 



At a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society held on 

 Monday evening last, the president, Sir H. C. Rawlinson, sta'ed 

 that, three days before, the expedition, consisting of Lieut. Daw- 

 son, R.N., Lieut. Henn, R.N., and Mr. Oswald Livingstone, 

 the son of Dr. Livingstone, set sail in the first steamer despatched. 



