Oct. 



25. 



1883] 



NATURE 



623 



Union for the current year are : Mr. J. A. Allen, president ; 

 Dr. Elliott Coues and Mr. Robert Ridgway, vice-presidents ; 

 Dr. C. Hart Merriam, secretary and treasurer; Messrs. S. F- 

 Baird, George N. Lawrence, H. W. Henshaw, and Montagu 

 Chamberlain, councillors— these nine officers constituting the 

 Council of the Union. The work of the Union for the present 

 year was laid out by the formation of committees on the subjects 

 of classification and nomenclature, of the distribution and migra- 

 tion of birds, of avian anatomy, of oology, and on the question 

 of the eligibility or ineligibility of the European sparrow in 

 America. The first-named committee, besides revising the cur- 

 rent lists of North American birds, is expected to consider the 

 subject of zoological nomenclature at large, and its labours may 

 result in the formation of a code of nomenclature applicable to 

 other departments of zoology, as well as to ornithology. It 

 consists of Messrs. Ridgway, Allen, Brewster, Henshaw, and 

 Coues. 



The following telegram from Lieut. Ray, commanding the 

 Point Barrow observing party, appears in the American papers : — 

 "San Francisco, October 7, 1883.— I report my safe arrival 

 here to-day with party. Also brought down Lieut. Schwatka 

 and party from St. Michaels. All work accomplished as ordered 

 by chief signal-officer: Pendulum observation not made. Le 

 reached Ooglaamie August 22 ; was driven away by ice the same 

 night ; returned on the 24th ; again driven away and damaged 

 on the 25th ; returned on the 27th, when party and stores were 

 embarked ; sailed on the 29th, vessel leaking badly ; put into 

 Unalaska, where she was beached and repaired." 



The Dijmpkna, which we announced last week had arrived 

 at Vardo, got free of the ice the day after the members of the 

 Dutch meteorological expedition departed, but having the mis- 

 fortune of breaking the blades of her propeller she became 

 unmanageable, and was again frozen in for about six weeks. At 

 la-t, on September 13, the vessel again became free, when 

 Hovgaard succeeded in a week, by sailing and towing, in 

 reaching the Kara Straits, after having passed through ice for some 

 120 miles. In the latter locality he weathered a terrific storm, 

 and it was first on September 21, in 71 17'lat. and 55° 52' Inn?., 

 that the vessel got quite clear of the ice, viz. half way between 

 the Kara Straits and Vardo, where she arrived after a sixteen days' 

 stormy journey. After repairing here the Dijmphna will proceed to 

 Copenhagen. Lieut. Hovgaard and Dr. Holm have made some 

 valuable scientific discoveries and collections during their winter- 

 ing in the Kara Sea, of which locality a map has also been 

 made. 



The new island which the Dutch Meteorological Expedition 

 discovered near Waigatz Island, is situated in 70° 25' 2S kit., 

 and has been named Buys-Ballot Island, after the eminent Dutch 

 meteorologist of that name. 



The expedition despatched by Mr. Sibiriakoff, the Russian 

 merchant, under Mr. R. J. Runeberg, in order to explore the 

 River Angara, between Irkutsk and Yeniseisk, a distance of 

 1700 versts, has recently returned to St. Petersburg. For 

 several years little ships, chiefly loaded -with tea, have sailed 

 down the river, and last year even a small steamer passed down, 

 but shallow rapids have hitherto prevented vessels proceeding up 

 the river. Mr. Runeberg reports that the latter can easily be 

 removed, and a regular trade on the River Angara may therefore 

 soon be looked forward to. 



The native town of M. Pasteur has done honour to the eminent 

 biologist by placing a plate on the house where he was born, 

 commemorating the fact. 



Very few lake-dwellings have hitherto been found in England, 

 and therefore the recent discovery of what seem well-preserved 

 relics of -uch structures at Ulrome, Holderness, Yorkshire, is of 



unusual interest. An article in the Standard of October 20 

 describes what has already been done to bring the remains to 

 light, and ascribes the structures and their contents to the early 

 part of the Neolithic age and downwards to the Bronze age. 



Mr. Leonard Courtney, M.P., speaking at the distribution 

 of the Science and Art prizes at Penzance last week, dwelt 

 strongly on the benefits likely to accrue to the nation from the 

 general study of science. He hoped the study of science would 

 become such that even statesmen might feel the folly of endeavour- 

 ing to work against the laws of nature. 



The general monthly meetings of the members of the Royal 

 Institution of Great Britain will be resumed on November 5, at 

 5 p.m., for the election and nomination of members and the 

 election of a manager in the room of the late Mr. William 

 Spottiswoode, P.R.S. 



Mr. Clement L. Wragge, late of Ben Nevis Observatory, 

 sailed on the 18th inst. for Adelaide on the s.s. Maranoa. He 

 takes a large equipment of meteorological, surveying, and astro- 

 nomical instruments, including a fine equatorial telescope. The 

 voyage will be made a scientific one in every possible way, and 

 important results may be expected. 



We understand that the Committee appointed by the Lord 

 Lieutenant of Ireland to inquire into the administrative arrange- 

 ments of the Board of Intermediate Education will meet in 

 Dublin this week. The Committee consists of Sir R. Kane, 

 Col. Donnelly, R.E., and Mr. R. W. A. Holmes. 



Shocks of earthquake were felt at a quarter to one o'clock on 

 Friday night at Huelva, Cadiz, Medina Sidonia, Jerez, and 

 other districts of Andalusia along the ocean coast. The move- 

 ment was from east to west. Telegrams from Huelva and Cadiz 

 say a rumbling noise accompanied the earthquake, which is said 

 to have lasted three seconds in some places, and five seconds in 

 others. In Cadiz the shock is described as strong enough to 

 move doors and bells. The weather, which was unusually wet 

 with cold winds early in October, had lately become very mild 

 and w aimer in the south of Spain. Several slight shocks of 

 earthquake were felt on Saturday morning in Lisbon. A shock 

 of earthquake, lasting three seconds, was felt at Tangier at 

 half-past one on Saturday morning. Two shocks of earthquake 

 were felt on Monday morning at Belluno, at the foot of the 

 Dolomite Mountains. The first was at 3.35, the second at 4.15 

 a.m. Much alarm was caused, but no damage was done. It 

 will be remembered that Belluno suffered great destruction from 

 the earthquake of June 29, 1S73. A slight shock of earthquake 

 was felt at Malta at two o'clock the same morning. A slight 

 shock, attended by an undulatory motion, was also felt at 

 Trieste at half-past three the same morning. A despatch re- 

 ceived by the Admiralty, dated Tchesme, October 21, states that 

 slight shocks of earthquake continue, but do not cause more 

 damage. Eleven towns and villages have been damaged or 

 destroyed. Lyddia, Eritra, Reisderch are in total ruins 

 Tchesme, Latyalka much damaged. About 90 people were 

 killed, 200 wounded, and 3600 houses destroyed. 



Mr. II. Cecil of Bregner, Bournemouth, writes under date 

 October 22 : — "I perceived here on the morning of the 10th 

 inst , just hefore the light was sufficient to show the hands of a 

 watch, two distinct tremors of earthquake. A whatnot by my 

 bedside trembled throughout, and a watch on its stand vibrated 

 with a strong and regular pulsation. Nothing was passing at the 

 time, and a heavy steam-roller has passed one morning since 

 without affecting the whatnot or the watch." 



A telegram froji Calcutta of date October 22 states that 

 Mr. Graham and his Swiss guides returned to Darjeeling on the 

 previous evening. He pronounces the ascent of Kinchinjunga 



