FEBRUARY ITI, 1904] 
exist for some time, then they couple up and move towards 
‘the solar poles, while in the meantime a new belt begins 
to form in low latitudes (Proc. Roy. Soc., vol. Ixxi. pp. 
446-452). 5 
The existence of prominences in the polar regions is co- 
incident with great magnetic disturbances on the earth just 
previous to or about the time of sun-spot maxima (ibid., pp. 
244-250). Further, these polar prominences are responsible 
for the existence of large coronal streamers near the solar 
poles, as seen during solar eclipses about the time of sun- 
spot maximum. In fact, recent research seems to indicate 
that this prominence circulation is intimately associated 
with all the different forms of the corona (Monthly Notices 
R.A.S., vol. Ixiii., 1903). 
There seems little doubt, therefore, that we must look 
to the study of the solar prominences not only as the primary 
factors in the magnetic and atmospheric changes in our 
sun, but as the instigators of the terrestrial variations. 
In dealing with solar phenomena, especially from a 
meteorological point of view, it is of great importance that 
the solar disc be treated in zones and not as a whole. 
Just as it has been shown that the prominences sometimes 
exist in three zones in one hemisphere at one time, so is 
this the case with spots, but unfortunately it is only very 
recently that the phenomena occurring in each hemisphere 
have been treated in this manner. 
It has already been pointed out that a possible connection 
existed between changes in the spotted area of the sun and 
terrestrial temperatures. Quite recently this question has 
been studied by Charles Nordmann (Comptes rendus, No. 
18, May 4, 1903, vol. cxxxvi.), who finds that 
““The mean terrestrial temperature exhibits a period 
sensibly equal to that of solar spots; the effect of spots 
is to diminish the mean terrestrial temperature, that is to 
say, the curve which represents the variations of this 
is parallel to the inverse curve of the frequency of solar 
spots.’ 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Oxrorp.—Four resolutions referring to compulsory Greek 
were submitted to Congregation on Tuesday. The resolu- 
tion permitting candidates intending to read for the honour 
school of natural science to offer a substitute for Greek was 
carried by ‘a majority of 2, the voting being 164 in favour 
and 162 against. The second resolution, giving the same 
option to honours students in mathematics, was approved 
by a majority of 29—the voting being 131 and 102. The 
two remaining resolutions providing alternative subjects for 
Greek in the examination in Holy Scripture, and in 
Responsions, were agreed to without a division. The re- 
solutions will now be embodied in a Statute by Council, and 
will be submitted to Congregation and Convocation in due 
form. 
The 255th meeting of the Oxford University Junior Scien- 
tific Club was held at the museum on Wednesday, February 
3. Mr. J. F. Hornsey, Wadham, read a paper on “‘ Photo- 
graphic Films,’’ with numerous exhibits. The following 
are the officers elected for this term :—President, Mr. W. E. 
Smith, Balliol; biological secretary, Mr. P. T. Spencer- 
Phillips, New College; chemical secretary, Mr. B. M. 
Jones, Balliol; treasurer, Mr. C. P. D. A. Pereira, Keble; 
editor, Mr. G. P. Poulton, Balliol. 
CaMBRIDGE.—It is announced that when His Majesty the 
King visits the university on March 1 for the purpose of 
opening the new museums and medical school, he will be 
accompanied by the Queen and by Princess Victoria. 
Mr. C. E. Inglis, King’s, and Mr. A. H. Peake, St. 
John’s, have been reappointed demonstrators in mechanism 
and applied mechanics. 
Recent donations to the benefaction fund have raised the 
total to 71,658/. A number are specially ear-marked for 
various scientific lepartments. 
Vhe Balfour stadentship, vacant by the untimely death 
of Mr. J. S. Budgett, will be filled up in the Easter term. 
The studentship is of the value of 200/. a year; the student 
need not necessarily be a member of the university, and he 
NATURE 
357 
logy. Application is to be made to the registrary, Mr. 
J. W. Clark. 
Dr. Guillemard, Prof. Darwin, Dr. Marr, Prof. Bury, 
and Dr. A. W. Ward have been appointed members of 
the newly created Board of Geographical Studies. 
The following have been appointed electors to the chairs 
respectively named :—Prof. Thomson, F.R.S. (chemistry), 
Prof. Larmor, Sec.R.S. (Plumian of astronomy), Sir M. 
Foster, F.R.S. (anatomy and Downing of medicine), Prof. 
Allbutt, F.R.S. (botany and physiology), Mr. A. C. Seward, 
F.R.S. (geology), Sir William Ramsay, F.R.S. (Jacksonian 
of chemistry), Prof. Liveing, F.R.S. (mineralogy and agri- 
culture), Mr. J. W. Clark (zoology), Prof. R. B. Clifton, 
F.R.S. (Cavendish of physics), H. Darwin, F.R.S. 
(mechanism), Sir Frederick Treves, Bart. (surgery), Prof. 
Muir (pathology). 
Prof. Marshall Ward, Prof. Hughes, Mr. R. H. Adie, 
Mr. TL. B. Wood, Prof. Middleton, Mr. A. E. Shipley, Mr. 
J. H. Widdicombe, and Mr. W. McCracken have been 
appointed examiners for the diploma in agriculture. 
Dr. H. Kenwoop has been appointed professor of hygiene 
at University College, London, in succession to the late 
Piof. W. H. Corfield. 
It is stated by Science that by the will of the late Mr. 
Charles F. Doe, of San Francisco, more than 100,000l. is 
bequeathed to the University of California for a library. 
AmonGc the names of those upon whom the Senatus 
Academicus of the University of St. Andrews has resolved 
to confer the honorary LL.D. at its annual graduation cere- 
meny in March next are those of Prof. A. H. Keane and 
Piof. J. N. Langley, F.R.S. 
Mr. FrepericK Purser, fellow of ‘Trinity College, 
Dublin, has, says the Lancet, presented a sum of 2000l. to 
the equipment fund of Queen’s College, Belfast, to found a 
studentship in mathematics in memory of his brother, the 
late Prof. John Purser, of Queen’s College, Belfast. 
IN a pamphlet published by Messrs. Ginn and Co., Prof. 
J. W. Adamson, professor of education in King’s College, 
London, deals with what he calls our defective system of 
training teachers. He argues that ‘‘ professional training 
is a post-graduate business. The general, as distinct from 
technical, studies of the teacher are admittedly part of his 
professional equipment, since he cannot teach what he does 
not know, and mental gymnastic is at least as necessary 
for him as for the layman. Nevertheless, it remains true 
that purely technical instruction is also requisite, while the 
teacher’s general culture, whether of the university or other 
type, should not be inferior in range or depth to that of the 
layman of similar intellectual status.’’ He consequently 
urges that the general education of the teacher should be 
separated from technical instruction, the first being more 
or less completed before the second is begun. 
Tue following appointments are announced in the current 
number of the Physikalische Zeitschrift:—Dr. Ludwig 
Berend, professor of chemistry at the University of Kiel ; 
Dr. Paul Spies, professor of physics at the Royal Academy 
of Posen; Prof. H. Berg, professor of mechanical engineer- 
ing at the Stuttgart Technical School; Dr. Eberhard 
Rimbach and Dr. Georg Frerichs, professors of chemistry 
at Bonn; W. Wendelin, of Vienna, professor of electro- 
technics and applied mechanics at Leoben; and Dr. Frederik 
Carl Mulertz Stromer, professor of mathematics at 
Christiania in succession to the late Prof. C. A. Bjerknes. 
Prof. Herrmann Struve is to succeed Prof. Wilhelm Forster 
as professor of astronomy at the University of Berlin, and 
Dr. Robert Freiherr Daublebsky von Sterneck has been 
transferred from Vienna to the chair of mathematics in the 
University of Czernowitz. The course of lectures at Bonn 
on chemistry of foodstuffs has been placed in the hands of 
Prof. Karl Kippenberger. The following teachers in 
technical high schools have been raised to the standing of 
professor :—R. Lutz, professor of mechanical engineering at 
Aachen; Dr. Carl Frenzel, professor of electrochemistry at 
Briinn; and Dr. Bernhard Neumann, professor of chemistry 
at Darmstadt. 
Tue first volume of the report for 1902 of the Com- 
must devote himself to original research in animal morpho- | missioner of Education of the United States Bureau of 
No. 1789, VOL. 69] 
