DECEMBER 17, 1896] 
NATURE 
159 
A. Shdanow, E. v. Haerdtl, M. Wolf, M. Brendel, V. 
Wellman, and H. Masal. 
Such was his renown on the continent, that pupils came 
from all countries to study under him and hear his 
lectures. He was one of the few who knew how to 
communicate to his hearers the noble passion for the 
science which animated him. His enthusiasm raised the 
expectations of his pupils, while, at the same time, their 
spirits were benefited by the rich ideas of their master. 
Gyldén was a true teacher whose noble character ob- 
tained respect, while his simple and cordial nature in- 
spired affection. 
Astronomers know that to Gyldén a great advance- 
ment of the astronomy of precision is due ; his admirable 
series of observations with the meridian circle hold a high 
place of honour. 
He wrote his celebrated historical representation of 
astronomy, which appeared later (1877) in the German 
language as “Die Grundlehren der Astronomie.” He 
was also the founder and publisher of the observatory 
publication “Iakttagelser och undersdkningar anstalda 
pa Stockholms observatorium,” which contained not 
only the results of the observations with the meridian 
circle, but theoretical investigations carried out by him 
and, to some extent, by his pupils. 
Gyldén, is above all, known in the world of science by 
his works that he pursued since the death of Le Verrier, 
on the general theory of perturbations. In proceeding 
to a revision of the methods of approximation in the 
““mécanique celeste,” he has rendered the most eminent 
service to this branch of science. 
Having completed the main points of his investigations 
on the intermediate and absolute orbits of the heavenly 
bodies in a series of publications, “ Undersékningar af 
theorien for himlakropparnas r6relser,” I.-III., 1881-1882, 
he was able in 1884, by means of a grant of money from 
his Government, to make considerable progress in the 
application of his theory to the solar system. It was his 
intention to bring together all the results in one work 
entitled ‘‘ Traité analytique des orbites absolues des huit 
planétes principales,” but only the first part, containing 
the analytical developments of the absolute orbits, has as 
yetappeared. Gyldén, unlike Tisserand, did not have the 
satisfaction of leaving behind him a complete work. 
Unfortunately he was denied the labour of completing 
the necessary numerical calculations. On the other 
hand it was a great pleasure for him to see his last great | 
work, consisting of tables giving the coefficients, in the 
expressions of the perturbations, dependent on the pro- 
portion of the half-major axes, in a nearly completely 
printed condition. This was brought about by the 
generous assistance of Miss Bruce, who supplied the 
necessary means. 
In the year 1884 he was called by the University of 
G6ttingen to fill the post of Professor of Astronomy 
there ; but, following the expressed wish of the Stockholm 
Academy of Sciences, he remained, receiving, through the 
generosity of the King, means to deliver lectures at the 
University. Since 1888 he was an active teacher of 
astronomy at the High School in Stockholm. 
The results of Gyldén’s many and varied scientific 
studies on stellar parallaxes, proper motion of. stars, 
explanation of certain variable stars, application of 
partial anomalies, conveyance of perturbation develop- 
ments, cosmical questions, &c., have appeared in a 
series of large and small treatises, in the Acta der 
Akademie der Wissenschaften, and the Acta Mathematica. 
Besides being a member of several foreign Societies, 
he was President of the Astronomischen Gesellschaft 
from 1889 to 1896. 
Gyldén has left behind him a widow, two sons and 
two daughters, besides numerous friends, scattered in 
different parts of the world, who lament deeply the loss 
of a kind friend and sympathetic fellow-worker. 
NO. 1416, VOL. 55] 
NOTES. 
THE final entombment of M. Pasteur is to take place on the 
26th of this month, at the Pasteur Institute. The reason why 
so inconvenient a day for English people has been fixed is that 
the 27th is the anniversary of Pasteur’s birth, and as that day 
falls on a Sunday this year, the Saturday previous was chosen 
as more suitable. The ceremony is to be semi-official and sem 
tntime. The members of the family and a few intimate friends 
will attend a short religious service at Notre Dame, where 
Pasteur’s remains have in the meantime been deposited, and 
members of the Institute of the Academy, the representatives of 
the Government, and delegates from learned societies and foreign 
countries will meet the cortége on its arrival at the Pasteur Insti- 
tute at 9.45 a.m. It is expected that Sir Joseph Lister will 
represent the Royal Society, Sir John Evans the British 
Association, Sir William Priestley the University of Edinburgh, 
and Sir Dyce Duckworth the Royal College of Physicians. The 
mausoleum in which the. remains of the great-investigator will find 
their last resting-place, is a fitting memorial which has taken 
more than a year to complete, and will be decorated with 
various designs. indicative of Pasteur’s work and of the benefits 
he has conferred on humanity and the several industries. 
Dr. BEHRING, the discoverer of the anti-diphtheritic serum, 
has had the Grand Cordon of the Crown of Italy conferred upon 
him. 
Tue German Emperor has conferred upon Dr. Roux, of the 
Pasteur Institute in Paris, the Royal Order of the Prussian 
Crown of the second class. 
Lapy PRESTWICH has given to the Geological Department 
of the British Museum the collection of fossils forméd by her 
husband, the late Sir Joseph Prestwich. 
Ir is reported that Dr. Thorne-Thorne, chief medical officer 
of the Local Government Board, has arrived at Brussels, accom- 
panied by a colleague, to study the vaccination system in 
Belgium and the laws and regulations bearing upon the subject. 
THE death is announced of M. Alfred Nobel, whose name is 
well known in connection with the invention of dynamite and 
similar high explosives. 
Globus (vol. lxix. No. 24) announces that the waters of Lake 
Titicaca continue to subside with astonishing rapidity. A large 
area of land has been exposed on the northern shore. 
Ligzut. Hoursr, whose explorations in the Niger region 
were referred to last week (p. 133), arrived in Paris on Sunday 
last. The Z¢mes correspondent says he was welcomed at the 
railway station by representatives of the Colonial Office, the 
French Africa Committee, the Egypt Committee, the Paris 
Geographical Society, andthe Explorers’ Society. He has made 
a splendid collection of sketches and photographs. 
Mr. J. E. S. Moore, of the Royal College of Science, 
London, who has been investigating the African Lake Fauna, 
has this week notified his safe return to Zanzibar. In a letter, 
dated August 10, he reported himself about to start on his last 
dredging trip. He has made extensive zoological and geological 
collections ; and in the correspondence which he has sent home, 
he announces, among other things, the discovery of an apparent 
dimorphism in the Tanganyika medusa, with active budding in 
both forms, 
Ir is reported that the bubonic plague shows no abatement 
at Bombay. So far, eight hundred deaths have been reported ; 
but the actual number is believed to be much larger. The 
British Medical Journal has drawn attention to the serum pre- 
pared by Dr. Yersin at the Pasteur Institute in Saigon for the 
