638 
in 1903, and the gold medal of the Royal Astro- 
nomical Society a second time in 1908. 
No biographical notice of Sir David Gill would 
be complete without some reference to his striking 
personality. His force of character enabled him 
to triumph over difficulties and carry out great 
projects. His enthusiasm and tenacity of purpose 
communicated themselves to his colleagues and 
assistants, and supported them and him in the 
arduous details inseparable from astronomical 
enterprise. But he never lost in these details a 
clear view of the ultimate purpose of his work. 
As an astronomical observer he was unsurpassed, 
the pleasure of making every measurement. as 
accurately as he was able counterbalancing the 
tedium of making observations of similar char- 
acter night after night. His engineering skill 
stood him in good stead, and the perfecting of his 
instruments was a constant source of delight to 
him. His administrative success was due in large 
measure to the confidence he inspired in his staff, 
and their regard for him both as an astronomer 
and as a friend. 
His health had been excellent since his return 
to London, and his large circle of friends hoped 
that he would be with them for many years. He 
was suddenly seized with pneumonia in December, 
1913, and passed away on January 24, after an 
illness of six weeks. We would tender to Lady 
Gill our respectful sympathy in her sudden 
bereavement. Ee Wy De 
Sir David Gill was laid to his rest on Wednesday, 
January 28, the funeral being at St. Machar Cathe- 
dral, Aberdeen. A memorial service was held at St. Mary 
Abbot’s, Kensington, and was attended by a large 
number of personal friends as well as representatives 
of institutions of science and learning, among the 
latter being :—Prof. Forbes (Edinburgh University), 
Sir William Crookes and Sir Archibald Geikie (Royal 
Society), Sir Norman Lockyer (British Science Guild), 
Lady Lockyer (the Hill Observatory, Salcombe-Regis), 
Dr. F. W. Dyson, Astronomer Royal, Major E. H. 
Hills (Royal Astronomical Society), Colonel E. E. 
Markwick (British Astronomical Association), Prof. 
H. H. Turner (Oxford: University, and, with Major 
MacMahon and Mr. O. J.. R. Howarth, the British 
Association), Mr. H. F. Newall (Cambridge Univer- 
sity), Major Leonard Darwin (Royal Geographical 
Society), Dr. R. T. Glazebrook (National Physical 
Laboratory and Optical Society), Dr. W. N. Shaw 
(Meteorological Office), Dr. P| H. Cowell (Nautical 
Almanac Office), M. Jules Baillaud (representing the 
director of the Paris Observatory), Dr. A. E. H. 
Tutton (Mineralogical Society), Mr. W. H. Low (Cape 
Town Caledonian Society), Captain Lyons (the Science 
Museum), and Prof. Kapteyn (Groningen University). 
DR. R. T. OMOND. 
HE death of Dr. R. T. Omond at his house 
in Edinburgh on the morning of January 27 
removes from us one whose name will be per- 
manently associated with the famous Ben Nevis 
Observatory. Under his direct superintendence 
on that cloud-capped summit, hourly observations 
NATURE 
of the important meterological elements were taken 
night and day for about ten years following 1884; 
NO. 2310, VOL. 92] 
[FEBRUARY 5, 1914 
and although his health prevented him doing the 
observational work for the remaining ten years 
of the great experiment, his whole mind was given 
to the completion of the undertaking. He con- 
tinued as honorary superintendent; and devoted 
his time and energies to the reduction and diseus- 
sion of the wealth of observations which had 
accumulated. ts + ae 
Dr. Omond was associated with Dr. Alexander 
Buchan in the preparation of the earlier of the 
four quarto volumes (Trans. R.S.E., vols. 36, 42, 
43, 44) in which the observations are tabulated ; 
but of the later volumes he had necessarily sole 
charge, and from the very beginning, indeed, 
the main labour of tabulation and proof correction 
rested with him. In addition to, the tabulated 
observations of pressure, temperature, humidity, 
wind, rain, snow, &c., these volumes contain dis- 
cussions and papers on various meteorological 
questions. There is also reproduced in detail the 
daily log-book of the observers, a fascinating and 
suggestive scientific document, containing, inter 
alia, descriptions of halos, glories, and corone, 
on which Omond himself contributed two papers 
to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His principal 
scientific papers are published in the Ben Nevis 
volumes already mentioned, and in the Journal 
of the Scottish Meteorological Society. 
Dr. Omond was educated at the Edinburgh 
Collegiate and at the University of Edinburgh. 
He did not follow any of the ordinary courses 
qualifying for degrees, but devoted himself mainly 
to study of physics under Prof. Tait, and to 
geology under Sir Archibald Geikie. He was, 
indeed, Tait’s right-hand man in the investigations 
on the compressibility of fluids which arose out 
of the testing of the Challenger thermometers. 
He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edin- 
burgh in 1884, was awarded the Keith Prize in 
1892 for his Ben Nevis work, and served one 
term (rgor—4) on the Council. The University 
of Edinburgh conferred on him the honorary de- 
gree of Doctor of Laws at the summer graduation 
of 1913. Hampered though he was latterly by a 
serious malady, he put through an immense 
amount of work, and retained to the end the 
bright, cheerful, unselfish spirit which endeared 
him to his many friends. 
C. G. Knorr. 
NOTES. 
WE record with much regret the death, on February 
1, in his eighty-fourth year, of Dr. Albert Giinther, 
F.R.S., formerly keeper of the zoological department 
of the British Museum (Natural History). 
Tue Postmaster-General has appointed a Committee 
to inquire into systems of high-speed telegraphy and 
to report thereon. The Committee will consist of 
Captain Norton, M.P., Assistant Postmaster-General 
(chairman), Sir John Gavey, C.B., Mr. J. Lee, Mr. 
W. M. Mordey, Mr. A. M. Ogilvie, C.B., Mr. W. 
Slingo, and Mr. A. B. Walkley. Anyone desirous of 
giving evidence before the Committee should com- 
