November 9, 1905] 



NA Ti T RE 



The Orbit of a Coronje Boreaus. — As the orbits 

 calculated from the observations of <r Corona; Borealis 

 show great divergence, ranging from 200 to Soo years, 

 Prof. Doberck has investigated this subject, and now 

 publishes the results in No. 4051 of the Astronomische 

 Xachrichten. The set of elements which he gives depends 

 upon Herschel's measures of the angle, and shows the 

 period to be about 1679 years, and the motion to be direct. 



Prof. Doberck states that the hypothetical parallax of 

 this system is o"-o64, Du ^ tne actual parallax is probably 

 smaller, and that the mass of the system is probably 

 greater than that of the sun. 



Radial Velocities of Certain Variable Stars, The 

 results obtained by Prof. Frost from a series of spectro- 

 graph^ observations of certain variable stars (chiefly <>I 

 the Algol type) are given in No. 3, vol. xxii., of the 

 [strophysical Journal. 



R Canis Majoris, Z Herculis, and U Sagitta? are shown 

 with certainty to be spectroscopic binaries, their deter- 

 mined velocities corresponding, in sense, to what would 

 be expected from the phase in the light variation at the 

 lime of observation. 



Variability of the Asteroid (444) Gvptis. — The 

 variability of the apparent brightness of the minor planet 

 (444) Gyptis is suggested by the results obtained from a 

 series of observations made at Heidelberg and published 

 by Dr. W. Valentiner in No. 4050 of the Astronomische 

 Xachrichten. 



In the same journal it is suggested, by Dr. Palisa, that 

 the magnitude of minor planet 1905 RB is also variable. 



CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES OF LOCAL 

 SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. 



\ S it was not deemed expedient to call a meeting of 

 the delegates of the corresponding societies of the 

 British Association during the session in South Africa, it 

 was arranged that a special conference should be convened 

 subsequently in London. This meeting was held at the 

 rooms of the Linnean Society on Monday and Tuesday 

 (October 30 and 31), and was largely attended by repre- 

 sentatives of various scientific societies in England, Scot- 

 land, and Ireland. 



Dr. A. Smith Woodward, w'ho presided at the con- 

 ference, delivered an inaugural address rich in sympathy 

 with the efforts of the provincial societies to further the 

 progress of science, yet not without a word of gentle re- 

 proof to such societies as give undue prominence to the 

 picnic element, which rather tends to the estrangement of 

 the working naturalist. Probablv the best work of the 

 smaller societies was, in the chairman's opinion, that of 

 instruction in the current progress of science. He sug- 

 gested that it would be salutary to dwell on the unsolved 

 problems of science, and pointed out the need of books 

 which should treat of our ignorance rather than our know- 

 ledge, and so indicate the direction in which investigation 

 is still urgently needed. Dr. Woodward condemned as 

 extremely unfair the growing practice of certain societies 

 to solicit men of scientific renown to deliver popular 

 lectures without fee. Warm approval was expressed of the 

 recent action of the British Association in seeking to 

 extend its usefulness bv including within its union the 

 smaller non-publishing societies and field clubs, which will 

 bum henceforth a new class of associated societies distinct 

 from the group of affiliated societies which publish original 

 investigations in science. 



Dr. W. Martin, of the Temple, introduced a discussion 

 on the law of treasure trove, with the view of inducing 

 the various local societies to assist in the preservation of 

 antiquities found within their sphere of influence While 

 generally defending the law he advocated some revision, 

 especially in the mode of its administration. He suggested 

 that notices should be widely circulated, say at the post- 

 1 Rices thri ughout the country, explaining to the public 

 that the finder oi valuable relics \vi old receive reasonable 

 remuneration. In a similar way, relics like stone imple- 

 ments might be secured, where desirable, by the Stati . 



Mr. Morris Colles, the director of the Authors' Syndi- 

 cate, and Mr. liar. Id Hardy explained the present law 

 of copyright as it .iffects the published proceeding 



NO. l8So, VOL. 73] 



scientific societies. The general sentiment of the meeting 

 seemed, however, to be in favour, not of hindering in any 

 way the re-publication of papers, but rather of encouraging 

 the dissemination of knowledge by favouring publication, 

 naturally with due acknowledgment of the original source 

 of information. 



Prof. G. S. Boulger read an interesting paper on the 

 preservation of our native plants, which led to a valuable 

 discussion. There seems no doubt that some of the rarer 

 indigenous plants are in serious danger of extermination, 

 not wholly through thoughtlessness on the part of the 

 public, but partly through the cupidity of botanists — an 

 evil which has increased since the extension of nature- 

 study. It was proposed that legislation should ultimately 

 be sought for the protection of certain plants, but that 

 meanwhile a circular should be issued bringing the subject 

 before teachers, members of field clubs, and others 

 interested in our flora and likely to assist in its con- 

 servation. 



In addition to attending the two meetings, the delegates 

 visited the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons 

 under Prof. Stewart, and, on the evening of October 30, 

 dined at the Royal Societies Club, whir.- they were received 

 as guests. 



ZOOLOGY AT THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 



'T'HE work of Section D was formally opened on 

 Wednesday, August 16, with the president's address 

 on " The Distribution of African Fresh-water Fishes," 

 which has already been printed in Nature (August 24, 

 p. 413)- This was followed by a paper by Mr. L. 

 Doncaster entitled " Recent Work on Gametogenesis and 

 its bearing on Theories of Heredity," which took the form 

 of a resume of the most important recent work on the 

 relation between the phenomena of nuclear division and 

 those of heredity. It was shown that whilst ample con- 

 firmation had been obtained of Weismann's hypothesis that 

 the chromosomes are the bearers of inherited characters, 

 yet the most recent work on the maturation of the germ 

 cells had demonstrated the fact that they contained a 

 mechanism which seemed precisely adapted to bring about 

 that segregation of characters which forms the most funda- 

 mental part of the Mendelian theory ; it was difficult, there- 

 fore, to believe that the two things were unconnected. 

 The remainder of the paper was devoted to the consider- 

 ation of certain obvious difficulties standing in the way 

 of a complete correlation. 



The programme for Thursday. August 17, was opened by 

 Dr. J. D. F. Gilchrist with a paper on cases of extensive 

 mortality among marine animals on the South African 

 coast, with suggestions as to their cause or causes. After 

 narrating specific cases of enormous quantities of fish 

 either dead, or alive but " in a stiffened condition," being 

 thrown up on various points of the coast, the author 

 suggested that these occurrences might be due to a peculiar 

 feature of the Cape seas, viz. the great difference in 

 temperature, salinity, and contents of the warm Agulhas 

 Stream of the Antarctic drift current, and express., 1 the 

 hope that his notes might be of some use in directing 

 attention to this problem and securing additional evidence 

 in connection therewith. The paper was followed by a 

 demonstration of the more interesting forms in a collection 

 of deep-sea animals shown in the museum <if the South 

 African College, special attention being devoted to certain 

 questions, such as methods of reproduction of deep-sea 

 fish, the significance of luminous organs, and parasitism. 

 A short paper by Mr. A. II. Evans on the ostrich and its 

 allies was intended to be introductory to a contribution 

 on ostrich-farming by the Hon. Arthur Douglass, one of 

 the pioneers of the industry in the colony. In the latter 

 paper the writer supplied a large amount of interesting 

 information relating to the first commencement of ostrich 

 farming in 1867 and its growth up to the present time, 

 the best climatic and general conditions for the industry, 

 the results of artificial hatching as used in the early days 

 of the industry as compared with present methods of 

 rearing the chicks, the principal diseases of the birds, the 

 present different methods of farming them, the growth of 

 the export of feathers and the range of values, the improve- 

 ment of the breeds bv selection to obtain better feathers, 



