November 30, 1905] 



NA TURE 



115 



with regard to species and individuals. In the Investigator 

 collection twenty-nine species are placed in this family, and 

 the Molpadiida; and Synaptidas are well represented. The 

 authors have found it necessary to form ten new genera, 

 and a seventh family — the Gephyrothuridae — has been added 

 to the Aspidochirotse. 



There was a large number of specimens of the genus 

 Pelopatides and its allies in the collection, and the authors 

 were given an opportunity of revising the genus. Five 

 new genera were established to receive forms closely related 

 to Pelopatides. Dendrothuria is peculiar in having dendro- 

 chirote tentacles and an enormously developed pharynx. 

 Pseudothuria has no single distinctive characteristic, but 

 all its characters taken together separate it from the neigh- 

 bouring genera. The genus Allopatides has been formed 

 from a single specimen, and its main difference from 

 Pelopatides appears to be the richly dendritic form of the 

 spicules. It may be doubted whether this difference is of 

 generic value, especially as some species of Pelopatides 

 also possess branched spicules not differing greatly from 

 those in the new genus ; the difference appears to be 

 merely one of degree. The genera Perizona and Bathyzona 

 have been formed mainly with regard to the position of 

 the pedicels. Five other new genera are also described. 



The new family — Gephyrothurida; — is founded on two 

 specimens which differ from all other Aspidochirotes in 

 the possession of ambulacral appendages on the bivium 

 only. In external appearance this form somewhat re- 

 sembles the Molpadiidae. 



The collection includes some forms described by Walsh 

 in 189 1 ; the authors have deemed it necessary to remove 

 all his species to other genera. 



With every increase in our knowledge of the deep-sea 

 fauna, it becomes more possible to formulate with some 

 degree of completeness definite ideas as to the distribution 

 and the mode of evolution of the deep-sea forms ; and the 

 work under notice is of importance in this respect, suggest- 

 ing as it does many interesting points in zoological 

 distribution. 



Comparing the Siboga list of deep-sea Holothurians with 

 that of the Investigator, it is surprising to find that in the 

 two collections from adjacent areas there are only six 

 species common to both. The two gatherings are almost 

 entirely dissimilar with regard to the species present, but 

 an examination of the genera shows a close similarity. 

 It is perhaps noteworthy that those species common to 

 both districts are not confined to the eastern portion of the 

 Investigator area, as one might expect, but are scattered 

 equally throughout it. 



Of the fifteen species previously described, six are 

 Atlantic and five Pacific forms ; there are three species in 

 the collection the distribution of which has hitherto been 

 limited to the Atlantic. 



The descriptions are clear and not too scanty, as is often 

 the case, and the plates are good. Altogether the authors 

 have made a most valuable contribution to the subject, 

 and they appear to have done extremely well with material 

 that was evidently not in the best state of preservation. 



J. P. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 



Oxford. — The following decrees were approved by Con- 

 vocation last Tuesday : — The curators of the University 

 Chest were authorised to pay a sum not exceeding 150/. 

 to the professor of botany to enable him to provide for 

 the teaching of forest botany, until the appointment of a 

 Sibthorpian professor under the new statutes of St. John's 

 College. 



.Mr. Henry Balfour, Fellow of Exeter College, was re- 

 appointed curator of the Pitt-Rivers museum for seven 

 years at a stipend of 200/. a year, and the annual grant 

 of 200/. to the museum was renewed for seven years. 



An examination will be held next February for a Rad- 

 cliffe Travelling Fellowship of the annual value of 200'., 

 and tenable for three years. Candidates must have 

 qualified for the degrees of B.A. and M.B., and have been 

 placed in the first class in a university examination, or 



NO. 1883, VOL - 73] 



have gained a university prize. Names should be sent to 

 the Regius professor of medicine. 



The following is a list of the probationers for the Indian 

 Forest Department and the Sudan nominated in 1905, with 

 the colleges to which they are now attached : — C. W. 

 Armstrong, scholar of Jesus College, Oxford ; G. C. 

 Clarence, Magdalen College, Oxford; T. Clear, science 

 exhibitioner of Balliol College, Oxford; C. G. E. Dawkins, 

 Balliol College, Oxford ; C. C. Gaunt, exhibitioner of St. 

 John's College, Oxford; H. S. Gibson, Trinit\ College, 

 Oxford; H. M. Glover, mathematical demy of Magdalen 

 College, Oxford ; J. Gunn, Edinburgh University, now al St. 

 John's College, Oxford; J. K. Hepburn, Queen's College, 

 Oxford ; N. W. Jolly, Adelaide University, now at Balliol 

 College. Oxford (Rhodes scholar); W. A. H. Miller, St. 

 John's College, Oxford; A. J. W. Milroy, Christ Church, 

 Oxford ; A. A. F. Minchin, Exeter College, Oxford ; R. L. 

 Robinson, Adelaide University, now at Magdalen College, 

 Oxford (Rhodes scholar) ; E. A. Smythies, Christ's College, 

 Cambridge, and Balliol College, Oxford ; and G. C. Wilson, 

 Queen's College, Oxford. 



The Government of Mysore has sent two forestry 

 students, M. M. Machaya and B. V. Ramaiengar, both of 

 St. John's College, Oxford, and of Madras University. 



Cambridge. — The Forestry Syndicate has now issued its 

 detailed report on the scheme for establishing a diploma 

 of forestry. It is proposed that a committee of the Board 

 of Agricultural Studies be appointed to be called the 

 forestry committee, the duty of which shall be to manage 

 the examinations in forestry and to direct the instruction 

 and training of candidates for the diploma. Details as to 

 the constitution and duties of the committee are printed 

 in this week's Reporter. 



The general board of studies has appointed Mr. J. G. 

 Leathern, St. John's College, university lecturer in mathe- 

 matics from Christmas, 1905, until Michaelmas, 1910, and 

 has re-appointed Mr. C. T. R. Wilson, Sidney Sussex 

 College, university lecturer in experimental physics from 

 Christmas, 1905, until Michaelmas, 1910; both these 

 appointments have been confirmed by the special board for 

 physics and chemistry. 



Mr. A. C. Seward, of Emmanuel College, has been 

 appointed chairman of the examiners for the natural 

 sciences tripos, 1906. 



The late Mr. G. R. Crotch, of St. John's College, some 

 years ago left his collections of insects and his books to 

 the Museum of Zoology, and also after the death of 

 certain relatives his personal estate to the same museum. 

 His brother, Mr. W. D. D. Crotch, who recently died, has 

 left his residuary estate, the value of which is about 

 8000Z., to the same museum. 



Sir Alexander R. Binxie will distribute the prizes at 

 the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, Bristol, on 

 Thursday, December 21. 



The Public Schools Science Masters' Association will 

 meet for the annual conference on January 20, 1906, al 

 Westminster School. The president for the year, Sir Oliver 

 Lodge, will speak on the place of science in general 

 education. Papers will be read upon the army examin- 

 ation and on the possibility of introducing a comprehensive 

 syllabus of science teaching within the time limits of a 

 classical curriculum. After the conference there will be 

 an exhibition of scientific apparatus by various makers in 

 tin' new science buildings of Westminster School. 



"I'm: North of England Education Conference will be 

 held at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Friday and Saturday, 

 January 5-6, 1906. Among the subjects to be discussed 

 are the following : — The teaching of elementary mathe- 

 matics, paper by Prof. R. A. Sampson, F.R.S. ; openers 

 of discussion, Dr. Jude and Mr. J. H. Kidson. Regula- 

 tions for secondary and higher elementary schools, papers 

 by Mr. W. Edwards and Mr. W. J. Abel; openers of dis- 

 cussion, Miss M. Moberly and Mr. P. M. Greenwood. 

 Organisation of evening classes, papers by Principal J. H. 

 Reynolds and Mr. J. Crowther ; opener of discussion, Mr. 

 A. M. Ellis. Physical Training, papers by Prof. T. Oliver 

 and Captain H. Worsley-Gough ; openers of discussion, 

 Dr. Ethel Williams and Captain F. C. Garrett. All com- 



