164 
NATURE 
[JUNE 15. 1899 
reticularis, and strike against the under surface of the membrana 
tectoria. A reaction would take place from the latter, and thus 
the delicate nerve-endings between the hair-cells would receive 
pressures corresponding in frequency to the oscillations of the 
membrana basilaris. In the cochlea of birds and amphibia, the 
mechanism is practically the same, but in consequence of the 
membrana basilaris not being highly differentiated, there cannot 
be the nice discrimination of pitch of tone which exists in 
the higher animals. The lecturer gave reasons for holding that 
a bird has a power of discriminating pitch only through a narrow 
range. These views were also, on the whole, supported by 
pathological observations in cases of deafness, and of the deaf- 
ness of boiler-makersin particular. In the latter there is the loss 
of perception of high tones, and degenerations are observed in 
the lower whorl of the cochlea, as is required by theory. The 
action of the cochlea, as thus conceived, was demonstrated with 
amodel. The lecturer also gave a large number of measure- 
ments of parts of the ear, showing that there were a sufficient 
number of structures in the cochlea to enable us to detect 
differences of the 1/64th of a semitone, thus amplifying 
the conclusions reached long ago by Helmholtz. The number 
of nerve-fibres in each cochlear division of the auditory 
nerve is about 14,000, giving something like 1250 for each 
octave through the eleven octaves of audibility. Assuming that 
the number of auditory filaments is the same for each of the 
eleven octaves (an unlikely supposition, as there will probably 
be a larger number of filaments for octaves in the middle of the 
range of the ear), there will still be two filaments for each 1/64th 
of a semitone ; while, for the same interval, there will be three 
fibres of the membrana basilaris, and two hair-cells. The pro- 
duction of combination tones, differential and summational, was 
next considered, the lecturer stating that, in his opinion, and 
founded on experiment, both had an objective existence. They 
are not beats, but true sounds superadded to the generators, and 
thus they fall within the scope of Ohm’s law. The theories, 
other than that of Helmholtz, were then criticised ; namely, those 
of Rutherford, Waller, Hurst, and the more recent one of Max 
Mayer. The most obvious objection to any theory which dis- 
penses with peripheral analysis is that it leaves the exceed- 
ingly elaborate structure of the organ of Corti, and indeed of 
the cochlea, as a whole, out of account ; or, to put the matter in 
another light, it assigns to that organ a comparatively simple 
function. Ohm’s law also may be subject to certain limitations, 
but there is no substitute for it. Max Mayer agrees with Hurst 
in imagining a series of waves transmitted along the scale, 
instead of the scalze forming part of one wave. The two’ differ 
in respect that Max Mayer supposes, on physical grounds, 
that the amplitude must diminish from base to apex of the 
cochlea ; while Hurst argues, also from the physical point 
of view, that the amplitude must increase. This is a serious 
discrepancy, inasmuch as Mayer's theory rests wholly on the 
supposition of diminished amplitude. It seems impossible 
to conceive of minute waves following each other in rapid 
succession in the minute tubes forming the scale. These 
theories are independent of the principle of sympathetic reso- 
nance, imperishably associated with the name of Helmholtz, 
and which still, in the lecturer’s opinion, holds the field. Lastly, 
the lecturer pointed out that the roots of the auditory nerves 
were probably more widely distributed and had more exten- 
sive connections than those of any other nerve. The intricate 
connections of these nerves were only being unravelled. This 
pointed to an explanation of how music penetrates to the very 
roots of our being, influencing by associational paths, reflex 
mechanisms, both cerebral and somatic, so that there was 
scarcely a function of the body that might not be affected by 
the rhthymic pulsations, melodic progressions, and harmonic 
combinations of musical tones. 
THE DARMSTADT MUSEUM. 
HMROUGHOUT the civilised world attention is being con- 
centrated on the improvements in the mode of arranging 
specimens in the exhibition galleries of natural history 
museums ; so that they should be both attractive and instructive 
to the general public, and at the same time useful to the 
student. Nowhere does this advance seem more marked than 
at Darmstadt, where the Director, Dr. G. von Koch, has just 
published an interesting and well illustrated progress report 
(‘Die Aufstellung der Tiere im neuen Museum zu Darmstadt,” 
Leipsic, 1899.) 
NO. 1546, VOL. 60] 
We gather from this report that a large proportion of the 
museum is devoted to the systematic classification of animals ; 
and it is gratifying to observe that not only are skeletons and 
skulls ranged side by side with the mounted skins, but that 
anatomical preparations and remains of extinct forms are in- 
troduced in their proper serial position. A notable feature 
(in the seventh gallery) is the exhibition of a series of economic 
animal products, such as furs, wool, leather, ivory, tortoise- 
shell, mother-of-pearl, shell, coral, &c. But the greatest 
novelty is the formation of a gallery (the eighth in the 
series) illustrating the geographical distribution of animals on 
the globe. Andhere, instead of arranging the specimens on the 
conventional wooden stands on tier upon tier of shelves, an 
attempt has been made to reproduce the natural surroundings of 
their habitat. 
To take, for example, the South and Central American 
region, we find, as shown by one of the plates accompanying 
the report, alligators, tapirs, carpinchos, chajas, &c., occu- 
pying the low land by the river. In the adjacent forest tract we 
have anteaters, sloths, coatis, pacas, opossums, armadillos 
and the characteristic monkeys. On a higher level we have 
the open pampas and llanos, with peccaries, brockets, pumas 
and rheas ; while the background of the scene is formed by 
mountain peaks tenanted by guanacos, vicugnas and condors. 
Birds of other kinds are likewise introduced in appropriate 
positions so far as the limits of space permit. Similar scenes 
represent the other great zoo-geographical regions ; and it is 
important to notice that the whole series is ushered in by the 
fauna of Hessen-Darmstadt itself. 
It would undoubtedly add much to the interest and instruc- 
tiveness of our own natural history museums if arrangements 
could be made for the formation of galleries of economic and 
distributional zoology on somewhat similar lines. 
ONIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Oxrorb.—A number of the foreign guests who had been 
present at the Stokes jubilee celebration and the Royal In- 
stitution centenary were invited to Oxford on the 8th, and 
were entertained at a luncheon in Christ Church. Among those 
who came were Profs. Arrhenius, Barker, Barus, Becquerel, 
Bleekrode, Ciamician, Cornu, Deslandres, F:anchimont, Egoroff, 
Gautier, Korner, Le Chatelier, Liebreich, Martius, Michelson, 
Moissan, Nasini, Newcomb, and Sivewright. 
In a convocation held the same day, the honorary degree of 
D.C.L. was conferred upon Profs. Becquerel, Korner, Lie- 
breich, Moissan and Newcomb. 
The following were the speeches made by the Regius Professor 
of Civil Law, Dr. H. Goudy, in presenting them. 
Nihil pulchrius nobisque optatius est quam viros e gentibus 
externis de scientiarum studiis optime meritos societati nostrae 
adscribi atque arctissimo et dignitatis et amicitiae nobiscum 
vinculo consociari. Quae res hodie Universitati nostrae con- 
tigit quae eos viros, quos mihi adstare videtis, communi omnium 
ejus membrorum consensu (Instituti quod dicitur Regii annum 
centenarium feliciter actum commemorans) insigniri jussit. 
BECQUEREL. 
Primum ad vos duco virum illustrem, Gallica stirpe oriundum, 
qui in scientia physicae famam eximiam est adeptus, patris in 
eadem scientia illustris filius. Physicae studiosorum in mani- 
bus sunt scripta ejus praeclara principiis scientiae illius illus- 
trandis destinata. Operum numerum quorum auctor doctus ille 
exstitit referre longum est ; neque tamen, ut plurima praete- 
ream, silentio praetereunda videntur opuscula illa, publici juris 
facta, in quibus de magnetis et electri proprietatibus felicissime 
disseruit, ipsamque Naturam, rerum creatricem, in lucem 
proferre coegit quanam ratione quaedam corpora aliquando 
lumina emittant atque vires electricas eis transmissas per longum 
tempus retinere possint. 
KORNER. 
Praesento vobis virum egregium, Germanica stirpe oriundum, 
inter eos qui praecipuam curam rebus chemicis dederunt notis- 
simum. (Quantum in ea parte Naturae profecerit, quam multa 
ingeniose et subtiliter excogitaverit, mihi exponere minime 
concedit sermonis academici egestas! Quid de compositis 
aromaticis ab eo recte libratis, quid de iaouoipia, ut Graeco 
utaif vocabulo, corporum -in conjunctione naturali disseram ? 
