18 
and Mr. Maxwell Hall’s numerous contributions to astronomical 
science are more fully appreciated, we shall have in Jamaica a 
properly equipped meteorological department, doing valuable 
~ work in this region, in which the distribution of hurricanes, and 
sometimes earthquakes, have so important a bearing on human 
life and the general prosperity of the island.” A Weather 
Observatory, we learn from the Famaica Gleaner, has been 
established by Mr. Hall at the Government Cinchona Planta- 
tions, at the residence of Mr. Morris, director of the Botanical 
Department, who has undertaken voluntarily to give it personal 
and daily attention, This observatory is at a height of 4900 feet, 
SpPaRRows have multiplied to such an alarming extent in 
South Australia that a Commission appointed by the Government 
have sent in a report recommending means to be taken for their 
destruction, and rewards to be given for heads or eggs. 
Mr. J. H. WILLMOoRE, of Queenwood College, near Stock- 
bridge, Hants, writes under date November 1: ‘A ‘Storm- 
Petrel was found not far from here on Sunday week. The little 
bird was lying on its back on the top of a hedge, and had 
evidently been dead some days. On opening it one side of its 
body was found to be black, as if it had died from a blow. I 
imagine the very rough weather had driven it inland, and it had 
come into contact with one of the trees close by. These birds 
are, I believe, very rarely found so far inland, and, so far as I 
can learn, this is the first instance in this neighbourhood.”’ 
Mr. ParK Harrison has jublished, through Quaritch, an | 
interesting account of an incised slate and various other objects 
discovered in an old structure at Towyn, Merionethshire. The 
slate is coyered with many curious figures, evidently cut by the 
hand of man ; and these Mr. Harrison endeavours to interpret. 
There are numerous illustrations, including an autotype repro- 
duction of the slate itself and another with only the figures clearly 
brought out. 
SINCE 1869 the Otago (New Zealand) Acclimatisation Society 
has, we learn from the Colonies and India, liberated 157,041 
young trout, and has sent 135,110 trout ova to various parts of 
Otago. Since 1874 it has liberated 34,900 salmon fry, and in 
1879 and 1880 it liberated 790 perch and 60 tench. Young 
American ‘‘ White-fish” (Coregonus albus), let loose in the lakes 
in the Rotorua district about two years ago, have been recently 
met with by the natives ; but as soon as it was discovered what 
the fish were they were returned to the water. 
delighted at the discovery. 
want of support, been compelled to sell by auction its stock of 
animals and plants. 
THE Brighton Health Congress and a ‘‘ Domestic and 
Scientific Exhibition” will be held in the Pavilion Dome and 
Museum in the second week of next month. The president 
of the Congress is the Earl of Chichester, and the president of 
the Exhibition is Dr. B, W. Richardson. 
M. Lorwy, sub-director of the National Observatory of Paris, 
has been appointed by the Government to report on the state of 
NATURE 
The natives are | 
The Auckland Society has, through | 
French provincial observatories, which have recently received a | 
credit of 4000/. from the French Parliament, 
Stephan, with MM. Borelly and Coggia and two computers, has 
a credit of 1250/, The principal work is observation of nebulz 
by Stephan, revision of Rumker’s catalogue, discovery of comets 
and small planets, study of intra-Mercurial planets by Borelly, 
determinations by the Gauss method of absolute magnetic 
declination, &c. (2) Toulouse Observatory, directed by Bail- 
laud, with a budget of $80/. and a municipal subvention of 200/, 
for printing the obseryations, A magnetic pavilion has been 
built with compass constructed by Briimer. The principal work 
These establish- | 
ments are five in number:—(1) Marseilles, directed by M. | 
[NVoz. 3, 1881 
is the observation of sun-spots, cataloguing variable stars, and 
observation of August meteors; not less than 1300 were tabu- 
lated on the last occasion of their appearance. (3) Bordeaux, 
directed by Rayet, with a credit of 1200/. The regular work 
has not yet begun, but observations have been made on 
comets and the red spot on Jupiter. (4) Lyons, directed by 
Andié, the credit given by the Government being 800/. ; the 
amount of subyentivn paid by the city is not stated. The prin- 
cipal feature of this observatory is its connection with three 
meteorological stations situated in the vicinity—one at Tete 
d’Or, the second at Mont Verdun, and the third at Ampius. 
The regular astronomical work has not yet been begun. (5) 
Algiers, directed by M. Trepied, has a credit of 1500/. from the 
Government. The principal work has been the observation of 
Jupiter’s satellites, 
A VETERAN watchmaker at Vouvry, Switzerland, claims to 
have invented a process by which watches will run for years 
without winding up. A sealed box containing two watches in- 
trusted to the municipal authorities on January 19, 1879, has 
just been opened, and the watches were found going. 
THE Council of the Institute of Civil Engineers have issued 
their usual lists of subjects for papers in connection with the 
various premiums which they award. <A copy can be obtained 
at the Institute, 25, Great George Street, Westminster. 
M. Hans H. Reuscu describes in the Danish Vaturen (No. 9, 
1881), a new find of Silurian formation on the western coast of 
Norway, at Ulven, two miles south of Bergen. The fjeld con- 
sists here of conglomerate, sandstone, and clay slate, with con- 
cretions of limestoue which contain remains of Silurian corals, 
casts of graptolites, and trilobites. The formation is equivalent 
to that of Central Norway. 
SEVERAL further experiments have taken place at the Paris 
Opera in electric lighting. The success has been very great for 
the incandescent lizht in the hall, and for the Brush system on 
the staircase. For the first time gas has been wholly suppressed 
in several parts of the house, 
In the Zimes of October 29 is a very interesting account of 
the present condition of the St. Gothard Tunnel, from a corre- 
spondent who went through it. 
In Bulietin vo). vi. No. 2 of the United States Geological 
and Geographical Survey, Mr. S. H. Scudder gives an analysis 
of the insect remains found in the rich Tertiary Lake Basin at 
Florissart, Colorado, in anticipation of his forthcoming memoir 
on the subject. 
Mr. LATIMER CLARK has printed, in the form of a pamphlet 
a list of the rare and curious books relating to Electricity and 
Magnetism which he exhibits at the Paris Exhibition. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Green Monkey (Cercopithecus callitrichus) 
from West Africa, presented by Mr, G, Aldridge ; a Ring-tailed 
Coati (asua rufa) from South America, presented by Mr. 
Francis B. Norcliffe ; a Tarantula Spider (AZjga/e, sp. ince.), a 
Millipede (z/us, sp. inc.) from Pernambuco, presented by Mr. 
Charles C. Craven; a Smooth-headed Capuchin (Cebus mon- 
achus 8) from South America, a Richardson’s Skua (Stercorarius 
crepidatus), British, four Tuatera Lizards (Sphenodon punctatus) 
from New Zealand, deposited ; a Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix), 
a Common Rook (Corvus frugilegus), two Grey Plovers (Sguata- 
rola helvetica), a Ruff (Machetes pugnax), a Bar-tailed Godwit 
(Limosa lapponica), British, a Green-cheeked Amazon (C/iry'sotss 
viridigenalis) from Columbia, a Finsch’s Amazon (Chrysotis 
finschi) from Mexico, purchased ; four Finches (Coerspho- 
spingus cristalus § § 2 %) from Bolivia, on approval. 
