March 9, 1882] 
NATURE 
451 
calculated is likely to be as near to the true one as any prediction 
we are able to make, 
Greenwich . 
mee Longitude E. Latitude N. ee 
hm. s 7 t G , THe Sa 
18 22 30 30 182 25 50°9 DL 92 
TSE2ae4s) ken GOURSIO) by 20, TIO I 10°6 
TSi25.50. = eS 7ROle e582 ZON3T.9 I 12:0 
18 26 15 32 15°3 S 2OWNS Bs. 1 13°3 
18 27 30 % | B252"9 PA Toe PILLS) 
18 28 45 Bie) Ae) 27 30°2 1 15°9 
18 30 oO 34 61 27 48°9 1 GP 
OMOMMDG etces 34 4.0:0) ZOOM I 18°3 
18 32 30: 35 17°2 28 25°2 I 19°5 
Thus in longitude 31° 37’ E., latitude 26° 32’ N., a point close 
upon the Nile, the duration of the total phase is Im. 12s,, and 
the middle at 20h. 31m. 28s. local mean time. The central line 
crosses the Nile about a degree north of Luxor, one of: the 
stations occupied for the observation of the last Transit of Venus. 
A New ASTRONOMICAL MaGAzINE.—M. Flammarion has 
commenced the publication of a monthly periodical intended to 
give an account of the progress of astronomy and allied subjects 
in popular language. His first number contains an article on 
the history of the Observatory of Paris, with illustrations showing 
the establishment as it existed in 1672, from the frontispiece to 
Lemonnier’s ‘‘ Histoire Céleste ” (a work which lias now become 
somewhat rare), and in its actual state, with the additional 
grounds to the south of the main building, extending to the 
Boulevard Arago, The number also includes M. Flammarion’s 
observations upon the brightness of the great comet of 1881, as 
compared with stars, from June 23 to September 4, commenced 
at Paris and concluded in the Alps at an altitude of 2000 metres. 
Referring to Prof. Winnecke having observed this comet as late 
as January 8, 1882, M. Flammarion remarks: ‘‘On n’a pro- 
bablement jamais suivi une cométe a une pareille distance.” 
This, however, is a mistake. The distance of the comet of 1881 
from the earth at the time of Prof. Winnecke’s observation was 
3°08 (the earth’s mean distance from the sun being taken as 
unity) : but the following comets were observed at greater dis- 
tances :—Donati’s comet, 1858, to 3°14, Colla’s of 1847 to 3°18, 
the great comet of 1811 to 3°50, Mauvais’ Comet, 1848, to 4:40, 
the great comet of 1861 to 4°70, and the extraordinary comet of 
1729 to 5'23, notwithstandi ig the inferior telescopes of that day. 
The magazine is well printed and illustrated, and will doubtless 
be popular, especially with amateurs in France, who appear to 
be a much more numerous class than formerly. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
Oxrorp.—There will be an election in next June at Magdalen 
College to at least one Scholarship in Natural Science, the con- 
ditions of election being subject to any new Statutes which may 
be made by the University Commissioners, The examinatian in 
Natural Science will be held in comnon with Jesus College, at 
which an election will be made to one Natural Science Scholar- 
ship, and possibly one Exhibition, Questions will be set relating 
to General Physics, to Chemistry, and to Biology ; but candidates 
are recommended not to offer more than two of these subjects. 
The value of the Scholarship is 80/. a year, and of an Exhi- 
bition 40/7. Neither Scholarships nor Exhibitions will be awarded 
unless properly qualified candidates offer themselves. 
Candidates for the Scholarship and Exhibition at Jesus must 
be natives of Wales or Monmouthshire, or persons who shall 
have been educated for the four years last preceding their elec- 
tion (or last preceding their matriculation if already members of 
the University) at a school or schools in Wales or Monmouth- 
shire . . . if any such persons be found of sufficient merit and 
fit to be scholars of the College in the judgment of the electors. 
Mr. J. R. Wynne-Edwards, of Giggleswick School, has been 
elected to a Junior Studentship for “Natural Science at Christ 
Church, Oxford. At the same examination a second student- 
ship was {awarded to Mr. W. H. Pendlebury, of Manchester 
School, and an Exhibiion was awarded to Mr. R. W. Lan- 
caster, Commoner of Christ Church. There were thirty-five 
candidates. 
CAMBRIDGE.—From the University accounts for 18$0-81 jus 
published, itappears that the disposable income ofthe year amounted 
to about 30, 500/., of which only about 3300/. was from property, 
while 27,200/. wa; derived from matriculation, examination, and 
degree fees, and quarterly payments from members of the Uni- 
versity. Of this sum over 11,300/. was expended for strictly 
scientific purposes, to which also further receipts from special 
endowments, amounting to 2950/., were devoted. It cannot be 
said that the University as such spends sparingly for scientific 
purposes in proportion to its income. 
Mr. Donald McAlister has been approved as a teacher of 
medicine, and Mr. A, Sedgwick as a teacher of comparative 
anatomy, for the purpose of giving certificates to medical 
students. 
SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 
LONDON 
Geological Society, February 8.—R. Etheridge, F.R.S., 
president, in the chair.—Ridley Henderson, William John, and 
James Robert Millar Robertson, M.D., were elected Fellows, 
and Prof. S. Lovén, of Stockholm, a Foreign Member of the 
Society. —The following communications were read :— Descrip- 
tion of some Iguanodon remains discovered at Brook, Isle of 
Wight, indicating a new species, /ewanodon Seelyt, by J. W. 
Hulke, F.R.S.—On a peculiar bed of angular drift on the high 
Lower Chalk Plain between Didcot and Chilton, by Prof. J. Prest- 
wich, F.R.S. In making a railway from the main line to Chilton, 
this bed of drift was cut through for a depth of about 13 mile. It 
lies on a flat plain extending from the foot of the escarpment of 
upper chalk to the top of that of lower chalk, In places it is 
full 28 feet thick. At first a fine chalk rubble, it becomes after 
a while coarse, and s divided by clay beds into an upper and a 
lower deposit. Here small boulders and bones occur, the latter 
much shattered; but Zvephas primigenius, Rhinoceros tichor- 
hinus (?), Bison priscus, Cervus tarandus, Equus, &c., have 
been identified. The boulders are Sarsen-stone, and there are 
small fragments of flint. Shells of Pupa marginata, Helix 
hispida, and Hf, pulchella have been found. The drift (which 
is widely spread) is from 150 to 260 feet above the Thames, at 
highest 407 feet above the sea. The author compares it with 
the rubble-beds overlying the raised beaches of Sangatte and 
Brighton. It is unconnected with any river-course, is not of 
marine origin, and its materials, where not local, are derived 
from the southward. 
Anthropological Institute, February 7.—F. G. Hilton 
Price, F.S.A., treasurer, in the chair.—It was announced that 
the following new Members had been elected since the last 
meeting :—Dr. Brabazon Casement, F. T, Hall, Miss Marshall, 
R. M. Connolly, Mrs. R. M. Connolly, T. Dixon, Mrs. T. 
Dixon, W. K. Foster, T. Ridgway.—Mr. Edward C. Hore read 
a paper on the twelve tribes of Tanganyika. The author de- 
scribed the distribution of the tribes in East Central Africa: A 
narrow margin of a doubtful civilisation on the east coast—one 
to two hundred miles of small native tribes fast losing their dis- 
tinctive nationalities and tribal customs and arts, and mixed with 
semi-civil sed half-castes—then a narrow interval, more or less 
desert, seems to be as well the refuge of robbers and renegades, 
as a natural boundary between the first-mentioned tribes, and 
the next tract of from two to four hundred miles occupied by - 
tribes of uneasy and apparently warlike aspect, and retaining to 
more considerable extent the original arts and customs ; another 
narrow border of debateable country again separates these from 
the more prosperous, peaceful, and civilised tribes of the equa- 
torial lake regions, a few of which the author described. ‘he 
more northern tribes on the lake are an active and handsomely 
formed people, with obvious traces of the Abyssinian race, but 
many distinct differences are noted amongst the twelve tribes. 
The writer laid stress upon the fact of having lived and travelled 
among these tribes for four years, and never having failed in 
making some friendly negotiations with those visited. Three 
stations have already been occupied by the London Missionary 
Society, who will shortly send out a steel vessel to navigate the 
lake and maintain more stations on its shores.—Mr. George W. 
Bloxam read a note on a Patagonian skull brought from Carmen, 
at the mouth of the Rio Negro [lat. 44°], by Capt. Hairby.— 
A paper on the Napo Indians, by Mr. Alfred Simson, was read. 
Royal Horticultural Society, February 14.—Sir J. D- 
Hooker in the chair.—Pvoliferous Acorn-cups : Sir J. D, Hooker 
