432 
Tue brothers Godeffroy, large merchants of Hamburg, through 
the instrumentality of several collectors in the Pacific Islands, 
have accumulated a large number of specimens of marine and 
other animals, many of great rarity. They have lately placed 
their material in the hands of naturalists who interest themselves 
in the different departments, and their results are being published 
in the Yournal des Muscum Godefroy, a quarto work, the first 
part of which, excellently illustrated, has just appeared. 
Pror. Max MULLER delivered his first lecture on Mr. Darwin’s 
Philosophy of Language at the Royal Institution last Saturday ; 
the other two will be given on Saturday next and Saturday 
week, From the syllabus which is before us, these lectures are 
likely to be of high value, and to throw much light on the subject 
under discussion, and in general on the place of man with re- 
ference ‘to the lower animals. No doubt the lectures will be 
given to the world in a more permanent form after their delivery 
at the Royal Institution. 
Tue Rev. Mr. Moyle, lately sentenced to penal servitude, is 
not, as stated in the newspapers, a Fellow of the Royal Society. 
Tue Geologists’ Association have arranged the following visits 
for March and April :—Thursday, Marca 27—Visit to the 
British Muszum, at 3 P.M., to inspect those portions of the 
Botanical Collection interesting to geologists. Thursday, April 3 
—Visit to the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, at 3 P.M., 
in the Museum of the College. Easter Monday and Tuesday, 
April 14 and 15—Excursion to Banbury, Oxfordshire, assembling 
at the Red Lion Hotel, Benbury at 12.30 P.M.gjMonday, A;ril2r | 
--Visit to the Museum of Practical Geology, at 8 p.m. under the 
guidance of Mr. Etheridge, to inspect the Palontological 
Collections exhibited in the Galleries of the Museum. Saturday, 
April 26—Excursion to Charlton from Charing Cross by the 
2.52 P.M. North Kent. 
Tue second annual meeting of the Glasgow Society of Field 
Naturalists was held on the evening of- Tuesday the 18th inst., 
Mr, J. Allan, vice-president, in the chair, ‘The report read by 
the Secretary showed that a considerable amount of work had 
been done during the year. Twelve excursions were held to 
places of interest in the neighbourhocd, The papers read were 
numerous, varied, and interesting, and a large number of speci- 
mens were exhibited. The branches to which more particular 
“attention was given were Lotany, entomology, and marine 
zoology. 
THE largest catalogue of stars that has ever been published in 
America is now about to appear from the United States Naval 
Observatory at Washington. This work, as we learn from a 
yecent communication of Prof, Yarnall, will embody all the 
valuable observations ma‘e since the foundation of the observa- 
tory, in 1842, with the meridian ins:ruments, consisting of the 
work of the well-known astronomers, Coffin, Hubbard, Ferguson, 
Newcomb, Hall, Harkness, and Yarnall. Over fifteen years of 
labour haye been devoted to it Ly Prof. Yarnall and his assistants, 
and he has himself made nearly one half of the observations. 
The catalogue will be based on over eighty thousand observations 
of more than ten thousand stars, many of them being quite faint, 
and in extreme southern latitudes, such as have never, or rarely, 
hitherto been observed. 
By the publication of a supplementary number, containing 
the proposed corrections of plates already issued, the important 
work of Mr. William H. Edwards upon the bu.terfl.es of North 
America, completes its first volume. No American work of the 
kind has ever been printed containing in its pages so satisfactory 
illustrations of the various species, new and old, as this of 
Mr. Edwards. The volume, as finished, embraces fifty plates, 
each containing several figures, representing all the varieties of 
each species. 
NATURE 
F : | propriated for t I f a suitable buildi 
to inspect the Hunteiian and Zoological Collections preserved | propristed for thespurchase\of a euiteblebyita 
[ Mar. 27, 1873 
At the annual meeting of the Royal Irish Academy, he'd on | 
Saturday evening, the 15th inst., the Cunningham Gold Medal 
was presented to Sir William Robert Wilde, Knt., M.D., ia 
recognition of his valuable services in the compilation of the 
Museum catalogue, and in the arrangement of the Museum. 
Tue American Palestine Explorition Society has reached 
Syria, under the command of Lieut. Steever, United States 
Cavalry, accompanied by Prof. Paine, formerly of Robert Col 
lege, Constantinople, and by other persons, and at last advices 
was fitting out at Beyrout, with a view ot taking the field early 
in March. An arrangement has been made with the British 
Palestine Exploration Society by which the whole country east 
of the Jordan, and embracing the old territories of Moab, Gilead, 
and Bashan, are to be relinquished exclusively to the American 
society, and it is expected that, abounding as it does with ancient 
ruins and excavations, objects of much interest will be brought 
to light. 
AmonG other biils lately presented to Congress is one for the 
establishment of a National Photographic Institute, which pro 
vides for the establishment of such an organisation in Phila- 
delphia, where the entire theory and practice of the photographic 
art are to be taught by competent professors, under the direction 
of the National Photographic Association of the United State s. 
The bill also provides that the sum of 30,000 dollars shall be 
but that the institution shall be selfsupperiirg, and only such) 
fees shall be pa.d by the students as shall meet the actual 
expenses. 
WE have received a couple of Salem (Massachusetts) pap 
containing detailed accounts of the celebration on March 5 o 
the 25th anniversary of the Essex Institute of that city. This 
institute, mainly scientific in its aims, can trace its origin unde 
various forms to about the middle of the last century, and unde: 
its present name-was constituted by the union in 1848 of t 
Essex Historical and the Essex County Natural History Societies, 
Prof. O. C. Marsh, of Yale College, who was present, spok 
of the good work which the institution has done in diffusin; 
scientific knowledge and encouraging other societies; he also | 
acknowledged that it was at the hands of this institution th ! 
he acquired his first taste for scientific investigation, 
\ 
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Mr. PARTRIDGE, for many years Professor of Anatomy to he: 
Royal Academy, died on Tuesday, 25th inst. ‘ 
The following telegram from Mr. Cowie, Shanghai, date 
March 25, 44 5™, has been received by Mr. J. R. Hind: 
‘© Your predicted circular black spot on sun, seen here distinctl} 
at 9 morning, 24th.” This of course refers to the possible transi 
over the sun’s disc of an intra-Mercurial planet, and although i 
is very unlikely that Mr. Cowie’s is a genuine find, the mere fact 
that he should put himself to the trouble and expense of send 
such a telegram all the way from Shanghai, is an encouragin 
sign of the increasing and wide-spread interest taken in science, 
_ AN International Congress is to meet in Vienna on August 4 
to discuss the question of Patent Rights. The Congress, wh 
was suggested by President G.ant, will consist of scientific men, 
manufacturers, political economists, and skilled workmen. Each 
Government will be represented by a special delegate, ; 
THE Practical Magazine has now reached its third number, 
and so far has carried out satisfactorily the promise of its ‘pro- 
spectus ; its main aim being to carry out a careful and systematic 
survey of the Industrial Activities of America, Germany, and 
France, in order to present at the earliest possible mo: ent 
such information as is likely to be useful to British practical men, 
We believe there was a place in Britain for such a journal, and if 
the Practical Magazine continues as it has begun, we have no 
doubt it will satisfactorily fill this place. In get-up, papei 
printing, illustrations,[&c., it is one of the handsomest journa : 
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