a aid on , 
May | 15, 1873] 
NATURE 
55 
Suddenly the ice broke, and the men who were upon it were 
carried away. They drifted southward for 196 days—more than 
six months—and the ice, which originally was five miles in 
circumference, was gradually reduced to a few feet. They then 
took to the only remaining boat. Captain Hall, they report, 
died of apoplexy in November 1871. These statements have 
been received with distrust. 
Mr, LAMoNtT’s beautiful steam yacht Diana, which has been 
chartered by Mr. Benjamin Smith, of London, for a voyage of 
exploration in the Northern Seas, left Dundee on Saturday. 
The yacht is manned by a crew of twenty, and although there is 
a sailing master, Mr. Smith will have complete control. The 
first point of rendezvous will be Cobbe’s Bay, on the north-west 
of Spitzbergen, where Mr, Smith expects to meet his own 
sailing yacht, the "Samson, which was despatched from Hull 
with stores on May 1 under the command of Captain Walker, 
for many years connected with the Dundee whaling fleet. Every 
effort will subsequently be made to push as far northward as 
possible. During the voyage marine and land plants will be 
gathered and observations of the tides and currents made. The 
Diana is provisioned for a year, but the object contemplated is 
expected to be realised in about six months. 
At the recent meeting of the Delegates of the French Learned 
Societies, gold medals were awarded to the following :—M. 
Leymerie, for his geological studies in the Pyrenees; 
M. Bleicher, military surgeon, for his interesting geo- 
logical observations on the central plateau of France and 
the environs of Montpelier ; M. Guillier, for his researches on the 
geology and industrial products of the department of Sarthe ; 
M. Pomel, for his investigations on the geology of the Sahara; 
M. Sirodot, for his work on the algze (Lemanea), which grow in 
fresh running water. Silver medals were awarded to M. Cauvet 
for various observations on vegetable anatomy and physiology ; 
to M. Verlot, for his catalogue of the vascular plants of Dau- 
phiny; M. Gassies, for his investigations on the terrestrial 
and river shells of New Caledonia ; to M. Villot, for his obser- 
vations on the curious metamorphoses and strange migrations of 
certain worms found in wells and in standing water. 
In 1859, an attempt was made to start a Zoological Garden 
in Philadelphia, which fell to the ground during the subsequent 
war. A fresh company is now being formed to carry out the ori- 
ginal intention, though on a larger scale. A site has been secured 
in Fairmount Park, and capital is to be obtained in the following 
manner :—Certificates of stock are to be issued of not less than 
fifty dollars each, All receipts derived from the Gardens and 
collections of the Society, are to be applied annually—first, to 
the maintenance of the establishment ; secondly, to the payment 
of six per cent. on the stock ; and third, any balance remainiag 
to go to the gradual extention of the collection of the Society 
and the improvement of its grounds. Many influential citizens 
are supporting the project. 
Tue Annual Report of the Visitors of the Royal Institution 
shows a considerable increase in the number of members, and is 
otherwise very satisfactory. 
THE Rey. Thomas Fowler, M.A., Fellow, Sub-Rector, and 
Tutor of Lincoln College, has been elected to the Professorship 
of Logic at Oxford, vacant by the death of Prof. Wall. 
Mr. HybE CLARKE will on Tuesday, the 2oth instant, read a 
paper at the Anthropological Institute, on “‘The Egyptian 
Colony and Language in the Caucasus.” 
Tue Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, has published its 
list of prizes for 1873. The largest sums, varying from ten 
guineas to one guinea, are offered for improvements in mine 
ventilation, mining, boring machinery, and similar depaxtments. 
rn nn nn nn Ue EEE yy Unt SI SSnn NSU 
Small premiums are offered for essays, local observations, and 
collections of Natural History, especially such as illustrate the 
Natural History of the county. 
WE have received the ‘‘ Report on the Condition of the Sea 
Fisheries of the South Coast of New England in 1871-2,” by 
Prof. S. F. Baird. As the result of a thorough investigation, 
Prof, Baird comes to the conclusion that during the last few 
years there has been a decided decrease in the number of food- 
fishes in these waters : the decrease being mainly due to the com- 
bined action of the fish-ponds or weirs and the blue-fish, the 
former destroying a large percentage of the spawning fish before 
they have deposited their eggs, and the latter devouring im- 
mense numbers of young fish after they have passed the ordinary 
perils of immaturity. 
From the “‘ Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries of the 
State of New York,” we learn that the rivers of that State are 
being plentifully stocked with useful fish, especially shad ; and 
the Commissioners are confident that the people of the United 
States will in a short time rely upon restocking their waters, and 
not upon game laws, to keep up a full supply of fish for their 
markets. 
WE have received the first two parts of Mr. Tegetmeier’s 
magnificent work on ‘‘ Pheasants for the Covert and the Aviary.” 
We shall notice it fully when completed. 
THE much-vexed question as to whether seals are fish or not, 
as regards the oil to be obtained from them, has recently come 
up in a practical shape between the governments of the United 
States and Newfoundland. The fishery treaty lately entered into 
between the United States and Great Britain, and about to go 
into actual operation in the course of the present summer, pro- 
vides that fis# oil shall be admitted free, but that other oils shall 
pay a duty of ten percent. This question is one that would be 
very easy of solution if it were purely zoological in its character, 
since, as every one does or should know, the seal and porpoise, 
as well as the whale, are warm-blooded mammalia, having 
nothing in common with the fish any more than has the man 
who, for the time being, goes into the water for the purpose of 
bathing. It appears, however, to be the general practice with 
commercial nations to class all oils obtained from marine objects, 
whether cetaceans, birds, or fishes, as fish oil, and on this 
ground it is probable that the claim of the Newfoundland 
authorities to have seals recognised as fish will be accepted. 
THE following addition; to the Brighton Aquarium have been 
made during the past week :—Two young Seals (/oca vitulina) 
from Jan-Mayen Island, Arctic Sea, presented by Mr. John 
Clark; two Porpoises (Phocena communis), from Rye Bay, 
purchased ; one Angler (Lofhius piscatorius), from Cornwall ; 
Bass (Labrax lupus); Guroards (7rigla lineata) ; Grey Mullet 
(Mugil capito); Conger-eels (Conger vulgaris); Sand Smelis 
(Atherina Presbyter); Pollack Whiting (Gadus pollachtus) ; 
Rocklings (Afotella mustela) ; Sand Launce (A mmodytes lancea) ; 
one Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), from the French coast; two 
cuttle-fish (Sepia officinalis); Prawns (Pakemon serratus); Foli- 
aceous Coralline (Zschara foliacea) ; Anemones, numerous. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during 
the past week include a Chinese Water Deer (Aydropotes iner- 
mis), from China, presented by Mr. R. Swinhoe ; four Peafowl 
(Pavo cristatus), from India, presented by Mrs. Stern; two 
Koodoos (Strepsiceros kudu), and a Pluto Monkey (Cercopithecus 
pluto), from Africa ; a Weeper Capuchin (Cebus capucinus), from 
South America, deposited ; three Cole Tits (Parus ater), from 
the British Isles ; four Spix’s Cavies (Cavia spixii), from Brazil ; 
a tawny Eagle (Aguila nevioides), from Africa, purchased ; 2 
Markhoor (Capra mezaceros); five Peacock Pheasants (/ozy- 
plectron chinguis) ; and five Chilian Pintails (Da/ila spinicauda), 
born in the Gardens. 
