Tue second of the two parts of Prof. C. J. Sundevall’s new 
Synopsis of the Classification of Birds has just reached us from 
Stockholm. This important contribution to ornithological lite- 
rature, the work of so justly celebrated and painstaking an 
ornithologist, will be found replete with suggestions, as its 
author bases his methods of arrangement on details worked out 
mostly by himself, and with a truly scientific spirit. Some of 
the arrangements suggested are particularly striking, and though 
they will probably not all bear the test of future inquiry, yet are 
undoubtedly based on characters, the importance of which has 
been too little attended to. Among these peculiarities may be 
mentioned the placing of the Hoopoo with the Larks, qui‘e 
away from /rrisor ; and the adoption of Strickland’s eccentric 
idea that the Pratincole is only a modified Nightjar; to say the 
Teast, would it not be more reasonable to call the Nightjar a 
modified Plover ? 
THE correspondent of the New York Herald at Khartoum 
writes to that journal as follows, under date of April 30 :— 
Three boats engaged in the ivory trade arrived from Gondokoro, 
April 7, with direct news that Sir Samuel Baker and family were 
well at Fatuka in the month of February. The reinforcement 
of 2co men which went forward from Gondokoro reached Baker, 
at Fatuka, February 5. It was said that with these troops 
Baker would renew hismarch towards the Albert Nyanz1 and 
the territory of Kaberego (formerly Kamrasi). We are hourly 
expecting the arrival of a fleet of nineteen Government vessels 
with mai/s, which will doubless bring full particulars of Baker’s 
recent movements, 
In No. 145 of the Gazzetta Ufficiale del Regno d’/talia, Pro’, 
Lorenzo Respighi, director of the observatory at Campidoglio, 
gives an account of his observations of the eclipse of May 26. 
He states that though the maximum phase was so small as to be 
of little importance, he considered it a good opportunity for 
making spectroscopic time observations. The method is very 
simple, and is well known to spectroscopists ; it need only he 
said that it consists in observing accurately the moment at which 
the dark body of the moon cuts out one of the chromo- 
spheric bright lines. Prof. Respighi observed the C-line and 
was able to perceive the moon’s approach across the chromo- 
sphere about one minute before first contact, which took place 
at 46°°30' from north towards the west point of the sun at 
8h. 42m. 35°9s. Roman mean time. The greatest phase occurred 
at gh. 7m. when 0°05 of the sun’s diameter was covered. The 
last contact was observed at 10° from the north towards west at 
gh. 31m. 3°4s. Roman meantime. The dark moon was seen pass- 
ing over the chromosphere for about a minute after last contact. 
The Sicilian expedition had before noticed the power which the 
spectroscope gave of observing the first and last moments of 
contact before the times given in the Nautical Almanac, and 
there can be no doubt that this method is of very great value 
for time observations of eclipses and transits. Unfortunately in 
the latter cases it is almost or quite impossible to keep the slit 
at the exact point at which the body is expected to enter the 
solar disc on account of the difficulty in obtaining perfect 
adjustments of the driving clock, &c. It might however be 
possible to follow the body in transit across the sun and note the 
exact time of last contact. . 
WE have received the fifteenth report of the East Kent 
Natural History Society, containing reports of the scientific 
meetings for the year 1872, and various statistical reports. 
The society has probably never been in a more prosperous con- 
dition as to funds and members, the number of the latter being 
reported as 109, and the reports of the meetings show that the 
Society is in good workidig ttm: Prefixed is a brief but poilited 
qi ee et SS Dede Cie " . tele * - 2G - { 
131 
address by the President, Dr. Mitchinson, in which he points 
out the utility and some of the dangers of Provincial Natural 
History Societies. He refers to one evil which is apt to result 
from the labours of such societies, an evil which has with justice 
been animadverted on from various quarters recently, viz. a 
morbid mania for indiscriminate collecting, which is apt to lead 
to the extinction of the rarer fauna and flora of a district. No 
doubt, as Dr. Mitchinson says, collecting is inseparable from the 
thorough study of botany and zoology; but, as he forcibly 
remarks, no surer sign exists of a spurious pursuit of either or 
both of these sciences than when rare plants are torn up, and 
rare animals made still rarer by that selfish acquisitiveness which 
passes with so many for a love of science. It is the duty of 
every Natural History Society to discourage such a practice. 
THE discovery of another planet, No. 131, is telegraphed from 
America. 
Ir has been resolved by the Unitzd States’ Government to 
hold an investigation into the circumstances connected with the 
loss of the Arctic exploring sbip Fo/aris and the death of her 
commander, Captain Hail. 
THE publication of the West Kent Natural History, Micro- 
scopical, and Photographic-Society, is mainly occupied by two 
va‘uable and extremely interesting addresses by the president, Mr. 
J. Jenner Weir, F.L.S. The first was delivered at the annual 
meeting in February last, and consists chiefly of some careful 
observations and facts illustrating the doc rine of evolution in 
the animal kingdom. His other address was delivered at a 
soirée held at the Crystal Palace, its subject being “The Aqua- 
rium and its Contents,” Mr. Weir noticing some of the most 
remarkable facts connected with the organisation and habits of 
the different classes of animals in the aquarium. We are glad 
to sce from the Council’s report that the Society continues 
prosperous and efficient. 
ADDITIONS to the Brighton Aquarium during the past week : 
—One Sturgeon (Accipenser sturio), from Rye Bay ; Smooth 
Hounds, or Skate-toothed Sharks (AZustelus zulgaris) ; Toper, 
or White Hound (Galeus canis); Gurnards (Trigla lyra et 
lineata) ; Lesser Weevers (Zrachinus vipera) ; Scald Fish (4y- 
noglossus laterna) ; Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) ; Surmullet (4Zudlus 
surmutetus) ; Conger Eels (Conger vulgaris) ; Octopus (Octopus 
vulgaris) ; Lobsters (Homarus vulgaris); Sea Crayfish (Pali- 
nurus vulgaris) ; Sea Cucumbers (Cucumaria pentactes) ; Zoo- 
phytes (A/cyonium digitatum, Tubularia indivisa, Pleurobranchia 
pileus). 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include a Grey Ichneumon (Aerfestes griseus) from 
India, presented by Mrs. W. Simpson; an Eyed Lizard (Lacerta 
ocellata) from S. Europe, presented by Mr. T. Blackmore; a 
Loggerhead Turtle ( 7ha/assochelys caouana) from the Atlantic 
Ocean, presented by Lieut. N. Clark ; a Rough-legged Buzzard 
(Archibuteo lagopus) from Europe, presented by Mr. W. Stokes; 
a Blotched Genet (Genetla tigrina) from W. Africa, presented 
by Mr. A. B. Worthington; two Emus (Dromeus nove-hol- 
Jandiz) from Australia, presented by Hon. Sir A. Gordon; a 
Persian Gazelle (Gazel/a sudgutturosa), presented by Captain 
Phillips ; seventeen Turtle Doves (Zurtur auritus) and a Bar- 
bary Turtle Dove (Zurtur risorius), presented by Mr. Gassiot, 
Jun. ; two Lions (/v?is 7eo) from Persia ; a Wapati Deer (Cervus 
canadensis) from N. America, purchased; four Trumpeter 
Swans (Cygnus buccinator) and a Purple Kaleege (Zuplocamus 
horsefieldii) hatched in the Gardens ; four Aldrovandi’s Lizards 
(Plestiodon auritus) and two Ocellated Skiuks (Ses ocellatas). 
from’ N.W. Africa, depositedi , 
