Fuly 3, 1873] 
technical knowledge and skill of those engaged in the varlous 
industries, the improvement and advancement of manufactures 
and the industrial arts and sciences, and the general prozress, 
extension, and well-being of industry and trade. The society is 
sending out artisans to Vienna to profit by the Exhibition row 
being held there, as was done by the Society of Arts on the 
occasion of the Paris Exhibition, and it proposes to hold in the 
autumn an exhibition of designs in textile fabrics and of fuel 
economisers. 
A PAPER entitled ‘‘ Contributions to a Knowledge of North 
American Moths,” by Aug. R. Grote, was read on June 6 before 
the Buffalo (U.S.) Society of Natural Sciences, in which it was 
stated that three new genera (Litognatha, Meghypena, Phzecasio- 
phora), and nineteen hitherto undescribed species (Acronycta, 4 ; 
Agrotis, 1 ; Cloantha, 2; Litognatha, 2; Meghypena, 2 ; Botis, 
1 ; Phecasiophora, 1 ; Eurycreon, 1 ; Peuthina, 3 ; Grapholitha, 
I ; Oeta, 1) occur in the North American insect fauna. At the 
same time a paper entitled ‘‘Descriptions of New Species of 
Fungi,” by Chas. H. Peck, was read, in which it was stated 
that 142 hitherto undescribed species of fungi (Hymenomycetis, 
96 ; Gasteromycetes, 11 ; Coniomycetes, 18 ; Hyphomycetes, 6 ; 
Ascomycetes, 11) occur in the flora of the United States, 
In connection with the Social Science Congress, to be held at 
Norwich, from the 1st to the 8th of October next, there will be 
an Exhibition of Educational, Sanitary, and Domestic Ap- 
pliances, based on the experiment which proved so successful at 
Leeds in 1871. The object of the exhibition is to bring under 
the notice of the public generally, and particularly those who 
are interested in social, sanitary, and educational questions, the 
latest scientific appliances for improving the public health and 
promoting education. The exhibition will be open to exhibitors 
from all parts, and the management will be under the superin- 
tendence of a committee. 
A VALUABLE paper in the May number of the Cznadian 
Fournal is a contribution to a Fauna Canadensis, by Prof. H. 
Alleyne Nicholson, being an account of the animals dredged in 
Lake Ontario jin 1872. The dredginfs were all carried on 
within a radius of ten miles from Toronto, and Prof. Nicholson 
describes the nature of the bottom, and forty-three species of 
animals taken up in the dredge, belonging to Annelida, Crusta- 
sea, Arachnida, Insecta, Mollusca, and Vertebrata. The paper 
possesses several points of interest. 
WeEihaye received Nos. 3 and 4 of the School Laboratory of 
Physical Science, a small quarterly journal edited by Prof. 
Hinrichs, Director of the Laboratory of the Iowa State Univer- 
sity. The longest paper is entitled ‘‘ Science in Schools,” and 
gives a comparative view of the place occupied by Physical 
Science in the Classical Courses of the American Colleges, the 
palm in this respect being given to Harvard. Prof. Hinrichs 
thinks, notwithstanding the comparatively great importance 
attached to physical science in America, the place allotted to it 
in her universities is still farfrom satisfactory. Under the head 
of “ Laboratory Notes,” Prof. Hinrichs gives a method of deter- 
mining the Velocity of Sound in the Atmosphere, 
Mr. T. Loctn, C.E., Superintending Engineer, 2nd Circle, 
Punjab, has sent us a small pamphlet, entitled ‘* Practical Notes 
on the Egyptian Mode of Cotton Cultivation,” containing a 
series of well-arranged directions on this subject, founded on 
_ Mr. Login’s own experiments, which appear to have been un- 
usually successful. 
WE have received from Messrs. Asher and Co., Nos. 378, 
379, 380, of Kirchoffand Wigand’s (of Leipzig) ‘‘ Antiquarisches 
- Biicherlager,” containing long lists of very valuable works in 
Mathematical, Physical, and Mechanical Sciences, 
i 
NATURE 
ACCORDING to the American Artisan, the new educational 
system in Japan embraces the organisation of 8 colleges, 256 high 
schools, and over 50,009 public schools, at which the attendance 
is to be compulsory for all children above six years of age. 
A SUPPLEMENT to the Fifth Annual Report of the United 
States Geological Survey of 1871, contains an enumeration with 
descriptions by Mr. Leo Lesquereux, of some tertiary fossil 
plants, from specimens procured in the explorations of Dr. F. 
V. Hayden. in 1870. Another small pamphlet connected with 
the same survey contains carefully compiled and very valuable 
lists of elevations and distances ia that portion of the United 
States west of the Mississippi, collated and arranged by Prof. C. 
Thomas. 
THE ‘‘ Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario,” for 
1872, contains papers on Insects injurious to the Grape, the 
Strawberry, the [op, the Maple, the Peach, the Potato, on 
some innoxious insects, and on beneficial insects. 
WE have received the “‘ Report of Progress” of the Geo- 
logical Survey of Canada for 1871-72, containing detailed and 
well-compiled accounts from the various parties who are carrying 
on the work, 
WE learn that there has been erected a small observatory on 
the Columbia (U.S.) College campus for educational and, we 
hope, also for scientific purposes. The observatory is furnished 
with an equatorial, accompanied by a seven-prism spectroscope, 
by Clark, and a position micrometer, besides an altazimuth and 
a zenith telescope. 
WE take the following from a paragraph entitled ‘‘ Prof. 
Agassiz on Natural History in Schools,” in the Uziversity 
Monthly (New York) :—‘‘I am satisfied that there are branches 
of knowledge which are better taught without books than with 
them ; and there are some cases so obvious, that I wonder why 
it is that teachers always resort to books when they would teach 
some new branch in their schools. When we would study natu- 
ral history, instead of books let us take specimens—stones, mine- 
rals, crystals. When we would study plants, let us go to the 
plants themselves, and not to books describing them. When 
we would study animals, let us observe animals.” 
ADDITIONS to the Brighton Aquarium during the past 
week; 2 Bass (Ladrax Jupus); 14 Black Bream (Can- 
tharus lineatus); 1 Ballan Wrasse (Labrus maculatus); 
I three-bearded Rockling (Motella wulgaris); 6 Sea Cray- 
fish (Palinurus vulgaris); 1 Toad Crab (Dromia vulgaris), 
1 Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), presented by Mr. C. J. Small, ot 
Hastings; 1 Sea-hare (Aplysia punctata); Oysters (Ostrea 
edulis); Mussels (JZytilus edulis); Zoophytes (TZealia crassi- 
cornis, Alcyonium digitatum). 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens, during 
the last week, include an Erxleben’s Monkey (Cercopithecus 
erxlebent) ; a Moustache Monkey (C. cephus) ; a banded Ichneu- 
mon (Herfestes fasciatus) and two bronze Spotted Doves (Cha/co- 
pelia chalcospilos), from West Africa, presented by Mr. J. J. 
Monteiro ; a greater Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua gale- 
rita), from Australia, presented by Mrs. Thomas ; a Hyacinth 
Porphyrio (Porfhyrio hyacinthinus), from West Africa, pre- 
sented by Lady Cust; a grey Ichneumon (erfestes griseus), 
from India, presented by Mr. W. Walker; an Argus Pheasant 
(Argus giganteus), from Malacca; two Rufous-tailed Pheasants 
(Ceriornis erythrophthalmus), from India; a white-handed 
Gibbon (Ay/obates lar), from the Malay Peninsula; a Puma 
(Felis concolor), from Bogota ; two Lanner Falcons (Falco /ana- 
vius), from E, Europe, deposited. 
