210 
unhappily lacking in*a Parliamentary Committee, should be 
adequately represented. The birds which suffer a perfectly 
preventible persecution to such an extent that their extermination 
may shortly be expected, appear to be thought hardly worthy of 
the Committee’s consideration, though it was to save them that 
the British Association’s efforts were chiefly directed. 
Tue Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland have 
taken a praiseworthy step in memorialising Government to do 
what is undoubtedly their duty to the country, appoint a Com- 
mission of competent scientific men to inquire into the causes 
of the ever-recurring potato-disease, a disease which is a national 
calamity. How far advanced is the American Government in 
matters concerning the national welfare is well shown by the 
memorialists, and even Portugal is far enough ahead of us to 
appoint a Government Commission to inquire into the vine- 
disease. 
THE Executive Committee of the Fund for erecting 
a memorial to the late John Stuart Mill have resolved 
that a portion of the funds raised be devoted to erecting a bronze 
statue of Mr. Mill in some public situation in the City of West- 
minster, which he for a time represented in Parliament, the re- 
mainder to the foundation of Scholarships, open to the compe- 
tition of candidates of both sexes, in Mental Science and Political 
Economy ; subscribers to the fund being invited to say to which 
of these purposes they wish their subscriptions to be devoted. 
Tue Council of University College, London, has determined 
to throw open to women next session another of its ordinary 
classes, that of jurisprudence, conducted by Prof. Sheldon Amos, 
WE are glad to see from a circular which has been sent us, 
and which we would recommend to the attention of all teachers, 
and to all interested in science-teaching in schools, that the 
Charterhouse School of Science has met with signal success 
during the past, its first, session. 
scientific lecturers, which we are glad to see is to be increased, the 
training is thorough and practical, and a large and well-fitted che- 
mical Jaboratory, besides other scientific apparatus, is tobe added to 
the School. The School is in connection with the Science and 
Art Department, and we hope that during next session, which 
commences on September 20, the attendance will be as satis- 
factory as during the past. Attached to the circular is a form to 
be filled up by intending students, and accompanying itis a well- 
drawn up time-table. The fees are remarkably low. 
Ara meeting of the Council of the Royal School of Mines, 
held on Saturday, July 5, the following gentlemen received the 
diploma of Associate of the Royal School of Mines :—Mining 
and metallurgical division—E. Jackson, J. A. Griffiths, C. Law. 
Mining division—A. G, Phillips. Metallurgical division—J. W. 
Westmorland, S. W. Davies, J. C. Jefferson, H. S. Bell. 
Geological division—G. Smith. The following Scholarships 
and Prizes were also awarded :—The two Royal Scholarships 
of 152. each, for first year’s students, to Mr. H. Carter and Mr, 
A. J. Meeze. To second year’s students: H.R.H. the Duke of 
Comwall’s scholarship of 30/. for two years, to Mr. C, Lloyd 
Morgan, and the Royal Scholarship of 25/7. to Mr. S. A. Hill, 
The Edward Forbes’ medal and prize of books, for Natural 
History, to Mr. G. Smith. The Dela Beche medal and prize 
of books, for mining, to Mr. Edgar Jackson. The Murchison 
medal and prize of books, for geology, to Mr. C. Lloyd 
Morgan, 
SIGNoR AucusTO RIGHI, Demonstrator of Physics in the 
University of Bologna, has just published an elaborate memoir 
**On,the Composition of Vibratory Motions” (7ii Gamberini 
e Parmegsiani, Bologna). The memoir is of a high order, and 
is worthy the attention of all physicists specially interested in 
acoustics. The subject is mathematically treated, and is illus. 
trated by twenty-one admirable plates, 
‘NATURE 
There is an excellent staff of 
a 
[¥uly 10,1873 
Mr. W. CarRUTHERs has just issued his official Report for 
1872, of the Department of Botany in the British Museum. - 
The additions to the Herbarium during the year are spoken of as 
large and important, rendering more and more pressing the 
necessity of increasing accommodation for the arranged 
Herbaria, The species included under several of the natural 
orders, both in the General aud in the British Herbarium, have 
been entirely re-arranged during the year; and much use has 
been made of the Herbarium by botanists preparing monographs 
for a number of different publications, Numerous interesting 
additions have also been made to the Structural Series, both in 
the Fruit, the Fossil, and the General Collection. 
WE have received “‘ Lecture Extra, No. 8” of the Mew Vork 
Tribune, containing twelve lectures by Prof. Louis Agassiz, on 
various important subjects connected with animal life ; besides a 
lecture on ‘‘ Vestiges of Antiquity,” by Dr. A. Le Plongeon, 
“The Art of Dyeing,’’ by Prof. Chandler, a long article on the 
Fossil Man of Mentone, and a detailed account of Prof. Marsh’s 
discoveries in the Rocky Mountains. All these lectures and» 
articles are copiously illustrated and well printed, and the whole 
is a marvellous pennyworth. The Z>ibwne deserves the greatest 
praise for the important part allotted to science in its pro- 
gramme. 
IN the just published number of the Yournal of Anatomy and ~ 
Physiology there is a valuable paper by Prof. Rutherford, of 
King’s College, on the cause of the retardation of the pulse 
which follows closure of the nostrils in the rabbit, in which he 
shows that this retardation is not the direct effect of reflex action, 
as previously supposed, but is due to the arrest of respiration 
which necessarily attends the blockage in the air-passage; for 
the retardation does not commence directly the nostrils are 
closed, but is delayed for about four seconds, and if the trachea - 
is kept open it does not occur at all. Ammonia applied to the 
nose produces similar effect, because the animal ceases to breathe 
for a time, as it closes the nostrils in order to prevent the entrance 
of the irritating fumes. Prof. Rutherford finds that after the 
vagi have been divided, the arrest of respiration does not cause 
the pulse to become slower, which is in favour of the supposition 
that the retardation which ‘normally occurs is produced by the 
action of the impure blood on the cardio-inhibitory centres in 
the medulla oblongata. 
THE Yournal of Botany records the death of two British 
botanists of reputation, Mr. James Ward, of Richmond, York- 
shire, one of the most active and experienced botanists of the 
North of England, and Mr. James Irvine, of Chelsea, who wrote 
a *‘London Flora” in 1838, and was one of the editors of the 
old Phytologist. 
A Frora of Cheshire is shortly to appear under the super- 
intendence of the Hon. J. L. Warren. 
WE have to record the following earthquakes this week :— 
THE Imperial Meteorological Observatory of Constantinople 
reports that on June 20 there were several smart shocks of earth- 
quake at Bagdad at night, and again on the ‘21st at noon. A 
strong shock of earthquake was felt at Alpago, Italy on July 3. 
A volcanic eruption, accompanied by discharges of hot cinders, 
is stated to have commenced at Farra. The waters of the Lake 
Santa Croce, a few miles south-east of Belluno, were boiling. 
Three shocks of earthquake were felt at Buffalo, U.S., on 
the morning of July 6, causing the buildings and shipping to 
rock, 
THE Synopsis of Laboratory Work in Practical Organic 
Chemistry at the Teachers’ Training Class at South Kensington 
for July, contains seventy practical problems in chemistry, with 
directions for their solution, 
A GREAT International Exhibition is to be held at Phila- 
delphia in 1876, 
