436 
the death of Capt. Hall, but there is every likelihood the 
matters involved will be made the subject of judicial in- 
quiry in America. 
Taking all the circumstances into account, it is as- 
tonishing that both divisions of the crew have escaped 
without the loss of an individual and with so compara- 
tively little hardship. The complete narrative of the Polaris 
Expedition, with the important scientific results obtained, 
will be looked for with impatient interest. 
NOTES 
WE regret exceedingly to announce that Prof. Donati, Director 
of the Astronomical Observatory in Florence, died of cholera on 
the 2oth inst. at Vienna, where he had arrived only two days 
previously. 
Dr. NELATON, the eminent Surgeon, died at Paris on the 
21st inst, at the age of 66 years. 
THE death is also announced at Paris of M. Coste, the well. 
known naturalist and member of the French Institute, at the age 
of sixty-six. He first devoted himself chiefly to the study 
of comparative embryogeny, and his earlier works attracted so 
much attention that a special professorship was created for him 
at the College of France, Of late years he had chiefly applied 
himself to the science of the artificial production of fish, and it 
was on his recommendation that the Government in 1851 founded 
the breeding ponds at Huningen for stocking the Rhéne with 
salmon and trout, and which in two years produced 600,000 
young fry in that river. As inspector-general of fluvial 
and coast fisheries, he also made numerous experiments for 
‘the propagation of oysters, but the expectations which had 
been raised by his theories have not so far been realised by the 
results obtained. M. Coste was the author of numerous physio- 
logical works and reports to the Academy of Sciences, 
Our list is not yet complete. Prof, Czermak, the eminent 
physiologist, died at Leipzic on Tuesday, the 16th inst. 
By the death of Prof. Barker, M.D., the professorship of 
Experimental Physics in the Royal College of Science for 
Ireland, Dublin, has become vacant. The chair is in the gift of 
the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, South 
Kensington. It is of the value of 200/, per annum, besides a 
share in the fees paid by the students. 
Pror. HuGcurs BENNETT, of Edinburgh,“ has been elected 
Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Medicine 
of France. 
THERE will be an election at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 
October next, to a Fellowship in Natural Science, the holder of 
which will not be required to take holy orders. In the exami- 
nation, which will be held in common with Merton College, 
preference will be given to proficiency in Biology, the College 
reserving to themselves the power of taking candidates in any 
other branch of Natural Science, if it shall seem expedient to do 
so. Candidates must have passed all the examinations required 
by the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge for 
the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and must not be in possession 
of any ecclesiastical benefice, or of any property, Government 
pension, or office tenable for life or during good behaviour (not 
being an academical office within the University of Oxford), the 
clear annual value of which shali exceed 2 307. They must also 
produce testimonials of their fitness to become Fellows of the 
College as a place of religion, learning, and education, and these 
must be sent to the president on or before Monday, September 
29. Candidates for the Fellowship are required to call on the 
president on Monday, October 6, between the hours of 3 and s, 
: NATURE 
[ Sept. 25, 1873 
or $andgp.M, The examination will commence on the follow: 
ing day. 
Ir seems that the projected balloon yoyage from New York 
to Europe is not now likely to take place. An attempt was 
made to inflate the balloon on the Ioth, but it failed, owing toa 
high wind. The attempt was renewed on the 12th, but a rent 
appeared and the operation was abandoned. Mr. Wise, the 
aéronaut, had foreseen this result, owing to the imperfect manner 
in which the balloon was constructed 3 and indeed from what has 
‘been siated, it would seem Science may be congratulated that 
an enterprise’in which newspaper advertising had so much to do, 
has been thus liberated from the responsibility of having to 
answer for a much more serious disaster, which, we repeat, need 
not be risked at all so far as Science is concerned. 
Mr. GEORGE SMITH has just discovered the fragments of an 
ancient Assyrian Canon, from the Babylonian copy of which 
the much-contested Canon of Berosus was unquestionably dee 
rived. The importance of this relic to chronologists can 
scarcely be over-estimated, and it will form the substance of a 
paper shortly to be read before the Society of Biblical Archeology 
by its fortunate discoverer. 
A FRENCH translation of Grisebach’s ‘Vegetation der Erde 
nach ihrer klimatischen Anordnung” is promised, with annota- 
tions, by M. P, de Tchihatvhef. 
WE understand that Messrs. Macmillan will publish, early in 
the approaching season, a splendid series of pictures by Mr. 
Joseph Wolf, illustrative of the “Life and Habits of Wild 
Animals.” The illustrations have been in course of engraving by 
Messrs. Whymper during the last seven years, and, as they 
are the last series which will be drawn by Mr. Wolf, either 
upon wood or upon stone, they will have an especial claim to the 
attention of all those who are interested in Natural History, 
The pictures are accompanied by descriptive letterpress by Mr. 
D. G. Elliot, whose monograph of the pheasants was noticed 
by us some time ago. 
THE Fournal of Botany states that Dr. Beccari, the Italian 
traveller and collector, when last heard of, was at the island of 
Wokam, off the south-west coast of New Guinea 3 he was to go 
on to Amboina, and had made large collections of plants and 
animals, which no doubt will include a number of novelties. 
THE Revue Horticole states that M. Planchon, the Professor 
of Botany at Montpellier, has been charged by the French 
Government with the duty of visiting America to study the 
ravages of the new vine disease, the Pemphigus vitifolia. -No 
change of government seems to lessen the sense of importance 
of scientific investigation displayed by our neighbours across the 
Channel. 
A TRACT of hematite iron ore has been discovered in Shrop- 
shire, and eleven hundred acres have been secured on behalf of 
certain Staffordshire ironmasters, who will work it as.a company. 
Some specimens contain 57 per cent. of iron. The discovery is 
of great importance to the iron industry. 
THE additions to the Zoolozical Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include two Indian Antelopes (Antilope cervicapra) 
from India, presented by Mr. G. E. Rogers ; an Alligator (A//i- 
sator mississippiensis) from America, presented by Dr. Palin; a 
Cardinal Grosbeak (Cardinalis virginianus), a Red-shouldered 
Starling (Agelacus pheniceus), a Baltimore Hangnest (Zeterus 
baltimore), from North America, presented by Mr. Samuel 
Stubbs ; a Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), British, presented by Dr. 
Williams ; a Rattlesnake (Cvofalus durissus) from North Ame- 
rica, purchased ; twelye White-facel Tice Ducks (Dendrocygna 
autumnaiis) from Brazil; a Manx Shearwater (Fuffinus anglo- 
vum), British, deposited. 
