Fan. 18, 1883] 
NATURE 
281 
the inyaluable deposits that have of late years been opened up in 
North America, where not only the successive periods of the 
tertiary epoch form extensive deposits, but where they moreover 
contain perfectly preserved animal specimens which have lived 
in these successive periods, and which indeed show in the most 
irrefutable way that a direct connection accompanied by an in- 
crease of differentiation undeniably exists. We here find a very 
remarkable page of the book thrown open upon which nature 
has written down for us the history of the development of the 
horse, and whoever has learnt to read this h ndwriting is brought 
to the inevitable conclusion: this development has started from 
an older form of a less specialised organisation, and has pro- 
ceeded along successive steps which are entirely in accordance 
with the theory of evolution. 
Similarly the numerous remains of the fossil group of the 
Ornithoscelidce are only known since a recent date, and a gradu- 
ally increasing knowledge is thus attained of those interesting 
animals which link together reptiles and birds, two classes of 
animals which were formerly looked upon as amongst the most 
thoroughly separated. 
Together with these irrefutable proofs that evolution has 
indeed taken place, starting from the simpler, more generalised 
types, and tending towards the more complicated and more 
specialised forms, paleeontology acquaints us with certain other 
facts. I allude to the persistence of the same form, of the same 
genus, sometimes even of the same species in all successive strata 
and periods. ‘Thus, for example, among Mollusks, Chiton and 
Pleurotomaria have persisted from the Silurian down to the pre- 
sent period ; Dentalium from the Devonian ; Pinna and Cyprina 
from the Carboniferous period. Amongst the. Foraminifera 
certain genera occur in the Carboniferous epoch, which at the 
same time are members of the living fauna. Amongst Brachio- 
pods our living Lingulas, Rhynchonellas, and Terebratulas are 
very ancient types ; representatives of the osseous fishes lived in the 
Cretaceous period, which cannot be generically distinguished 
from their living relatives, whilst certain genera of cartilaginous 
fishes reach even into a much farther distant past. 
(Zo be continued.) 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE 
OxFrorD.—Owing to the early occurrence of Easter, the term 
has begun a week earlier than usual this year. The first Uni- 
versity business of importance will be the constitution of the 
New Boards of Faculties. These will consist of the professors as 
ex-officio members, and of members elected by the College lec- 
turers in the various faculties, the number to be so elected being 
first decided by vote. The first step towards the new state of 
things has been the appointment of Mr. Lockhart, of Hertford 
College, as General Secretary to the Board of Faculties. 
In the department of Physics at the University Museum, Prof. 
Clifton continues his course on the Electricity Developed by the 
Contact of different Substances; Mr. Stocker lectures on Me- 
chanics, and Mr. Heaton on Problems on Mechanics and 
Physics. Prof. Price continues his course on Optics, and also 
gives a course on Hydro-mechanics. 
Prof. Pritchard is absent in Egypt completing his measure- 
ments of the magnitude of the stars. The observatory will be 
open on Tuesday and Thursday evenings under the charge of 
Mr. Plummer. 
In the Chemical Department of the Museum, Prof. Odling 
will give a course on Elementary Facts and Doctrines. Mr. 
Fisher will lecture on Inorganic Chemistry, and Dr. Watts on 
Organic Chemistry. The laboratory will lose the services of 
Mr. F. D. Brown in the middle of the term, as he has been 
elected to the Professorship of Chemistry and Physics in the 
New University at Auckland, and leaves for New Zealand in 
March. 
In the Biological Department Prof. Moseley continues his 
course on Comparative Anatomy (followed by practical work). 
Mr. Hatchett Jackson lectures on the Fundamental Principles of 
Embryology, Mr. Poulton on the Geographical Distribution of 
Animals, Mr. Lewis Morgan on the Teeth of Vertebrata and on 
Human Osteology, and Mr. Hickson on Histology. Mr. 
Barclay Thompson has been obliged to give up lecturing on 
account of ill health. 
Prof. Prestwich gives a course of lectures on Stratigraphical 
Geology. 
The following courses will be given in the private College 
laboratories :—At Christchurch Mr, Vernon Harcourt lectures 
and gives practical instruction in Quantitative Analysis, and Mr. 
Baynes on Thermo-dynamics. At Balliol Mr. Dixon lectures on 
Organic Chemistry, and Elementary Electricity. At Magdalen 
Mr, Yule gives a course of demonstrations on the Chemical and 
Physical Properties of the Blood, Circulation, Respiration, &c, ; 
and Mr. Chapman gives a practical course on Elementary 
Vegetable Morphology. 
A scholarship in Natural Science will be offered at Keble 
College of the value of 8o0/. per annum. The examination will 
be in Biology and Chemistry ; a scholarship will also be offered 
for competition at Queen’s College in Physics, Chemistry, or 
Biology. 
CAMBRIDGE.—Mr, J. E. Marr, M.A., Fellow of St. Johns 
College, is the Sedgwick Prizeman this year. 
Science lectures commence on the following days: Prof. 
Liveing, General Principles of Chemistry, January 23; Prof. 
Dewar, Organic Chemistry, January 23; Prof. Newton, Geo- 
graphical Distribution of Vertebrate Animals, January 31; Mr. 
Caldwell, Morphology of Invertebrata, Advanced, February 1; 
Dr. Hans Gadow, Morphology of Vertebrata, Advanced, 
January 30. 
The names of Messrs, Casey (Trin.), Harvey (King’s), A. R. 
Johnson (St. John’s), Turner (Trin.), and Welsh (Jesus) appear 
in alphabetical order in the First Division of the List for the 
Third Part of the Mathematical Tripos, to which only the 
Wranglers were admitted, One name is in the second division, 
and eight in the third. 
Mr. F. J. M. Paces, B.Sc., F.C.S., of University College, 
London, was elected, on January 11, Lecturer on Physics at the 
London Hospital Medical College. 
SCIENTIFIC SERIALS 
Fournal of the Franklin [nstitute, December, 1882.—An im- 
proved dynamometer, by W. P. Tatham.—The isochronal 
Worthington pumping engine, by J. K. Maxwell.—Explosive 
and dangerous dusts, by T. W. Tobin.—Economical steam 
power (continued), by W. B. Le Van.—The universality of 
vibrations, by C. C. Haskins.—Report on European sewerage 
systems, &c. (continued), by R. Hering. 
Annalen der Physik und Chemie, No 13 (December 2, 1882), 
—Absolute measurements with bifilar suspension, and especially 
two methods for determining the horizontal intensity of terrestrial 
magnetism without time measurement, by F, Kohlrausch.—The 
reduction of the Siemens unit to absolute measure, by E. Dorn. 
—On electric vibrations with special regard to their phases, by 
A. Oberbeck.—Experimental researches on galvanic polarisation, 
by F. Streintz.—On M. A. Guebhard’s representation of equi- 
potential curves, by E. Mach.—The electromotive force of the 
Daniell element, by E. Kittler-—On amalgamation-currents, by 
H. Haga.—Explanation of electric shadows in free air, by P. 
Riess. —On the material parts in electric sparks, by F, Wachter. 
—On the magnetic screening action of iron, by J. Stefan.— 
On tone-vibrations of solid bodies in presence of liquids, by F. 
Auerbach.—A small alteraiion of the pyknometer, by E. Wiede- 
mann,—Remark on Herr Galn’s memoir on the density of the 
luminiferous ether, by the same.—On the true cohesion of 
liquids, by the same.—On the condensation of liquids on solid 
bodies, by the same.—/he leucoscope and some observations 
made with it, by A. Koniy.—Contribution to the theory of dif- 
fraction in tele cope-tubes, by H. Struve.—On the elliptical 
polarisation of reflected diffracted light, by W. Koenig.—On the 
Poggendorff fall-machine, by K. L. Bauer.—Contributions to 
the history of natural sciences among the Arabs, viii. and ix., by 
E. Wiedemann. 
Bulletin de? Academie Royale des Sciences de Belgique, Nos. 9 
and 10.—Notice on a peculiarity in the aurora borealis of Octo- 
ber 2, 1882, and on the increase in intensity of scintillation of 
stars during aurorz, by C. Montigny.—Some theorems of ele- 
mentary geometry, by E. Catalan.—On curves of the third 
order, by C. Le Paige.—Aspect of the great comet of 1882 
(Cruls) observed at Louvain, by F. Terby.—Note on the 
aurora borealis of Oct ber 2, 1882, by the same.—Action of 
chlorine on tertiary butylic chloride, by Baron d’Otreppe de 
Buvette. 
No. 11.—Note on some bones of the Biscay whale at the 
