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NATURE 
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| Fan. 25, 1883 
break up during the periodical storms in September and October, 
and enable him to reach Port Dickson, where he intended to 
winter. If to this is added the statements made by Mr, Leigh 
Smith and Sir Henry Gore Booth, as to open water north and 
east of Novaya Zemlya during the summer, it is not improbable 
that the Dijmpina has got free in October, and safely reached 
Port Dickson, or, perhaps, even Port Aktinia on the Taimur 
Island. Should this be the case, Lieut. Hovgaard has, no 
doubt, despatched a messenger to the nearest habitation, viz. Golto- 
chicha, and thence by express to Jeniceisk, and we may there- 
fore look forward to reassuring news from the gallant Danish 
explorer at the end of January or early in February. 
THE results of a fourth years’ observations of periodic move- 
ments of the ground as indicated by spirit levels at Secheron, are 
given by M. Ph, Plantamour in the Archives des Sciences of 
December 15. The curves obtained from the east-west spirit 
level, for the four years, are sirikingly similar in the manner 
(pretty regular generally) in which they follow the thermal oscil- 
lations of the air. Different years show a notable difference in 
the epoch of maximum descent of the east side relatively to the 
minimum of mean temperature, and maximum rise of the same 
side relatively to the maximum of temperature. One is led to 
consider the maximum and minimum of temperature rather as 
accidents as regards the epoch at which they occur, and to attri- 
bute a preponderant influence to the distribution of mean tempe- 
ratures during the four months November-February, and the 
four June-September. Probably, too, the degree of moisture 
influences largely the rapidity with which the deeper ground 
layers are affected by exterior temperature. The curve for the 
north-south level is also very similar to the previous ones ; but 
has this peculiarity, that while the south side follows, in general, 
from October i to the end of September, the oscillations of 
external temperature (descending in winter and rising in summer) 
the intermediate variations of temperature have an inverse 
effect. The cause is at present unknowh. Col. van Orff’, 
observations at Bogenhausen reveal oscillations of the ground 
similar to those at Secheron, only with greater amplitude south- 
north, and less east-west. M. Plantamour regrets that, excepting 
Col. van Orff and M. d’Abbadie, no one, so far as he knows, 
has undertaken observations of the kind at any other station. 
They are easily made, and should yield important results. 
NEARLY thirty years ago, Poggendorff described a ‘‘ fall- 
machine” of his invention, Its merits, according to Herr Bauer, 
who spoke warmly in commendation of it at a recent meeting of 
philologists and schoolmasters in Karlsruhe (Wed, Ann., No. 
13), appear to have been somewhat overlooked. Few physical 
cabinets have it, and the only text-book in which Herr Bauer 
has found it described is that of Reis. We may state that the 
two pulleys over which the cord runs are at the middle and one 
end of a balance beam, a weight being hung from the other end 
(with which, and a running weight, the beam can be rendered 
horizontal). The machine is supplied by Herr Karl Sickler in 
Karlsruhe. 
THE Nation states that from Mr. Agassiz’s annual report on 
the condition of the Museum of Comparative Zoology it learns 
that it is his intention, in connection with Prof. Faxon and Dr. 
Mark, to issue in the Museum Memoirs a *‘ Selection from Em- 
bryological Monographs,” containing quarto illustrations derived 
from innumerable scientific transactions and periodicals, and 
serving as an atlas for any text-book on embryology. By the 
purchase of the large Schary collection of Bohemian Silurian 
fossils, and by its own rich amassing in the West and South-west 
during the year, the museum now contains one of the finest col- 
lections of palzeozoic fos-il invertebrates in existence. Mr. Samuel 
Garman, whose explorations for mammalian remains in the 
Western Territories were very successful, was led to believe from | 
the mode of their accumulation that the cause of extinction of 
the more recent was ‘‘a very severe winter, much more extensive 
and severe” than the occasional blizzards of our time. ‘‘As if 
from freezing, the shafts of the larger bones are generally 
splintered.” 
WE have received the Annuaires of the Bureau des Longi- 
tudes and of Montsouris Observatory, both of them abounding 
with useful information on many subjects. Gauthier-Villars is 
the publisher. 
THE additions to the Zoological Society’s Gardens during the 
past week include two Macaque Monkeys (A/acacus cyno- 
molgus 6 6) from India, presented by Mr. J. Steel; a Black- 
footed Penguin (.Sphenisces demersus) from South Africa, pre- 
sented by Mr. John Wormald ; a West Indian Rail (Avamides 
cayennensis) from West Indies, presented by Mr. E. H. Blome- 
field; an Orange-winged Dove (Leftofitla ochroptera) from 
Brazil, presented by Mr. C. A. Craven, C.M.Z.S-.; a Long- 
eared Owl (Asio otus), British), presented by Mr. — Dyer; a 
Great Barbet (JZegalema virens), a Silky Starling (Sterns 
sericeus), two Grey Thrushes (7urdus cards), twelve Red-sided 
Tits (Parus varius) from Japan, a Crested Grebe (Podiceps cris- 
tatus), four Razorbills (A/ca torda), a Red-throated Diver 
(Colymbus septentrionalis), British, purchased. 
OUR ASTRONOMICAL COLUMN 
THE GREAT CoMET OF 1882.—The first determination of 
elliptical elements of this comet by Mr. S. C. Chandler, of 
Harvard Ob-ervatory, U.S., assigned a period of revolution 
of about 4000 years. Later investigations have diminished this 
period very considerably, though the length of revolution is 
not determined within narrow limits. Prof. Frisby, of Wash- 
ingto», employing observations on September 19, October 8, 
and November 24, gives a period of 794 years, and finds a close 
agreentent betWeen the position indicated by his orbit and the 
Cape ante-perihelion observation of September 8. Dr. Kreutz, 
of Berlin, using chiefly meridian observations or normal places 
from September 8 to November 14, gives 843 years, and finds a 
pretty close accordance with observation throughout this interval, 
thus showing no very material perturbation at perihelion passage. 
Further, Dr. Morrison, of Washington, founding his calculation 
upon positions for September 19, October 8, and December 11, 
finds a period of 6523 years. But while these later computations 
favour a shorter revolution than was at first attributed to the 
comet, there remains to be ascertained to what extent the 
abnormal form of the nucleus since the end of September has 
affected the observations, and hence the deduced elements of the 
orbit, and a much more complete discussion of the observations 
than has yet been attempted, when details respecting the point 
of the comet observed are before us, may be required before 
confidence can be placed in the result of any calculation. Primd 
facie the elements assigned by Dr. Kreutz look satisfactory 
enough, 
In view of a possible period of seven or eight hundred years, 
attention may be again directed to the comet of 1106, which 
had several characteristics favourable to identity, though the 
statement in several of the chronicles (chiefly English) that at the 
latter part of its appearance it was seen between the north and east, 
is not reconcilable therewith. Pingré, advocating the identity 
of the comet of 1106 with the great comet of 1680 (in which he 
followed Halley) rather questioned the authority of the Chroni- 
con Alberict, Trium-fontium Monachi, that the tail extended 
‘below the constellation Orion,” which might have been the 
case if the comet were identical with either of the comets of 
1843, 1880, or 1882; he remarked, the monk was ‘‘ ni contem- 
porain, ni exact, ni judicieux.’”” This subject will deserve further 
attention, and we may return to it shortly. 
THE WASHINGTON OBSERVATORY, U.S.—The first volume 
of ‘* Publications of the Washington Observatory of the Univer- 
sity of Wisconsin” has just been issued by the director, Prof. 
E. S. Holden, and augurs most favourably for the reputation of 
this institution, which was founded within the last five years 
through the liberality and scientific spirit of a private indi- 
vidual, the Hon, C. C. Washburn. ‘The volume is especially 
