418 
NATURE 
[March 1, 1883 
It would appear that the Uveean Parrakeet, of which 
wwe now give an illustration (Fig. 31), taken from one of 
the Zoological Society’s living specimens, is a kind of 
satellite of the New Caledonian Parrakeet, as is the 
small island of Uvéa, in which it is found, of the larger 
island of New Caledonia. Mr. Layard had a living pair 
of the Uvean bird for some time in his possession before 
he noticed their difference from the New Caledonian 
bird, of which he had regarded them as the immature 
form. But in the first place the crest of the two birds is 
totally different. In Mymphicus cornutus the crest is 
composed of two elongatec feathers, which are black, 
faintly tinged with green, and broadly tipped with red. 
In WV. wv@ensis, as will be seen in our figure, the crest con- 
sists of a bunch of about six short, upturned, entirely green 
feathers, springing from the end of a small spot of red 
which occupies the centre of the forehead. In JV. cornz- 
tus the two long crest-feathers rise from the centre of the 
broad red cap which covers the whole top of the head. 
Besides this difference the former bird does not present 
the broad orange nuchal collar which ornaments JV. 
cornutus, and exhibits only the faintest trace of orange 
on the rump. 
The small island of Uvéa, one of the Loyalty group, 
to which the new species is confined, consists, as Mr. 
Layard tells us, of a series of small islets joined together 
by a connecting reef with a lagoon in the centre. It is 
very singular that this distinct form should be found only 
in so restricted a locality, while its near relative, the 
“Horned Parrot” of Cook, appears to be distributed all 
over the large island of New Caledonia. 
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT AT THE SAVOY 
DHEATERE* 
R. D’OYLY CARTE, having determined to light 
the Savoy Theatre by the Swan incandescence 
electric light, intrusted the work of installation to Messrs. | 
Siemens Brothers and Co. The theatre is lighted by no 
less than 1194 Swan lights of the improved form intro- 
duced by Mr. C. H. Gimingham, of the Swan United | 
Electric Light Company. Of these 1194 electric lights, | 
the auditorium is lighted by 150 lamps attached in groups 
of three, supported on threefold brackets projecting from | 
the different tiers and balconies, each lamp being inclosed | 
within a ground, or opaloid, shade, by which arrangement 
a soft and pleasant light is produced. These bracket 
lamp-holders have been designed and constructed by 
Messrs. Faraday and Son, of Berners Street, London. 
Two hundred anil twenty lamps are employed for the 
illumination of the numerous dressing-rooms, corri- 
dors, and passages belonging to the theatre, while no 
less than 824 Swan lamps are employed for the lighting 
of the stage. 
The stage lights are distributed as follows :— 
6 rows of 100 lamps each above the stage 600 
I ” 60 ” ” ‘ ” 60 
4 25 14 “1 fixed upright 56 
2eages see LO ” rae 36 
5 oS 10 ground lights 50 
2 ” II 2? ” 22 
824 
In addition to the above-mentioned lights within the 
theatre, there are eight pilot lights in the engine-room, 
which, being in the same circuit with some of the lights 
in the theatre, serve the purpose not only of illuminating 
the machinery, but also of indicating to the engineer in 
charge of the machines, by the changing of their illu- 
minating power, when the lights in the building are turned 
up or down. 
The lamps are at present worked in parallel circuit in 
* Communicated. 
six groups, five of which comprise 200 lamps each, and 
the sixth 202 lamps. The current of each group is pro- 
duced by one of Messrs. Siemens Brothers and Co.’s 
W, alternate current machines, the field magnets of 
which are excited by a separate dynamo electric machine 
of the Siemens type, known as D;. The machines and 
engines are fixed in a shed erected on a piece of waste 
land adjacent to the Victoria Embankment, the current 
being conveyed to the theatre by means of insulated 
cables laid underground. 
The six alternate or W, machines are driven at a speed 
of 700 revolutions per minute, and the six exciting or D; 
machines at 1150 revolutions, by three steam-engines, 
that is to say, a portable 20-horse engine by Garrett, a 
12-horse power portable by Marshall, and a 2o0-horse 
semi-portable engine by Robey, but the power actually 
utilised, as measured by a ‘‘von Hefner Alteneck” 
dynanometer, is between 120 and 130 horse-power. We 
must not, however, omit to state that, in addition to the 
six pairs of machines for working the 1202 incandescent 
lamps, there is also a D, Siemens dynamo machine for 
producing the powerful arc electric light suspended out- 
side the theatre, and over the principal entrance in 
Beaufort Buildings, and that the power to drive this 
machine is included in the above-mentioned horse-power 
employed, as well as that necessary for driving the shunt 
machine used to charge the secondary batteries for the 
fairy lamps. 
The most interesting feature, however, from a scientific 
point of view, of this most interesting installation, is the 
method by which the lights in all parts of the establish- 
ment are under control, for any of the series of lights can 
| in an instant be turned up to their full power or gradually 
lowered to a dull red heat as easily as if they were gas 
lamps, by the simple turning of a small handle. There 
are six of these regulating handles, corresponding to the 
number of the machines and circuits—arranged side by 
side against the wall of a small room on the left of the stage, 
and each handle being a six-way switch, can, by throwing 
into its corresponding magnet-circuit greater or less 
resistance (according to its six stages), lessen or increase 
the strength of the current passing through the lamps by 
as many grades. The special interest of this part of the 
installation, however, is the fact that the turning down of 
the lights is accompanied by a corresponding saving of 
motive power in the engine, for the variable resistance 
which is controlled by the regulators is not thrown into 
the external or lamp circuit of the alternate current 
| machines, but into the circuit by which their field magnets 
are excited. 
The fittings of the lamps in the passages, staircases, 
&c., have, up to the present, been of a temporary nature, 
but, as the electric lighting has worked to the entire 
satisfaction of all concerned, these temporary fittings will 
now be replaced by permanent brackets, quite indepen- 
dent of the gas brackets. 
All risk of fire is avoided by the leading wires being 
thoroughly insulated, and small pieces of lead wire being 
inserted into the circuit wherever a branch wire leaves the 
mains. These “ safety-pieces” of lead are chosen of such 
size that they will melt before the conductors themselves 
become sufficiently heated to cause any danger, and by 
their melting the current is at once interrupted. 
The small lamps worn by the fairies, and which have 
been specially made by the Swan United Electric Light 
Company, are rendered incandescent by the current 
produced from a small “secondary” battery, which is 
carried on the back like a small knapsack. These secon- 
dary batteries have been made by Messrs. Siemens 
Brothers and Co. on a new plan, and are charged by a 
shunt-wound Siemens’ dynamo in the engine-shed. Each 
battery is provided with a switch, by means of which the 
light can be turned on or off by the wearer at pleasure. 
The system of electric lighting has now been working 
