444 
NATURE 
| March 8, 1883 
supervision of experts, for the purpose of continuing the series 
of tests and trials commenced in connection with the South 
Kensington and Manchester Smoke Abatement Exhibitions of 
1882. Particulars may be obtained at the offices of the National 
Smoke Abatement Institution, 44, Berners Street, Oxford 
Street, London, W. 
THE Executive Committee of the International Fisheries Ex- 
hibition have come to a decision to light their galleries by elec- 
tricity, and they have already made arrangements for the illumina- 
tion of fully two-thirds of the area. Messrs. Davey Paxman and 
Co. have undertaken to supply the necessary motive power, 
which has been estimated at little less than 700 horse-power. 
THE International Medical Congress, which, in accordance 
with the resolutions of the Italian Congress of last year, is to be 
held this year in Holland, will take place at Amsterdam, during 
the Colonial Exhibition, from September 6 to 8 next. 
WE have on good authority the following instance of the 
liberality of Dr. Oscar Dickson, who has contributed so largely 
to the various expeditions of Baron Nordenskjéld :—An energetic 
Swedish botanist, Sven Berggren, was some years ago engaged 
in studying the flora of New Zealand, of which he gave some 
account in the Swedish A/tond/ad. In one of his letters he 
stated, however, that his studies would have to be discontinued 
from want of funds. The next day a sum of 1000/. was received 
anonymously by the A/tond/ad, with instructions to forward it to 
Herr Berggren. It was only many years after that it leaked out 
that the generous donor was Dr. Oscar Dickson. 
Part IV. of Mr. Distant’s ‘‘ Rhopalocera Malayana” ap- 
peared this week. A complete synoptical key is given to the 
genera, and the geographical distribution of the genera and 
species is fully described. An attempt is made to allude to all 
biological facts which can illustrate or explain the many com- 
plexities in the distribution and economy of Malayan butterflies, 
and to draw attention to the different theories which have been 
promulgated to account for the same. The work may thus 
prove useful as an introduction to the study of Rhopalocera. 
Already it has assumed much larger proportions than estimated 
owing to the number of additional species recently received or 
found in other collections. Woodcuts have also been given, 
and the plates are equal to anything yet produced by chromo- 
lithography. Mr. Distant’s work deserves every encouragement. 
AN International Congress for the Protection of Animals is 
to be held at Vienna in September next. A great number of 
local societies, such as those of Berlin, Cologne, Munich, 
Dresden, Hanover, &c., besides several Spanish, Italian, and 
Russian, have. expressed their intention of being represented 
at the Congress. Anti-vivisectionist societies will not be 
invited, as the promoters of the Congress, eminent men of 
science, do not consider them as societies for the protection of 
animals, and hold them to be generally incompetent regarding 
questions relating to such protection. 
THE Dutch press considers the demand made by Baron 
Nordenskjold perfectly legitimate and just. 
THE death is announced of Dr. Bertillon, the well-known 
French anthropologist and statistician, 
AT its January meeting, the Russian Chemical and Physical 
Society awarded its Sokoloff premium to Prof. Menshutkin, for 
his researches into the influence of isomerism of alcohols and 
acids on the formation of compound ethers. 
Ir is interesting to examine the items in the budget of Norway 
for the ensuing year, which has just been issued, relating to the 
“extraordinary ” grants made in that country for the benefit of | 
science. The following are some of the donations for this year: 
—To the academies of science in Christiania and Throndhjem, 
600/, ; the museums of Bergen, Stavanger, and Tromso, 9oo/. ; 
travels of scientific students abroad, 350/. ; the European geodetic 
commission, 400/.; international observations of the physical 
condition of the polar regions, 700/.; Archiv of mathematics 
and natural sciences, 70/. ; other scientific journals, 130/, ; a 
new natural history journal, 702, ; ‘‘ further,” towards the publi- 
cation of the works of the distinguished Norwegian mathe- 
matician, Abel, 1007, ; a work by Herr Norman on the Aretic 
flora of Norway, 350/.; Herr Tromholt for the study of the 
aurora borealis, 60/.; the Acta mathematica, 60/. ; scientific 
study of the Norwegian sea fisheries, 300/. ; for the artificial 
hatching of salmon ova, go/. ; geological researches of Southern 
Norway, 600/.; the society for promoting the Norwegian 
fisheries in Bergen, 1600/. ; publication of the reports of the 
North Atlantic expedition, 100/, These amounts, as well as the 
3000/7. granted towards the expenses of the Fishery Exhibition in 
London, are all in addition to the ordinary subsidies of the year. 
THE Swedish Government has granted a sum of 60/., for this 
year, to an entomologist, whose duty it will be to advise farmers 
as to the best means of destroying injurious insects. 
WE are informed by the secretary of the Society of Telegraph 
Engineers and of Electricians that the Crown Prince of Austria 
has consented to become patron of the Vienna Electrical Exhi- 
bition, and that the Emperor has signified his intention of 
devoting some highly decorated rooms for the purpose of testing 
the effects of incandescent lighting in connection with various 
styles of decoration. The time fixed for the receipt of applica- 
tions for space has been extended from the Ist to the 2oth inst., 
by which latter date they should be in the hands of the Secretary 
of the Society, 4, The Sanctuary, Westminster. We are also 
authorised to state that the Committee at Vienna are making 
arrangements for a reduction in the rates of transit on all goods 
forwarded to Vienna for exhidition. 
It isa common belief among persons who keep poultry that 
the shocks and tremors to which eggs are subject during transport 
on road or railway affect the germ contained in the egg. M. 
Dareste, who has been studying this matter (Comples Rendus), 
found, a few years ago, that in eggs submitted to incubation 
directly after a railway journey, the embryo very generally died ; 
but a few days’ rest before incubation obviated this. He has 
lately inquired into the effect of shocks on the fecundated egg- 
germ, with the aid of a ¢éafoteuse, or machine used by chocolate- 
makers to force the paste into the mills; it gives 120 blows a 
minute. Monstrosities were always the result of the tremors so 
caused, This teratogenic cause is the more remarkable that it 
acts before the evolution of the embryo ; whereas the other 
causes M. Dareste has indicated, as elevation or lowering of 
temperature, diminution of porosity of the eggshell, the vertical 
position of the egg, and unequal heating, only modify the embryo 
during its evolution. The modification impressed on the germ 
by those shocks did not disappear after rest, as in the case 
mentioned above ; but it is not known why. A few eggs escape 
the action. 
THE radiometer is an instrament which may render good 
service in the hands of the teacher. Prof. Rovelli has been 
showing this (zv. Sct. Zud.), and among other experiments he 
suggests are these :—Placing the instrument at the focus of a 
parabolic mirror, while a mass of snow is put at the focus of a 
like mirror facing the first a little way off ; placing it, with sul- 
phuric ether, under the bell-jar of an air-pump, and exhausting, 
afterwards letting in the air (the motion is opposite after the air 
is admitted) ; exposing the radiometer at the focus of a parabolic 
mirror turned towards the weak light reflected from snow, on a 
cloudy day, then turning the mirror away from the snow. Prof, 
